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Good Advice
I appreciate all the good advice from everyone. I am just so scared of being excepted. I didnt have to worry about it when I was married because we were already together. But dating someone new is very scary. I never knew there was so many young people having pm until I found this site. I got mine when I was 26. I am now 39 and I am always the youngest person in the waiting room when I go for my check-ups. I am afraid that I am not as attractive with the pm.
6 Comments
the youngest
by Tracey_E - 2008-11-10 10:11:33
I'm 42 now and have been a regular at the cardiologist since I was 5 years old... and I'm still the youngest. Every once in a while I see someone my age in the waiting room, but they're usually escorting their parents or grandparents, lol. I try to see the humor in it, it's nice to be past 40 and have a place where I'm still the baby!
There really are a lot of us out here. Check the member gallery- see all the babies, kids, teens and 20-somethings. They're not just for older people, it only feels that way in the waiting room!
Not attractive!!
by Hot Heart - 2008-11-11 08:11:44
I'vr just had my pacemaker fitted, at 55 I feel as sexy and desirable as ever!!! But......... I want to tell you about my daughter. She has had 19 lots of major surgery in her lifetime on legs and hips, shes now 28. Her view is 'to hell with the scars', if they dont like them, their problem! She wears the teeniest bikinis and gets guys chatting her up everywhere she goes. Of course some people stare, she gives them a lovely smile and occasionally some people ask about them and she explains, they usually end up laughing and joking and some have even become friends. She met her boyfriend whilst backpacking in the states, they are jus getting a house together, he's gawjus!!! The scars are a part of her, he doesnt care.
I think the pm is a bit like the cold sore syndrome, we think its about 10in diameter and other people dont even notice it.
Embrace the fact that you are here, potentially healthier than many ppl who have our conditions that dont know about it.
I've got a nice little black and orange number to wear at xmas, am gonna stick me boobs out and know that the pm scar is not even gonna be noticed.
As with everything in life sweetheart its all about confidence, dont try to hide it, in fact i'm even thinkin of sticking a glittery heart on mine for the xmas party.
Take care x
The real youngest
by OIMAPRINCESS2477 - 2008-11-11 12:11:06
I am 22. I got my pacemaker when I was 21. I felt like I was an outcast. I felt like there was something seriously wrong with me and that no one would ever look at me the same if i had the pacemaker. I have come to find out that guys really dont care weither i have a pacemaker or not. They are just happy that they get to spend time with me. I am also honest and up front with them. I answer any questions for them. And I also let them know from the beginning that I will have to have it changed about every 7-9 years and That it is possible for our children to be born with the same condition I have.
As to being the youngest in the waiting room. I went for a check up the other day and an elderly women in the waiting room said " oh its so nice for you to come to the dr with your grandfather" she was assuming the man I had been talking to was my grandfather. I then told her no I am here for my check up for my pacemaker. Her responce was "Now why would you wanna go and get one of those" Like I picked it up at the Local Walmart. My responce to her was " Cause I wanted to walk around and Shock people all day" Which was perfect because the nurse called me right after I said that. So dont let it bother you that you are the youngest. They are many of us who are much younger.... Good Luck
Britt<3
When it comes down to it...
by dward - 2008-11-11 12:11:50
B ald guys, skinny guys, people with glasses, people with scars - ALL go through similar thoughts.
The fear of rejection can actually make life exciting.
(Wouldn;t it be boring if dating was robotic and easy?)
If a pacemaker is going to make you unattractive in the eyes of somebody - do you really want to BE with that kind of person anyway?
Age is relative
by ML - 2008-11-12 12:11:03
I had to laugh and completely understand what everyone is saying! I am a Case Manager working with elderly adults in long term care programs. I'm 41 and too often I can relate with what my clients are describing - diagnosis, symptoms, meds and a pacemaker to boot! Often our box of meds are the same size! I know there are people out there my age and much younger with pacemakers ect but I am always the youngest person in my cardiologist waiting room. Again, all of the above beats the alternative!
Peace,
Moira
You know you're wired when...
You can finally prove that you have a heart.
Member Quotes
I still feel great today and cant stop feeling excited at my "new" life. Modern day miracles through medicine and electronic devices are amazing!
Pacemaker
by SMITTY - 2008-11-10 10:11:23
You say you got your pacemaker 13 years ago. Is the one you have now that original pacemaker? If so, I have to guess that you may no longer need a pacemaker. The expected life of a battery is 5 to 10 years and it is extremely rare for one to last longer than 10 years if
the pacemaker is active very often.
Before I say the following I am assuming that you have not been told that your pacemaker is an on demand device. In other words it helps your heart when it detects a necessity for its help. If it hasn't been having to help it has been monitoring your heart function more than anything all these years, standing ready to help when necessary. Fortunately it has not been needed.
Now all that is not to say or imply that you didn't need that pacemaker when it was implanted. But our heart is not different from any other bodily organs in some respects. It can have bad days that stretch into bad weeks that stretch into bad months, and it is during one of these stretches that a doctor finds the symptoms that say you need a pacemaker. Since the doctor cannot see into the future he implants a pacemaker which does help your heart for some amount of time, but then your heart goes back to being its old self and you have a pacemaker that is really not doing anything. By saying that I'm not advocating that you have the PM removed, because your heart could again develop the problem that got you the PM in the first place.
All of my speculation can be proved or disproved by getting the doctor to look at the results of your checkups and see what percentage of time your pacemaker is working. If this is an area which you have not discussed with your doctor before and feel a little uncomfortable, tell him this goofy old man at the Pacemaker Club suggested that your pacemaker may just be going along for the ride these days.
Again if my speculation is correct, you then can reach up and tap that little dude and tell your boyfriend that you have this little piece of scrap metal called a pacemaker implanted in your body but that you no longer need it. Then give yourself some peace of mind and forget that you have a pacemaker since you have one that is not doing anything.
I wish you the best
Smitty