5 Days with my new best friend!

First let me thank Nancy,Mtulau,Grateful Heart,Angrysparrow and Daisy for helping me prior to my surgery with all of your great ideas. I thought of you all on March 4th as I received my implant and was so much calmer because of you. Things are going well and I can't explain how happy I am to have a pulse rate in the 70's after ten years of 60's and below with numerous PVCs. I am sore of course however it seems a small price to pay. My biggest mistake so far was to reach my left arm up out of habit just for a second while washing my hair today so I need to stay focused on that matter. The hospital told me to wear a sling for several weeks to remind my brain....but not in the shower of course. My silly question is that I am supposed to watch for infection at the wound site, but can't even tell because it is covered by the tape that they put over the incision. I am supposed to just let them "fall off" or they will be removed at my Doctor's visit in two weeks. Anyway the tape looks "yucky" but I assume I should just leave it alone. I'm checking my temp and so far so good.The bruising is just moderate....as well as slight swelling....hope I'm right not to worry. Did any of you go through this? Thanks again to all! By the way...I could not believe how awake I was during the surgery and knew what they were doing each step of the way. What a miracle! Carol

5 Comments

Welcome

by Jax - 2013-03-09 01:03:13

The dr took off my bandage in the hospital before I went home. I was told to watch for infection...redness, fever and if the pm site swells up like a ping pong ball.
I also agree with Carolyn -- they told me to forget the sling. I used my left arm some but I really babyed it
I am a lefty so it was real hard to remember not to use it much. It is my dominant hand.

Sounds like you are doing great.

Been There ~ Done That ~

by Carolyn65 - 2013-03-09 01:03:26

My 'energizer bunny' (PM) was placed 11/09. My heart doctor doing the placement, told me what ever I did, do not wear a sling. He said if I woke up from being sedated and had a sling on ~ take it off immediately! He said if you wear a sling, it could 'freeze' up your elbox/shoulder and cause more RE-Hab than ever b/c you are not using that area normally ~

The area around your PM would be warm to the touch and redness around your 'stitches'/bandage if there was an infection. My stitiches/bandaging were made to take showers. The actual stitches were removed by a nurse in the doctor's office at the two week check up.

ha-ha ~ My heart doctor had not told me for sure if he was doing a local and/or deep sedation. When I become nervous, I talk '90 to nuttin' ~ I think put me in deep sleep just to 'shut me up' so he could think! ~ ~

Sounds like you are doing Great! ~ My one advice to you would be to just to stop and listen to what your own body is trying to tell you. If you become tired, rest. When you realize you raised that arm, lower it. If you have picked up a plant or pot weighing more than you should lift, put it down! Your body talks to you constantly, but most people do not pause to hear it. You are doing Great.

Keep us Posted on your Great Success ! ~ ~ ~
Carolyn G. from TEXAS ~ ~ ~

Raising arm

by ElectricFrank - 2013-03-09 01:03:31

I commissioned my wife to yell at me every time I started to do a deep stretch of the arm over my head. It's natural. Actually, I think it is an overblown issue. If raising the arm above shoulder level any time in the first 6 weeks would be likely to pull a lead loose, the hospital OR would have pacemaker patients lined up clear down the road.

Glad things are going well,

frank

Me too....

by Many Blessings - 2013-03-09 11:03:00

I only had to wear my sling for 24 hours after surgery (but cheated and loosened it up when no one was looking). After it was removed (like the others above) I would forget and do an over the head stretch, or reach for something all of the time. With me, everything was fine, but do really try not to do that, because of the dangers they warn you about (leads, etc.).

As for wearing a sling for several weeks, I'd worry about frozen shoulder with that. That's a really long time to wear one in my opinion. I was told you have to get your arm moving, just not over chest level for that first 4-6 weeks. Watch what the others tell you to do, so you can get a good number of opinions on that, just in case others disagree with me.

I was told the same as the others as far as what to watch for with a site infection (warmness to the touch, swelling not associated with blood in the pocket, fever, oozing of the suture site, etc.)

Glad to hear you came through everything okay, and best wishes for a fast, easy recovery!

Carol

by Nancylyn1991 - 2013-03-10 12:03:33

So glad you are doing well. My dr said a great thing to feel for infection by making sure it is not warm to the touch and look for any leakage. My dr also released me to lift my arm after only 3 weeks. She said you would have to go rake your yard for an hour or sing from a trapeze to make your leads displace. They are really hooked in there. Hope to hear that you continue to do wonderfully.
Nancy

You know you're wired when...

Intel inside is your motto.

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