1st Follow-Up after Pacemaker Implant

I thought this may be a long drawn out thing on the latest technology when it comes to the heart. Boy, was I wrong. This visit took about a total of 15 minutes, they tech can  a "scan" over the pacemaker much like I can diver my pain pump. But, of course he could read everything my heart was doing, and he showed me the screens of the read outs it was giving him the beats looked on the monitor of my heart compared to i if gets lower than it supposed to then the pacemaker kicks in, and brings it up to speed per se'.

They ordered my own monitor so it will be here next week. It will keep readings and at 3 months I download them to their computer. After this next 3 months  wll go to actually do another reading at the office and see my doctor. The tech said then they may do some "tweaking" since I "felt" a few things that kind of seemed out of character. But he said it takes about 3 months for all of that to get settled in, and begin to give very accurate readings.

For instance when he scanned the information when  got into the office my BPM were only at 40 (which normal is 60). He brought it up to 60, and I "felt" the difference, Which maybe when I am feeling at home after the implant.

I still have questions, but now as I know, I might as well wait until that 3 month mark then see how I am feeing. I am "RELEASED"  to do my own regular things and schedule. He told me if something "hurts", like I believe I am feeling a "pinch" which is scar tissue, then slow down or do less or stop for bit. But, now it's up to me to figure out the entire game.

I think I was "pleased" but kind of shocked that they were not nearly as concerned as I was and am in this being so new.



LOL, I got to Baylor driving just fine, went right to the building. Then when I left to com home I knew right away I turned the wrong way, and then I had to make this long was to turn back and get n the correct highway to come home. I asked about the "sinus node problem". He said it was like having a car, that "has a sluggish time starting at 1st, because of wear and tear"and age... plus I have some damage from the previous heart attacks. BUT, once the pacemaker "kicks" in to start it all up, then my heart does just as it should. He did help in giving me a "look" on what is going on, and explaining my problem, better than I had gotten before.

So, from here we shall see.  am going to live my life day to day, and as he said "listen to your body"

"Post-pacemaker Surgery" & things went very well!

Well here is the Pacemaker that is now helping my heart out... Like my Pain Pump it has a My Care link (this one is a base" that keeps me monitored remotely with the main heart center at Baylor ...

Wanted to let everyone know the doctors just came out and told me everything went well with mom’s surgery. It was much faster than they expected.

 — at Baylor Scott & White Heart and Vascular Hospital – Dallas.

I wanted to come and post but my chest, shoulder are quire sore.. also I appreciate you taking me and be there with me.. I know it was a long day, but having you there plus EVERYONE, nurses, the doctor, the anesthesiologist were wonderful... I was so thrilled with all and the results was even better.. 

I was SO PLEASED WITH MY DOCTOR, THE HEART HOSPITAL AND EVERYONE WHO WAS WITH ME THROUGH THE PROCEDURE!!!! I would HUGHLY recommend them to everyone...


I will write and post more as I feel a bit stronger... but I wanted to let everyone know things so far have gone extremely well...

https://www.baylorhearthospital.com/handler.cfm?event=practice,main

The Azure™ pacemaker is equipped with BlueSync™ technology and is compatible with MyCareLink Heart mobile app(opens new window) –– the latest innovation from Medtronic in remote monitoring.

Do YOU feel SAFE in Your Small Home Town?

How can our kids feel safe when WE as adults don't???? I fear Wal-Mart or just walking across the parking lot at HEB in my small local town!

Horror & Meanness Thrives - "Life" matters not to so many these days...

Texas Shooting Leaves 5 Dead and At Least 21 Injured Near Odessa

The attack began at a traffic stop, the authorities said, and the gunman is dead. At least five people were killed and 21 injured in Midland-Odessa, Texas, after a routine traffic stop triggered a deadly shooting rampage that ended when the gunman was slain by officers, police said.

You are NOT safe anywhere! Evil seems to Thrive each and everyday - whether, young, old, couples, families, and no matter where you are, your'e never "safe"from harms way...wherever a restaurant, at the movies, the mall, church asleep in your bed...
I have loved ones who  live in Midland... & my daughter, son in law & 2 couples headed for San Antonio for the weekend.. yet as I mentioned to them, grown, in a group it matters not, if they want to hurt you... they will

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/31/us/odessa-shootings.html

More on Bullying....

A Perfect Example right now going on right there on FB!!! I went for months and months with NO people asking to "friend" me. Over the last 2 months I bet there has been 40 or more, BUT when you look at their page, heck they just gotten on FB in the past month or less.. they have NO posts, barely a profile, NO other friends OR they are now "inviting" women especially to friend them. They "show" to be from other country's some I don't even recognize the country....I have "friends" from over the world, and that is great BUT not when they have no "affiliation" to any type of community, or do not have any friends that are mine also. These are the type that you never know whether they are "real" or up to trying to scam someone, or hurt someone, or do something that is not legal.... no telling what they are up to. That is why I feel it is SO CRUCIAL we let our kids going back to school, to be careful, keep a watchful eye out, and remember as hard as it is to fathom, right in our own communities large or small, people are immoral, mean, looking for a way to hurt someone, or do something that can destroy a life in one way or the other.. BULLIES can look like you or I, they can come from the "house next door", or down the street... we may work with them, go to school with them, or church with them. They can be standing next to you at the market, or in the bank.. We just never know anymore what someone could be thinking or ready to do...It is difficult to think your own neighbor may have a house full of guns ammo, poison, bomb making stuff (which thy can get innocently enough if they want or heck just or just order it online ... make their own guns! With the money for the right type of printer & proper plastic printing material , they get the directions right off the internet to make one without any type of serial numbers or way to identify it.

"STOMP OUT Bullying!"

#BLUEUP

STOMP Out Bullying™ is the leading national nonprofit dedicated to changing the culture for all students. It works to reduce and prevent bullying, cyberbullying and other digital abuse, educates against homophobia, LGBTQ discrimination, racism and hatred, and deters violence in schools, online and in communities across the country. In this diverse world, STOMP Out Bullying promotes civility, inclusion and equality. It teaches effective solutions on how to respond to all forms of bullying, as well as educating kids and teens in school and online. It provides help for those in need and at risk of suicide, and raises awareness through peer mentoring programs in schools, public service announcements by noted celebrities, and social media campaigns. 

School starts and so does the bullying!Stand up as a kid, a parent, a teacher, someone who wants to help...  I was bullied in school...back then there was really nothing to do, but keep your mouth shut...NO MORE! Now you can SPEAK OUT!

Letter to Dr Blair about Cellulitis 9/21/2019

Hello Dr. Blair,

... on the 16th of August they were to do the pacemaker surgery. Now the doctor's schedule was full so they were going tp TRY to get me before anything els happened...Wednesday the 15th day before the surgery my left leg felt 'odd" and warm on my back calf and then I felt lump coming up on the calf...and the ONLY thing I can fathom is that we have had so many "bugs"spiders, all kinds of spiders, wasps, something had to have bitten ,stung, something in the night, because I was fine when i went to bed!!! This time they did a sonogram to make sure it was not a DVT etc which all came back fine. SO NOW I have to wait till Sept 16th, unless they have a cancellation, then i may get in sooner.
I came to Dr Blair's Office and you happened to be gone for the afternoon. So, my other option, was Urgent Care. I decided togo there rather than do nothing. They drew stat labs, and sent me to the hospital for a doppler & another test to make sure I didn't have a DT or DVT. All were CLEAR!!! Thank Goodness!
Yet, it left me with this issue, which we figured as I said something must have bitten me in the night that I did not feel.

So, they gave me a bag of IV antibiotics, and sent me with a script for another antibiotic to take every 6 hours for 10 days clindamycin. It began to get better quickly this time... but I still was left the pacemaker that was supposed to be the next day! So, I had no choice but to call, and reschedule it again.So, we try again but not until the 13th of September (a Friday).

I told Dr. Rao's Assistant I was going up there no matter WHAT!

So, if Urgent Care have not sent you those records and the labs, and doppler tests, please let them knw you want those.

I would like to have a discussion about this & as to why "suddenly" I keep getting this, and never did I have this before. AND can we do ANYTHING to try and get it under control?


Thank you,
Pam Steele

ONGOING SAGA between the PACEMAKER & CELLULITIS

WHATIS THERE SAY BUT THIS SUCKS!!!!! And I wished my BODY would get well and star well so I can get this pacemaker in and go on with my life!!!! The entire ordeal is getting way to old... I am so tired of cellulitis, infection & having to wait to get over  this mess.... This is like the 3RD time we have had to cancel and  reschedule it!!!! 

             

Infection in Left Knuckles Infected & on another round of antibiotics Still with me, along with more issues, now the city and my road a mess they have made!

SO! I STILL HAVE AN INFECTED "HAND" joints, whatever! I have been through hell this past 10 days or more. Between this hand, worrying about having to postpone the pacemaker AGAIN! (no way they will do a pacemaker when I have an infection still going), then the city had FRIGED UP MY ROAD! I found out THEY SCREWED UP, HAVE HAD US HALF WAY BLOCKED IN AND WE NEVER KNOW IF WE WILL BE ABLE TO GET IN AND OUT OF OUR DRIVEWAYS -

they did this AND NEVER WARNED ANY OF US! I talked to neighbors yesterday and found out they did NOT get the materials in they needed so now they are "stalling". They keep putting truck loads of gravel type almost a sandy rock mess and if it were not bad enough, rolling that down, and then if it is not wet from rain they come along and wet it. So, either it is WET AND MUDDY! OR it's dry and the dust flies everywhere!!! No one "SEES" that they are driving and kicking up mud, dust, rocks everywhere driving over it. I blame the city for that also, they should have SIGNS UP WARNING THESE IDIOTS NOT TO DRIVE FAST OVER IT.

Then they have "built up" the road so high (my property already has water that runs on it if it rains very much, because they have the other side of the road high enough, so all of the water runs to my side and into our ditches and under my carport, and my back yard looks like a landslide has happened. I know they can't help the rain BUT they dug out "some ditches" but like mine is full of water it needs to be dug out and the culvert is so old, it's bent down and won't allow water to run thru so now it's standing in water, causing mosquito's (but they gripe at us) for letting water stand if we have anything ti can stand in....

and now they are running I guess mice into my laundry room... and (suddenly I had the bars out just disappear 3 times now since this began) and then something (which could be a possum etc or a stray cat we have and so forth) run under my house and die! For the 3rd time in 2 weeks I woke up now to my laundry room with a stench worse than anything else you can imagine! I have every hole blocked, but they can weasel their way under anything if they are desperate! I am in the process of trying to type an email (I can barely type my left hand hurts so bad).. to the guy over this mess of a road they have made, and give him a piece of my mind... who is going to fix this mess, details our cars covered in dust and grime? Who is going to get that water out of those ditches... I hate to sound prejudice but I "live on the wrong side of town"... if I had a 500,000 dollar home, I bet it would be concreted, with a walkway, and they would have the water properly running out and away from the homes.... I am just so fed up. I pay MY TAXES ON TIME! Believe me if I didn't they would FINE ME 10 or 20%!!!! I should tell the city each day this is a mess they owe us on this road back a portion of the taxes we pay! Anyway, so keep me in your prayers... I NEED this hand well, so I can get this pacemaker in and go about my life... why is it that it is ALWAYS SOMETHING WITH ME?????"

I have to wonder if the pain in my hips that I still have after the injections, is not also something to do with this infection. both hips especially the right one still hurt. I was at the market on Monday, and when I was trying to finish up and get checked out, my right hip and side started to hurt. It scared the hell out of me. I came home with a LOAD of groceries, since they had my road so messed up I could NOT get out of my driveway all week last week! So, my groceries were in about 7 bags (the reusable ones) plus 4 gallons of water. I did not think I would ever make it in with it all, and get it put up.... but I managed.

I worry my RA and Lupus could be getting worse, or something else is going on, and they have not found it yet. My labs they did a couple of weeks ago when they found the infection, were really all messed up. My white blood cell count was at 15. But, there were other labs that were also really "off" that usually were not that bad, so I have to wonder.

Happy Father's Day TO Each if you - Dad's, Grandad's, step-dad's those who raise you like they are your Dad & More!

TO ALL of the INCREDIBLE DAD'S, FATHER'S, SONS WHO WILL SOMEDAY BE DAD'S, GRANDFATHERS, & the list goes on.. no matter how old we are "Our Dad will always be"  Our Dad and "Bestest Fishin' Friend!" Happy FAther's Day! And Dad even after this much time has gone by, I STILL miss you! I seem to "still use some of your sayings" almost everyday of my life! LOL!

Okay, here it is in a "short version"... I was scheduled for the pacemaker this coming Monday morning in Dallas. The week before Memorial Day my left hand around my knuckles "started in my thumb" began to "look odd, kind of swollen, and reddish"..I thought I just over used it doing something. By the next morning, the knuckles next to it did the same, and so on, so forth. I STILL felt it was a Lupus/RA flare BUT I HAD NEVER HAD THIS TYPE OF ISSUE WITH MY LEFT HAND AND KNUCKLES..I researched, asked 2 pharmacists, and decided it maybe "gout arthritis", and I would need a special med called "Colchicine" (it helps to dissolve the uric acid crystals in the fluid around the joints).

So finally I went to Urgent Care, I believe it was about a week ago LAST Wednesday, so almost 2 weeks ago. They felt the same either gout, OR possibly some type of "infection arthritis" in the knuckles. Well, I went into panic mode. I KNEW NO PACEMAKER IF I SHOW ANY TYPE OF INFECTION! I was now on one antibiotic, higher dose of prednisone, & they did lab work to find out if they could see what was causing the problem. I DID NOT GET to even know until Thursday (so over a week or more)