Anyone have a defibrillator?

[hunt crazy in ca]

thought and prayers to your family sir!

[jim]

Thought and prayers for your son and family.

[billrquimby]

I've no experience with a defibrillator, but I'm living with my second pacemaker (the first lasted 10 years and was replaced in January). Installing a pacer (and, presumably a defibrillator) is a simple procedure. Both times, I was sent home within an hour or so after waking up.

 

My problem is chronic atrial fibrillation. Before the first pacer, I was being shocked four to six times per month. Whenever I did something that brought my heart rate anywhere near 100 bpm, my heart would go bonkers, beating erratically up to 300 bpm. The pacer solved that by holding my heart rate at a constant 76 bpm no matter what I do now. I've not been hospitalized for Afib in 10-1/2 years. Before that, I got to know nearly every member of the ER staff at Tucson's Heart Hospital and Northwest Hospital by name.

 

A defibrillator usually is used to treat ventricular fibrillation, which is more serious than my problem. If it were me, I would sit down with my son and his cardiologist and have him explain things fully. When all is said and done, you will have to trust his doctor's judgement.

 

My best wishes for your son. He and I are fortunate in that modern medicine can treat our problems successfully.

 

Bill Quimby

 

 

[AZHog]

I can't provide any help with the defibrillator, but sending prayers for you and your son.

[PRDATR]

Thanks everyone for the encouraging words. He made it through the night and we are scheduled for his surgery tomorrow around noon.

[elecshoc]

Prayers for you and your family.

[Red Sparky]

Thoughts and prayers sent to you and your family.

[billrquimby]

Prdatr:

 

How is your son? The last we heard he was scheduled for surgery. Will the defribrillator help him?

 

Bill Quimby

[PRDATR]

Bill,

 

It will keep his heart rhythm steady and he has been recovering. They did the surgery on the 5th and as of this morning he was off the IV's and he may get discharged to another facility for rehab possibly late today or tomorrow. He developed a hematoma two days after surgery but it has stopped and is now under control.

He has been taking some walks under his own power without a walker and went about 300 feet on Sunday and again on Tuesday. He is on a restricted diet and has lost about 20 pounds so far. I went out and got him an electric razor this morning so he could shave because he is on blood thinners and they don't want him to use a regular razor. His EKG looked promising but his heart is still enlarged and only at about 30%. We will just have to monitor it from here on out. Thanks for asking. I am back to work this week but I have been spending some time with him in each morning before I go to work and then again in the evening after work.

[billrquimby]

Thanks. He has my prayers for an uneventful and speedy recovery.

 

Bill Quimby

[longshooter]

Wishing your son a speedy recovery prdator . He is Way to young to be having to go thru that.

[Edge]

Yes prdtr, hoping all turns out well for your son and he is on the path to healing.

[PRDATR]

Thanks all. He was going to get out today from Banner Desert and go to Banner Baywood for rehab but they don't take his insurance and they said he needed to have a cardiologist doctor to be released into the care of which we found out at 4pm, so he has to stay until we can either find a suitable rehab and also find a cardiologist who will accept his health insurance.

The cardiologist he has had for the last 18 days does not accept his insurance. He was In between jobs and had none but his Mom got him signed up with AHCCCS at the hospital and he has United Healthcare Medicaid so we will need to search the website for a cardiologist over the weekend and get him into one on Monday, hopefully.

[AZ8]

Try CVAM. My parents go there and are well taken care of. It's right by Banner Baywood. Not sure on the insurance, but might be one place to look at.

 

Prayers to your son.

 

http://www.cvam.com/home.html