pacing anniversary

So...

by ROBO Pop - 2019-05-10 11:05:29

25 years with a pacer, so...that makes you 27.

You are an inspiration to the members here with your experience, knowlege, active life style and the most stressful part...two young daughters (she had them when she was 10). And I've never heard you complain.

I lift my box of cheap wine (really cheap) and toast you. Go girl

Happy Anniversary!

by Grateful Heart - 2019-05-10 11:40:54

Congrats and thanks for all you do.

You have helped so many and eased their minds with your knowledge and empathy.

Celebrate!!

Grateful Heart 

Congratulations!

by AgentX86 - 2019-05-10 12:45:54

...and here's to 25 more!👍

I hope I make it to a quarter century.

Congratulations Tracey

by IAN MC - 2019-05-10 14:17:23

Having 5 pacemakers is really worth celebrating . your positive attitude is a lesson for us all.  THANK YOU !!!

just a suggestion ...   I think ROBO, GH  and Agent should club together and buy you ANY  expensive celebratory gift of your choosing . Price doesn't matter !!  Jewellery, expensive perfume , exotic holidays ... you name it.

As you know, I would love to join them but will be tied up organising their purchase also having to change UK currency into dollars is stressful.

On a slightly serious note ;  I am curious ,  have you seen many meaningful technical improvements in your PMs over the last 25 yrs ??

Best wishes

Ian

Happy Anniversary!

by Flo - 2019-05-10 15:21:12

Congratulations and thank you for your posts, comments and all you do.  Best wishes and cheers!

thanks

by Tracey_E - 2019-05-10 16:54:14

Pop, all toasts today will be with the good stuff. Not negotiable.

Ian, I'm going to be headed your way in June. Loopy and I have a night out planned. We'll try to keep it out of the papers this time. Probably. 

I've kinda been eying up a new mountain bike...

Ian

by Tracey_E - 2019-05-10 16:56:56

I've seen lots of changes! Enough that I've gone from hoping the battery would last forever so I didn't have to have it changed to not really caring because the newest one will have more cool toys. 

The biggest thing I've felt directly, and that's made me the happiest, is increase in the upper limit. I spent 5 years on beta blockers because I spent half my workouts trying not to max out. This newest one goes to 220 so lots of cushion now and no more beta blockers. 

Battery life, I've heard of people having them last 10-15 years but mine have all been 5-7. This one is 3 years old and still says 10 years so I'm cautiously optimistic that I might be one of the cool kids who can go a decade without a new one. 

Home monitor means I go once a year instead of once a quarter, and if something weird happens I can press a button and send an email to my ep's office alerting them to watch for it, so no more days of dragging the rep in to meet with me every time something comes up.

CRT wasn't even a thought when I got my first one. I don't need one, and my doc is fairly confident I never will, but it's nice to know it's out there.

MRI never ever would have been on the table when I got my first one. It still isn't for me, but I believe the day will come sooner than later when it will be. 

Not really technology but adult congenital clinics. I didn't even know they were a thing until 3 years ago but I get a whole different level of care there because they have primarily active patients who will be paced for a lifetime. Totally different approach from a practice that doesn't have anyone else like me and is more or less making it up as they go along. 

I walk through airport security now. Would have been nice to have been able to do that all the times I traveled alone with my kids. They learned at a young age to grab our stuff and stand off to the side to wait for me. 

And last, extraction technology. Extraction was unheard of 25 years ago. Then it was high risk and you had to travel to get someone who knew what they were doing. Now it's getting to be routine so we can go into it with a lot more confidence and a much lower chance of coming out of it with a chest crack. 

Technology rocks :o)

Thanks Tracey

by IAN MC - 2019-05-11 06:08:47

........  very interesting.   I wonder what advances the next 25 yrs willl bring ??     I hope you will send a post in 2044 letting us all know.

Ian

well imagine that

by jessie - 2019-05-11 16:25:17

you do give hope to many. you are extremely positive. keep up the good work tracey. its good to know you. jessie

Wise.

by Claracluck - 2019-05-12 04:58:06

Wise words as always.when I'm doubting myself I remember your journey.if tracy can i can.and that's not blowing smoke.

Congrats!

by admin - 2019-05-12 20:21:52

That's a long time and many hardware and software updates along the way.  I agree the technology is awesome.

Congrats

by Cheryl B - 2019-05-12 22:17:34

Hi Tracey:

We've never met and probably never will, but I certainly want to add my congrats to this long list of people who are indebted to you for help along the way.  You have wisdom, wit, and a wonderful caring nature.  Thanks for encouraging me 10 years ago when I got my first ICD.  I know I had a lot LESS stress about this bump in my chest because of you and your knowledge.  Thanks for being who you are.  

Cheryl B.

Congrats Tracey!

by Suzypoozy - 2019-05-14 01:38:13

Thank you so much for answering all my questions after my pm four months ago. I ended up having a great ski season!

Cheers!

Suzanne "Suzypoozy"

I am a similar case to you.

by Ambervz - 2019-07-30 15:19:05

In 1994, I received my first pacemaker at age 5 months, also for a complete heart block. This was done at UCSD (San Diego). As of Jan 7, 2019, I received my 7 battery replacement. I am doing well and have a child living a pretty normal life. However, a week after this replacement I started to have AVNRT. The tachycaardias happens often and cause dizziness and shortness of breath, but I have never passed out. It will be some time before they decide if an ablation would be the best answer to this issue. Have you or anyone you spoken to had a similar situation? I have gone all this time with a slow heart beat to recent burst of rapid irregular beating.  Go figure???? By the way it is awesome to know their are so many other people thriving and living a normal life thanks to a pacemaker. I wish you the best. Let me know your thoughts on what is going on with me would love your ideas.