It is said, by whom I have no idea, that life happens while you are making plans. The truth is, and you can quote me on this, one has to do both. So we went to Yakima to have a session with an assistant to the implantation doctor.
The session was designed for us to review the reasons for having and ICD implanted and to have the nature of the procedure explained to us. As I have been searching the internet for information and showing it to Nancy, and summarizing some for this to report here, we were able to ask questions and understand the answers. There are small pamphlets available at the Heart Center about various heart issues but we find them short of information. From the internet we can get detailed drawings, photos, animations, and video. Only about 18 months ago did we get a high speed connection to the Web and we could not have learned what we have without it.
So, back to life and plans. Life first. Nancy has developed a sore throat and head cold but these seem unrelated to anything other than being out-and-about. She continues to function doing the things she has, such as music and physical therapy and an increasing number of domestic chores. This approaching week has been scheduled with master thesis defenses for students that Nancy has had in classes. Now retired but as an Emeritus Professor she can (and wants to) participate in these activities. Guess who looks on this situation disapprovingly? The up-side is that she may throw off the sore throat and cold before she goes to the hospital.
We have managed to squeeze this potential life saving procedure into the very busy schedule on June 1st — twelve days from today. With that date set we can back off from that 5 days and cease taking Coumadin® so that Nancy won’t bleed overly-much when the implant is done. The dropping level of anti-coagulation will be of concern but can’t be avoided.
There is a nice vein below one’s collarbone within which leads can be threaded into the right atrium. From there the lead will pass through the tricuspid valve into the right ventricle. Near the bottom of that chamber where the wall-muscle is close to the left-ventricle, the plastic-coated metal lead will be stuck into the muscle (the myocardium). This will be near pathways (bundle branches) for the movement of electrical signals along and through the ventricular walls.
The device can monitor the heart rhythm and sense and record any problems with the coordinated contractions and relaxations. As necessary it can slow the beating if it is too fast (called tachycardia, TAK-ih-KAR-de-ah), speed it up if it is too slow (called bradycardia (bray-de-KAR-de-ah), and convert a fibrillating (quivering) pattern into a regular one. This last situation – especially ventricular fibrillation, can stop the forward motion of blood through the body and lead to sudden death. See the following for more info:
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/scda/scda_whatis.html
The implanted device is a sophisticated tiny computer with storage and the information it monitors is available for review. A companion unit can be placed on a bed-side table and then at night the information about your heart will be moved to the bedside, then to a distant computer, analyzed, and searched for anything that suggests a problem. If anything is found then you and your doctor can be alerted and in you go for a LOF. Well not exactly but that is what the dealer said when I called about the car – Her exact statement was “So we need to schedule a LOF.” I had to ask. It’s a lub-oil-filter procedure. What the tune-up for an ICD is called, I have no idea.
Next entry is “planned” for Sunday morning. Enjoy your weekend. Enjoy life!