Take your old PM home?

My daughter is having her PM replaced on Tues and someone told me if you ask the surgeon that they will let you take your old PM home? Does anyone think this is weird or should I let her. I thought it might be something cool she can share with her friends at school she is only 5. What do you think?

16 Comments

Old ICD

by Nicole33 - 2013-05-12 01:05:51

I just had my ICD replaced on March 11th and I asked for the old one and my EP gave it to me. No, I don't think that it is weird. I am glad I did so.

Nicole33

Thanks Everyone!

by PaceMomma3 - 2013-05-12 04:05:07

I told her this morning that she might be able to take it home and she was so excited. Thanks for all the comments we are going to try to get it so she can share it with all her friends at preschool. It would be very cool to get it engraved since this has been apart of her life since she was 4 days old. Very cool thanks everyone!

I have two

by Laben - 2013-05-12 04:05:42

I am on my 5th ICD and was given two of them, the other two were defective and they kept them. The changes in size and technology over the past 20 yrs are unbelivable. My first had to be implanted in the abdomen it was so large, (at age 42), and my latest is not much larger than a pm with a whole lot of new features. Your daughter will no doubt see big changes and it would be something to keep throughout the years......Laben

Thats Awesome!

by PaceMomma3 - 2013-05-12 05:05:30

Thats awesome! I am excited to see it also. She is having her surgery at UC Davis in Sacramento CA. So I am hoping this hospital lets us take it. She is really excited to show all her friends at preschool. Does anyone know if this hospital lets you take them?? I know it is a teaching hospital so I hope they dont want to keep it. Thanks for all the comments!

Ask for it!

by golden_snitch - 2013-05-12 06:05:58

Hi!

I took both of my old pacemakers home. The surgeon actually told me that it legally belongs to me since my insurance paid for it, and I paid for the insurance. Therefore, if you ask your daughter's surgeon and he says no, I'd not accept that. Some of my friends were keen to take a look at the pacer, to hold it in their hands, because they had no idea what it looks like, weighs etc. Others thought it was odd to take it home. But for me it's a good thing, a nice "souvenir". And I think for your daughter, especialy since she's so young, it might help her to understand what's helping her heart beat.

Good luck for the replacement, hope all goes smoothly!

Inga

When I had my 3rd put in 8/11

by janetinak - 2013-05-12 07:05:27

the company had become Boston Scientific & along with my info (card, security card for TSA, etc) I got a PM mock up like mine. This was the 1st time I ever got one 'cause # 1 only lasted 2 yrs so it was sent back to the company for research. I did get a letter from the company after #3 that a request had been made to send #2 to me. I had not asked & my EP said he had not asked for it either. So I take from that letter that you can get it back at least from Boston Scientific. I like my mock up one & the one that is working perfectly in me now :-).

Janet

Good Question..................

by Tattoo Man - 2013-05-12 07:05:41


......................I live in the UK where the majority of PMs are put in by the National Health Service...ie..for ""Free"".

I asked my Surgeon in Jan if i could keep my old PM and he said No...

It seems that they used to, but no longer do on...wait for it...Health and Safety grounds !!

" Mr TM..people have been disposing of them inappropriately...there have been cases of people chucking them on the fire and because of the nature of the batteries..(Lithium-Ion, I think )..they were exploding !!

The mind boggles !

I do have a claim to fame though...in '07 when I had a new heart valve my surgeon agreed to let me keep it.."After all Mr TM..it is yours ".

So just like in Eleanor Rigby by The Beatles..it sits in a jar by the door...if you want wierd..thats wierd.

Out of interest do other members of PMC have bits of thier bodies or bits of retrieved scrap stuck in a drawer at home ??. I have a friend who had a piece of jewellry made out of a bit of steel bar that was cut off when she had a rod down her spine..

I think that an old PM would make a very good pendant and a unique talking point...make sure that it is switched off though !!

Best wishes to all.

Tattoo Man

Teeth....

by Suzie_G - 2013-05-12 07:05:52

I had a perfectly good tooth taken out as a teenager and delighted in spooking the other girls in my stuck up grammar school by producing it at opportune moments !

I saved all my daughter's baby teeth and when I went to throw them away recently (she's 24) she rescued them !!

Great idea, Mom!

by donr - 2013-05-12 08:05:45

If she feels comfy w/ taking it, all the better. If she does not - keep it for her till she grows a bit older & might appreciate it.

Mr. TM: I have several pins that came out of my big toe after a surgery last summer. Wife has a pair of pins that came out of her thumbs after a surgery & I also have my broken lead from a few yrs back (2007). In each case the surgeon offered it to me.

Don

Pacemaker

by cans624 - 2013-05-12 08:05:47

I was able to get my pacemaker mailed to me and they engraved my name in mine I thought that was cool

What Cool Stories!

by Many Blessings - 2013-05-12 09:05:08

I enjoyed reading everyone's stories above. I too, plan to ask for mine when it's due to be changed out. I hope they let me keep it. I wonder if it depends on the manufacturer as far as if you can or can't?

Suzie_G: I cracked up at your "teeth" story! My mom kept all of mine too! About a year ago, I was helping her go through some old jewelry boxes where she used to keep them (why there, I have no idea), but there they were! She still has them! Names and dates included (there are two of us girls). We cracked up as we looked through them again (they're so cute and tiny!). Thanks for bringing back yet one more good memory!

Thanks everyone for some cool "old PM" ideas too!

Show and Tell

by Grateful Heart - 2013-05-12 09:05:16

A great education for young, accepting minds about this amazing life saving device!

Just think of the science projects in the future too. Lots of fun while learning.

Grateful Heart

PS: Re: What Cool Stories

by Many Blessings - 2013-05-12 09:05:49

I forgot to mention to Suzie_G regarding my mom still having my old teeth that fell out (every one of them!)

She still has them and I'll be 53 years old in another month or so! I think it's cool that you kept your daughter's too! Of course, others may disagree with us. LOL!

Old Pacer

by Chels - 2013-05-13 02:05:03

I have my old one at home, like another person said they mailed it to me and engraved my name on it. I believe it came from Medtronic, not the hospital. I am interested to compare that one (from 10 years ago) with the one they are taking out this week. People love to look at it, most people will never have the opportunity to see one in person.

She gets to keep it!

by PaceMomma3 - 2013-05-13 07:05:27

We just had her pre op apt today and she asked her dr and he said she can have it when he is done. She was very excited to here this. Well surgery is tomorrow, I am a little nervous but the dr made me feel a lot better and said what a pretty simple surgery it will be. :-)

keeping

by Shell - 2013-05-13 07:05:30

I've had one replaced so far and did keep my old one. My kids thought it was neat to see. I don't know about the others that kept theirs but mine was cleaned when removed but given to me in a biohazard bag. When I got home I wiped it down with a Clorox wipe to make sure.

You know you're wired when...

You have an excuse for being a couch potato.

Member Quotes

I had a pacemaker since 2002 and ever since then my life has been a total blessing.