Introduction

Hey Group,

Since I'm new to the club, I thought I would post a brief introduction.

I'm a 38 year old Dad of 3, and on the morning of Dec 30, my heart decided it was done doing it's job, and I went into cardiac arrest. God is good, and my wife got the EMT's to our house in a few minutes - about 10 shocks later, I was on my way to the hospital.

I spent 2 days in a coma, and thank God my cat scan came back clear - no brain damage. An MRI and angiogram showed that my heart was in great shape, and I woke up with an ICD.

My EP has no explanation for it, other than a possible indication of intermittent long QT. I'd had no symptoms, no indication that anything was out of the ordinary (at least that I remember). I'm a healthy guy too - running 15 miles a week for years.

I'm blessed to be here with my family, I've got great medical care and I'm doing about as well as you could expect.

What I can't shake is being shell shocked as to how the hell this could have happened, and how incredibly fragile life is. My kids saw the whole thing, and they and my wife have had a rough go of it this month. I, however, slept through the whole thing. I would think it was all a bad dream if I didn't have this lump in my left shoulder (and the big scar to go with it).

I know we're all here for different reasons, with pacemakers and ICD's, but we're all relying on these little machines to keep us alive and healthy. I'm thrilled that we're here, though.

I look forward to joining the discussions along our collective journey.

Rick

5 Comments

ICD/LQT syndrome etc

by bunnykin - 2008-02-08 03:02:56

Hi Rick,

Welcome to this site and how true it is we're all here for different reasons but all have a device or other to keep us going. I found this site really really good, most people here try to be caring and understanding and we all speak the same language.
I'm writing this cos I feel that we're having something in common. First the ICD which I've got since 2004 and changed once a year ago due to overusing from VT treatment;Had a pacemaker prior to that in 2002. The second is I too have prolonged QT. Rick, praise God you were "saved by the bell" and now with ICD. My late brother didn't have a chance in 1994 and had sudden cardiac death. He too had suspected long QT and at that time ICD was only rather new. You sound like a very healthy and robust young man and this must have taken you and your family by great surprise and shock! My late brother was an ardent diver, physically very strong and had a body-builder physique. One would not guess he'd just drop dead one day out of the blue.
Now that you've got a so-called second chance, go for it, live a healthy lifestyle and if your collapse was basically due to prolonged QT(heredity) there's hardly anything that we can do to help this condition but perhaps magnesium tablets and monitoring with the ICD that will take care of future episodes of events.( which my EP dr prescribes for me amongst other antiarrhythmic agents);
And to your family members, God is good, welcome Rick back home and let's rejoice that there's such a thing called ICD and pacemakers! Praise Him.
My best regards to you in future and take good care.

Bunnykin

THE UNEXPECTED

by peter - 2008-02-08 04:02:22

Hi Rick, Sorry to here about your problems, life does have a way of letting us know that we are not quite as in control of our lives as we think. I was in hospital when a patient came into the heart ward and was in the bed next to me . He was the same age as you and had collapsed at work. They carried out various tests including trying to induce the same heart problem. They found nothing. But I did !!! At the moment of collapse he had been under great stress at work at the very moment of collapse. I have been under such stress myself at work many years ago that I had to hold on to furniture to stop myself going down. Stress is a killer and we should all back away from it. You did not say whether you are overweight , had been drinking alchohol, tired due to overwork or loss of sleep, or eaten food that did not agree with you etc or a combination of factors. You have got to think hard as to why this might have happened on that day and try and avoid those triggers if any. Cheers Peter

Welcome

by boatman50 - 2008-02-08 08:02:22

Hi Rick and welcome to the club. I am a 51 year old father and just before my 50th my heart also decided to take a rest. After passing out at home and waking up again I went into the hospital for a day of testing. At 7pm it stopped for 26 seconds and luckily restarted on its own. No doctor that I have seen has been able to explain what caused this. I have always been very healthy and it was a big shock (no pun intended) to me. For some time it was all I could think about. How and why could this happen to me, with no history at all. Now, even though I think about this little device I just accept it and enjoy life. You are certainly correct in noticing how fragile it is. So welcome again and glad your here!
Boatman

LQTS

by mgweaver - 2008-02-08 08:02:23

Welcome to the group! I am a 26 year old mother of two who was diagnosed with LQTS about 3 years ago. I too have a ICD. I only found this site about a month ago and in that time I have learned so much more and come to terms with a lot of things. You will find great support and people dealing with many of the same problems and issues as yourself here. Some of the things may never have crossed your mind! If you want to talk about the LQTS or anything feel free to message me. I know exactly how you feel. Both of my children actually have it also (ages 3 and 6 months). That has been my hardest hurdle to overcome. The beginning is the toughest time because it seems like it is such a change and there is so much to learn. It will get better and just be glad you are one of the blessed ones! Best wishes to you and your family! -Marisa

Thanks

by Nutbeem - 2008-02-08 12:02:38

Thank you for you comments.

I run our family business, and carry a huge burden from our company, which employs most of my family, my mother in law (don't ask how that happened), nephew and over 90 other people. I've been fighting the stress that comes with it for years, I had thought that stress might have contributed to it.

My first day back at work after this all happened, I found out about a huge error our IT staff had made with some customer records that could have possibly led to litigation, and I almost keeled over again.

So, on we go in this new chapter of life.

You know you're wired when...

You run like the bionic man.

Member Quotes

The pacer systems are really very reliable. The main problem is the incompetent programming of them. If yours is working well for you, get on with life and enjoy it. You probably are more at risk of problems with a valve job than the pacer.