I'm scared

I am taking my dressing off of my incision area tomorrow and I am really nervous about it.  Any suggestions?  Or encouragement?  I also have not driven anywhere in over a week and I know I need to get in the car and make myself go somewhere tomorrow.  Gotta get over this hump!


4 Comments

reply

by daisylike - 2017-06-23 15:19:53

I know what you are going through. Had mine installed 11 days ago and am scared to go anywhere. My husband wanted to go out for breakfast this morning and was scared to go but did and everythiing was fine. I still have not driven but know, like you, I have to get over this hump.

I'm sure a lot of people have gone through this and is normal to have these feelings. Hang in there and I know all these things will pass and you will feel better then you have in a long time. I have days I feel really good and then think I do to much and pay the next day. I had a temporary PM put in on a Saturday after passing out over a dozen times that day and then two days later had a permanent one placed so I have to remember that I had two surgeries in two days plus the stress on my body of passing out plus I am 72 years old so that was a lot on my body.  This site has helped a lot answer questions as well as easing my mind. Glad I found it.

You've got this

by Gotrhythm - 2017-06-23 15:23:11

 Getting a pacemaker is shocking and scary for most people. Very few of us really want it. I didn't. The thought of having a machine inside my body working my heart for me--ycch! It gave me the willies. On the other hand, with my heart the way it was, it was only a matter of time before it stopped and didn't start itself again.

I reluctantly accepted the pacemaker. Very reluctantly. But one day I realized the pacemaker was not the problem. My heart condtion was the problem. The pacemaker was the solution. 

Being afraid because I had a pacemaker would be the same thing as being afraid of having a fire extinguisher.

Having a pacemaker does not make you more vulnerable any more than having a fire extinguisher makes your house more likely to catch fire.

So here you are. Attitude matters. We don't have a lot of control about many things in life, but we can control what we allow our minds to dwell on. We can choose whether to be crippled by fear or to live full, meaningful lives in the (extra) time we have been given.

I'm not sure what you're afraid you will see if you look at your incision, but the facts are, it's not much to look at.  Relatively speaking, the incision is small, my scar is less than two inches. By now the edges should be completely pulled together, so what it looks like is a red line with black stitches crossing it. Not really impressive at all.

You really are okay, and you're going to be okay. Millions of people around the world, many of them nowhere near as educated or competent as you, have a pacemaker and get along fine. You will too.

Someday, probably soon, you'll look back at yourself today, and smile. And then you'll find someone on the Pacemaker Club posting that they just got a pacemaker and they are nervous and looking for support, and you'll write a reply ttelling them they can do this. They will be fine.

Chill

by anrev - 2017-06-23 16:56:22

I'm 6 weeks past my pm instal today. I found this whole process was more mental than physical. The surgery was easy and the follow up was a breeze . I drove my car the day after and kept my arm moving from the 2nd day on. No pain. No issues.

For 65 years I've been a rather healthy person so this came as quite a surprise and it was a 2 week adjustment getting to accept this. But most days I don't even realize I have a pacemaker and just go about my life.

Chill out...you will be fine.

 

 

Over the worst!

by AddieJ - 2017-06-25 23:21:16

You are fine and going to be even....finer.  Good luck. Also you can order pads for the seat belts that make them more comfy when driving.  Amazon. Till then put a washcloth under the belt.  

You know you're wired when...

Your life has spark.

Member Quotes

A pacemaker completely solved my problem. In fact, it was implanted just 7 weeks ago and I ran a race today, placed first in my age group.