Yee Haww...no pacemaker needed.

[John Schmidt]

Following my major attack last July, the dr. thought I may need one. He told me the old ticker is too weak for me to do anything more than some walking and maybe a little bicycle riding. My first thoughts were(pardon this)....SCREW THAT. Last Sept. they did a test(echocardiogram) to see what the heart function(Ejection Fraction or EF) was and again talked about needing a pacemaker. I suggested I was still too weak and to give me a few months to heal. Finally at the end of April they did another "echo" test and told me it's marginal, and the EF was only about 35%. Well, in the words of my daughter Toni that did the posting on here....I called BS on that analysis. When the dr. asked why, I said his analysis didn't make sense. Last Fall when I was still real weak and only six weeks out of the five week hospital stay, the EF was in the mid-upper 40% range and the beat was skipping all over the place. Now I'm going to the gym, playing golf, riding the bicycle and Valk, doing whatever I want with no repercussions and YOU'RE TELLING ME IT'S FUNCTIONING LESS? No way! So he lined me up with another test where they draw some blood, mix with an anti-coagulant and a radioactive marker, then reinject it. Then put me on a table and take pictures of the heart in action. Much more accurate than the echocardiogram. Today I had the followup to see what the results were and they told me it was nearly 10% higher than they first thought, and the heartbeat was solid and steady as a rock. Not one skip, nothing. Told me it sounded like a bass drum tied to a metronome, it was just that solid and steady.

He then told me "no pacemaker for you buddy, go do what you want....whatever you're comfortable doing. It appears you're doing just what's needed."  He did caution me that as I age, that might possibly change, but for now it's not necessary. My wife and I high-fived each other all the way down in the elevator. I had worked so intensely hard to get my physical strength and mobility back that their first analysis was a big blow to me. I just couldn't believe it, and I was right in my convictions. He turned me loose for four months, that will put me at one year since the first "echo" last Fall. By then I'll have miles and miles of smiles behind me.    

With all my good fortune, my heart and prayers still go out to my friend Carl and his lovely bride Lori. And for all those people affected by the tornado in Oklahoma, what a tragedy that's almost impossible to fathom. Then last but not least....my good friend Carman Allen, the leather tooling man that did my seat. He recently had surgery for a major hernia and is very uncomfortable, to say the least. Respect the privacy, just keep all these good folks in your thoughts and prayers.

[Daniel Meyer]

Cool! Rock on!

[old2soon]

The only damn thing that would be better news is you being the cat what won the $590 mil!!  RIDE SAFE.

[BonS]

Great news John! I've quietly followed your story along and am thrilled with your progress and outcome. As you know, you're not done yet! In more ways than one! Our ability to regenerate and reverse aging is amazing and nothing motivates better than a bout of ill health. You've shown your character, grit and determination to those doctors. Their advice and expectations are for the center of the bell curve so I don't blame them. They just didn't know who they were dealing with. Go for it!  

[TJ]

You're doing ok for a 32 year old... But you looking old man.............. 

[T-Bird]

That's great to hear John. 

[saddlesore]

Do the nickle trick on your chest. If it performs like on your bike you know your OK.

 

[Jess from VA]

Most excellent news John.

My dad wore one around for his last 10-12 years...... shirtless he looked like he had a big chip in him.  They dialed him in with a remote control.  Atrial fib.  It was the meds that messed him up, not the pacemaker.

[Clark]

CONGRATS... HAPPY TRAILS

[Karen]

Good news, John! My EF was @45 when first diagnosed, and first doc said go sit & wait to die. 2nd opinion was live your life, your body will tell you when you're doing too much. I stopped marching & playing tenor sax in parades, ran out of breath, but the Feasts in the North End (meandering) were OK. 5-6 years later, my EF went up to 55, and I started marching again, be doing it now if it wasn't for the fractured foot. I remember reading Toni's reports, and being absolutely amazed at how you recovered. The good Lord isn't done with you yet, keep up the miraculous life you enjoy!

[Michael K (Az.)]

Do the nickle trick on your chest. If it performs like on your bike you know your OK.

 

HA! That's a good one!!
Good to hear that news buddy!!

[John Schmidt]

Karen, my EF prior to this was 60 so I don't expect to see that again. However, given some time and more healing, I fully expect to be back in the 50's again. They have proved it possible with lab animals, just takes work. I'm just a bigger rat! 

[Charlie McCready]

Good news John. I remember the ordeal last year and all you went through. Hang in there and we'll do TGIF again sometime !!!

[solo1]

That is good news John! 

I had chest pains about two months ago, went to emergency.  did all kinds of tests and it was as I expected, hiatal hernia acting up.

Now, except for arthritis, I still have reasonable health.

I'm glad to see that you have too.

wayne

[cookiedough]

good to know you feeling better.  We sometimes don't appreciate decent health especially at the times we feel so miserable.  

Also, way to stick to your guns on what the dr. told you vs. what you felt was going on.  Sometimes the drs. don't know much and when you know  you're right, stick to your guns and demand something different.

I let my dr. during a routine physical talk me into xrays and an EMG testing he was thinking it was carpal tunnel going on in my nerves causing numbness/tingling in my right fingers/arm.  After over 2,000 dollars in xrays and testing which I will end up paying thru insurance still guessing around 500 bucks, the dr. has no solutions and just says monitor it or do physical therapy which is even more expensive.  I called clinic up and the EMG test for 20 minutes and all they do is poke needles in my arm/hand and zap me with electricity cost 1800 bucks.  I will end up having to pay 20% of that amount so for me to tell me which I was 95% sure it was not carpal tunnel in the first place, it is hard to swallow since I thought the 20 minute simple poking test would only be 300-400 bucks tops, if that.  If I just asked in the first place on cost of the EMG test,  I would have declined.  Dr. then said since not carpal tunnel, if tingly/numbness gets to be pain or any worse, he suggest an MRI of my spine and that will more than likely tell us what is going on.  An MRI cost 2-3 grand I think and even if they found what is going on,  I asked what is the solution then.  Dr. had no answers of course so NOT going to waste another 500 bucks FOR NO DARN SOLUTION.   Drs. can run all the test they want, they are not the ones paying for it and getting paid big bucks for something that should cost less than 1/2 of what they bill out the insurance company for.

I'll live with the tingly sensation for as long as I can since chiro and dr. bills are adding up over 700 bucks now and not doing one bit of good really what a waste of money.  It is more than likely pinched nerves in my upper spine (c5/c6) and chiropractor has worked in the past 2-3 attempts but not this time.  It has helped a tad, but still not 100% gone.  

Can you tell I dislike going to see the dr. and probably won't be going in if I can help it for another 5-10 years.  They want my mom to come in every 3 months and I told her dr. NO,  no good reason to go in that many times for nothing waste of money and all they want is a drs. office visit to keep the clinic afloat.  Don't care if they don't like the truth.  I asked for a good reason for every 3 month office visit and don't see the need and they couldn't give me one other than just saying it is in my mom's best interest to get checked over.  Once per year or if health issues, maybe once every 6 months or so for bloodwork, etc. but 3 months is crazy.  Her dr. really ticked me off having to run over to my mom's to take her into the dr. after last year's bloodwork was done the dr. suggested she go in and discuss the results.  I was thinking something was wrong needing other pills, etc. due to something being off but mom seemed pretty much fine.  Well, went into the dr. with mom and all she had to say was her bloodwork was fine and continue doing what she is doing, etc., blah, blah, blah.  Well, I was so pissed was about ready to tell the dr. what a waste of 4 hours for me to run over and back when in fact a simple 3-4 minute phone call to me would have sufficed instead of a 125 dollar office visit for basically nothing. 

At least the clinics around me,  drs. want as many 5-10 minute office visits as possible to pad the clinics pockets to keep them afloat.  Sorry to offend drs. here, but that is how I feel.  My dr. wanted to setup a meeting on my blood results but I called the clinic and said no, tell me over the phone in 3-4 minutes time what pill he wanted me to take and I authorized it over the phone.  Why waste 1 hour driving time,  gas money, 125 dollar office visit costing me 20%, just for a 2-3 minute phone call is all it takes.  They called me to setup an appt. and I just said tell the dr. to call me since not coming in.  Luckily he did, otherwise I would've found yet another dr. 

[John Schmidt]

Good news John. I remember the ordeal last year and all you went through. Hang in there and we'll do TGIF again sometime !!!

Charlie, sounds good to me. A note to you and Wayne(Solo1); last Fall I set a goal for myself re. physical strength. I wanted to be at, or beyond, the amount of weight I was lifting in the gym just prior to my attack. And I wanted to do it by my 75th birthday this past April 2nd. I worked hard at it and met that goal and beyond almost two weeks before then. Rita and I went out to dinner that evening for a small celebration, and for dessert I had a huge piece of apple pie and ice cream. Back to the gym the next day.