Soon to have ICD

Hello everyone,

I am a career- paid firefighter. I have a genetic gene (long story) but did a blood test and confirms I have a gene that causes hypertrophic cardiomyopathy of the left ventrical. I am 39 and will be getting an ICD placed asap due to 20-25% scarring in my left ventricle. 
 

I am worried that my administration and city admin will not let me return to work. On that note, I cannot find any law that says I have to tell them and or them not allowing me back to work pending a doctor note for a good bill of health. 
 

Has anyone found anything other than "recommendations" for returning to work after ICD placement?

Thanks in advance. 
 

Edit- I live in Oregon.

2nd Edit- To answer some of "Lavender's" questions from below, management will find out due to a 3-5 month recovery. With talking to my union president, I believe I might be able to get enough trade days, supplement with vacation and sick through FMLA. To answer the second question, yes we have annual physicals, but my way around that I believe is I can go to my PCP and just pay the fees myself instead of going to the departments doc and the department covering the fees. 

5 Comments

return to work

by new to pace.... - 2024-01-02 17:49:03

Sorry to hear about getting an ICD.  If you would at least put your location would help those who are more knowlegeable than me on this subject.

new to pace

Hi and thanks for helping others out there🚒

by Lavender - 2024-01-02 21:52:27

Why do you have to tell your employer about the ICD?  Do they have annual physicals that might figure this out?

Hey, it is what it is. You need it. You get it. Then you deal with what you have to with work. An ICD is needed ASAP. Get er done. God will watch over you and your employment situation. 
 

copy and paste this link to an Oregon firefighter's fight to work with a pacemaker:

https://www.firelawblog.com/2012/04/12/oregon-firefighter-with-pacemaker-settles-discrimination-suit/

 

this also is a good read on a firefighter with an ICD 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4059573/#:~:text=The%20National%20Fire%20Protection%20Agency,strenuous%20emergency%20duties%20(1).

Also

by Lavender - 2024-01-02 22:00:23

Here's a pacemaker club discussion of this from 2010:

 

https://www.pacemakerclub.com/message/7858/firefighters-with-pacemakers

Return to work

by Lurker (Doc DX) - 2024-01-03 12:12:49

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but if you are on a call and suddenly your ICD decides to fire and knocks you on your keester you are suddenly not a fire fighter anymore but just another victim of the fire. 
 


 

 

hiding it

by Tracey_E - 2024-01-07 11:21:36

It's better to be upfront about it and deal with the consquences, if there are any, than risk it firing and that's how they find out. This is not a better to beg forgiveness than ask permission situation. 

It's not a law, it's about insurance and liabiility.

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