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Post by dradtke on Nov 11, 2013 12:46:02 GMT -5
We did an interesting history display for Medtronic. Earl Bakken, the founder of the company, was inspired to invent the electric pacemaker by the movie Frankenstein.
The early pacemakers were about the size of your fist, were sealed in off-white latex, and were nick-named the "potato."
Stay away form torches, pitchforks, and potato mashers and you should be fine.
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Post by Marshall on Nov 11, 2013 13:06:34 GMT -5
. . . , Ok.... heart related humor..... kind of... My nephew, the one that barely graduated from High School and joined the Navy only to have them boot him out after a few months with a kind of 'thanks but no thanks' honorable discharge, broke up with his girlfriend while he was in the Navy. So being the mature kid that he was, he takes $250 and gets a GIANT tattoo across his stomach that says "Cur Vadit In" or Latin for "the heart goes on". His sister says, "Oh, you mean like that Celine Dion song!" "NO!", he responds in horror, "It isn't that at all. That was 'My Heart Will Go On'." She replies, "Yeah, that Celine Dion song. From Titanic. I loooooove that song!" "NOOOO! This is Latin." "Right, Latin for that Celine Dion song. Leonardo was so cute in that film." This went on for days on his Facebook page for all his Navy buddies to see. Eventually I sent him a note regarding the placement of the tattoo and said, "Apparently your heart goes on your stomach." Who knows. Maybe the nephew will turn into a great Lutheran pastor some day.
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Post by Don Clark on Nov 11, 2013 17:11:24 GMT -5
So far the only restrictions on the defibrillator is to keep my cellphone at least 6" away from that side of my chest. It's too big and heavy for a shirt pocket on that side anyway. But it's a PITA to hold it to my right ear to talk, as that's the one that doesn't work as well.
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Post by Village Idiot on Nov 11, 2013 20:40:52 GMT -5
Can you get one of these, or would that interfere with your other bluetooth thing?
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Post by patrick on Nov 11, 2013 22:26:43 GMT -5
Best of luck to you.
We'll be thinking of you.
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Post by Don Clark on Nov 12, 2013 14:14:34 GMT -5
Got the call from the transplant nurse.
Pending review of pulmonary function in a month or so (to see how well I respond to lung meds/inhaler), I am basically approved for transplant. Won't go on the actual list until after the pulmonary review. Hoping to schedule that for the 3rd week of December.
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Post by Supertramp78 on Nov 12, 2013 14:21:09 GMT -5
Don't take this wrong, but I hope you don't get mine. Hang in there.
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Post by Village Idiot on Nov 12, 2013 20:22:06 GMT -5
That sounds like good news, Don. Hang in there and get 'er done.
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Post by Tim Alexander (fmrly. Camalex) on Nov 12, 2013 23:03:14 GMT -5
Don -- wishing you well from the Soundhole. Follow the doctor's orders and stay positive. We all have faith in you and are pulling for you.
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Post by secondroy on Nov 14, 2013 7:34:01 GMT -5
Wow! And I thought I had problems with my knee. All the best to you and keep positive, our prayers are with you.
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Post by Lonnie on Nov 18, 2013 18:42:27 GMT -5
...and more prayers from here!!
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Post by Don Clark on Nov 18, 2013 21:11:26 GMT -5
OK......I have an appointment on Monday Dec.16 to retake the pulmonary tests and talk to the doctors again. I'm presuming that if there is enough improvement, I could get the "OK" to proceed, and then get placed on the wait list. I went to my local P.A. guy Jon today to check the incision where they put in the defibrillator, that is fine. Lungs sounded good to him, and I have no fluid accumulation. So far so good. Sticking firmly to the dietary guidelines too.....and I've lost 7 lbs. Down to 182, with a goal of 175. Ideally I'd like to get it on down to 170 by the time the transplant happens. The ongoing support from you all is so vital, and is doing what it is designed to. Thanks! Had a great laugh the other day......Stephen Bennett had me call him to talk some about his transplant experience. He and his wife Nancy were riding in a car on the interstate somewhere when I called. So Nancy answers it and puts it on speakerphone, since Stephen was driving. Hearts and kidneys are different animals but a lot of the basic transplant procedures are the same.....one in particular is germ control to avoid infection while on the immune-suppressing drugs. Obviously you look at doorknobs differently and wash hands a lot. Then Stephen throws in "And Don, I don't KISS ANYONE ON THE LIPS except my wife." Then off to the side I hear Nancy say "I'm sure glad of that!"
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Post by sekhmet on Nov 19, 2013 8:30:40 GMT -5
Sounding good Don. Congrats on the weight loss. It's no small matter. Thinking about you.
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Post by Hobson on Nov 19, 2013 9:43:43 GMT -5
Making progress, Don. I'm hoping that everything falls into place for you.
As an aside, my stepdaughter was on a kidney transplant list. For unknown reasons, she got better. Kidney function went from something like 25% to 30% and she got dropped off the list.
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Post by Chesapeake on Nov 19, 2013 10:09:17 GMT -5
I don't suppose there's any chance the excellent weight loss might obviate the need for a transplant.
Anyway, glad for all the great news. Onward!
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Post by coachdoc on Nov 19, 2013 10:39:20 GMT -5
Love how you're caring for yourself. That's the biggest part in success of treatment.
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Post by Don Clark on Nov 21, 2013 9:34:39 GMT -5
Found out yesterday that a guy in the next county that I've been acquainted with for years had a heart transplant just this past March. I called him up and we talked for an hour. We share almost identical symptoms (only he had WAY more severe fluid retention issues), doctor with the same primary care physician, and he had his transplant done by the same Drs. and facility that I'm with in Kansas City. He had his in March and was back to work by the end of April. His wife grew up in the same town as Barb.
He was much sicker than me with the fluid retention and his heart was weaker. By comparison, I'm not sick at all. He spent a good amount of time in the hospital, and I'm still fine on my own at home and still playing gigs. He had to utilize a ventricular assist device for a few months (like Huttlinger has) just to get good enough to handle the surgery. And he also still has a pacemaker on the new heart. But he said I will be quite surprised at how much better I will feel, and how quickly that takes place. All in all, a very encouraging conversation.....and beginning of a new friendship.
I'm finding there are a few reasons why someone might go on and off the list. Differences in insurance coverage can affect it. Differences in patient health status. I can perk fine for a while, but the meds I'm on are only supporting what heart function I have left. There is no denying that I need the transplant in order to live longer with any quality at all. The idea of being strapped to a machine like Pete doesn't thrill me. I ache for Pete in that respect. Losing the weight will not make for any change except for putting me in a healthier state for the transplant, and make it easier on the new heart to do its job.
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Post by brucemacneill on Nov 21, 2013 10:57:30 GMT -5
Keep the good attitude, Don. Even the fact that you're up and around and playing gigs probably at least means you can wait longer for a good match for the transplant so keep on keeping on too.
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Post by Village Idiot on Nov 21, 2013 20:28:06 GMT -5
I think it's wonderful that you met someone who went through the same process, Don. That sounds very comforting, for both of you.
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Post by Don Clark on Nov 22, 2013 10:37:22 GMT -5
I think it's wonderful that you met someone who went through the same process, Don. That sounds very comforting, for both of you. It really was/is, Todd. For sure. James and I will now stay in closer contact. This morning - @ 181 lbs.
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