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 Replies: 15 / Views: 569 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1217 Posts |
Mainly I post things regarding my silver eagle collecting and helping to answer questions on that forum. I don't know if any of the regulars there read these general forums, but this doesn't seem like it would be "on topic" enough to share there. To make it easy, I sent an email out to my family and I shortened it a bit here and there, bit here is the gist of it (I'm in my mid 60s):
As good I can sum it up in one chapter.
Back in early February (4th), I went for a physical, I hadn't had one last year, but did have a DOT physical.
So the physician said my pulse rate was way too low (40 or so), he asked if I ever feel lightheaded, dizzy, fatigued, answer to all was "no I feel fine". He wanted me to do a stress test. Appointment was this Monday afternoon. Got there, they said my pulse rate was too low to stress test. (I'm thinking, well, that's why I'm here is my pulse rate is too low!). They they'd get me an appointment to see a cardiologist. Fine. We ("wife" and I) went to the mall, got home, backing into the driveway like I always do, wife's phone rings. Hospital. Basically they want me back, come to the ER! Sheeeesh, really?
OK, we went back, did their echo cardio thing, I was like 40 bpm, but, you know, I feel fine.
So what they called it was a blockage, but not like the heart itself, it's electrical. Anywho:
Pacemaker.
They put it in yesterday.
Just got home a little while ago. Oh they did do a chemical induced stress test today, which was good, BP good and "mechanically" the heart is good and pulse is where it should be.
Kind of sore where they put it in, but can walk about like normal.
Can't drive for 2 or possibly 4 weeks.
Probably return to work in 4 weeks as well.
Other than that I think I'm fine.
I feel good, "like before" which is kind of irritating to say.
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Moderator
 United States
187582 Posts |
Oh my!   |
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Pillar of the Community
 Canada
1760 Posts |
@Gilly: Hope it ends up being worth the time and effort. I am 84 and in reasonably good health. However, I finally got to see a dermatologist (four months after family doctor's referral). She determined I have pre-skin cancer on my forehead and temples, too much golf in the sun. Froze several areas with liquid nitrogen and prescribed a fluorouracil cream (Efudex) to be applied to forehead and temples for three weeks. This is to kill all the cancerous skin & cells. Just starting my third week and look like I have a bad sunburn in those areas. (itchy and sore to touch)  No more golf activities and I am to keep out of the sun as much as possible..  Will not give up fishing nor gardening.  A little compromise though, did have to hire a company to service and cut my front and back yards and to blow out the snow in the lane way. Edited by Sharks
02/26/2026 2:43 pm
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Moderator
United States
15388 Posts |
Hope this all works out for you.  |
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Moderator
United States
34393 Posts |
Quote:
Can't drive for 2 or possibly 4 weeks.
Probably return to work in 4 weeks as well. Seems like a perfect time to be working on your collection.  Just kidding of course, but I'm glad to hear that your heart seems to be doing well now. "If you climb a good tree, you get a push."
-----Ghanaian proverb
"The danger we all now face is distinguishing between what is authentic and what is performed."
-----King Adz
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Pillar of the Community
United States
6994 Posts |
Wow 3 weeks between appointments, then they send you home only to say get back here....wow
Glad you're doing well, I know a big part of one's health is heredity but in my case a strict diet helped turn things around.
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Moderator
United States
94728 Posts |
wow, "mid 60's" way too young for heart issues like that. Hope you are feeling better and you do something fun during your 3 or 4 week hiatus from driving. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2213 Posts |
Gilly and Sharks, I hope for your good health and recovery.
Edited by livingwater
02/27/2026 7:15 pm
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Valued Member
United States
118 Posts |
Glad to hear your pacemaker is working for you. And thank you for letting us know your status.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2333 Posts |
@Gilly
Glad they kinda got you under control and back to normal.
Being a driver w/low BP would be a perfect driver!
Keep those Silver Eagles in order!
smat
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
1217 Posts |
Quote:
Seems like a perfect time to be working on your collection. As luck would have it, my ASE collection got a 4 coin boost this week Monday! That was all bought and paid for before this all happened, so that's good. Everything healing ok, I'm probably in the zone where I'm using the left arm more than I should. I have to (supposed to) wear an arm sling and any more, I just wear it to bed to remember not to raise the arm over my head or sleep on that side. I don't need help cleaning up any more, my wife had to wash my hair at first, but I can get my hands on top of my head now without feeling anything "pull". My luck is it's already pulled out. So everything is going well, been out walking about an hour a day and losing some weight. I was reminded I was packing on some poundage at the Feb 4 exam that started this whole thing, almost 200, this morning was 187. Hope all of you that commented are getting better as well! |
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Moderator
United States
94728 Posts |
great news Gilly - I'm glad you have someone to help you out with the normal mundane tasks and chores.
So you are down to 187! That is great, but I'm curious - how tall are you?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1217 Posts |
Quote:
how tall are you They've been calling me 5'8" for awhile, for the longest time I was 5'9", so I shrunk a bit. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1217 Posts |
Yesterday I had to go in for what's called a device check. The people in that unit say I'll become sort of like family, I'll be seeing them once a year minimum, the first year will be a few times.
They can communicate with the pacemaker wirelessly, analyze it, make it do different things.
The leads to my heart are the most important things it looks at after 2 weeks, and they say that part is going fine.
They said it looks like the surgeon who did the operation has already tweaked it without them knowing about it, but said that this is a good thing, and that he made adjustments that are positive for me (some adjustments are good indications and some are bad). They shut the pacemaker off even! I could feel a minor change (tech doing it was watching me and asking if I felt ok). Then they turned it on and sped my heart up a bit, that did make me feel weird. So anyways, it's working like it should and I should be able to live to be an elderly old coin collector if I don't get run over by a bus.
There was some of the typical "right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing" and some discharge instructions were messed up. (The left and right hand is cardiology vs the device clinic, where I went yesterday). Primarily, I asked them when I could drive again, they said I could have driven after 1 week, so, a week ago!? Oh well. I seriously thought it may have been 4 weeks total (2 weeks left to go), so I'll I'll count it as a positive.
I still have restrictions on raising my left hand over my head (can pull the leads loose) and 10 lb restriction on the left arm. So putting of returning to work until the beginning of April.
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Moderator
United States
15388 Posts |
Good to hear of your progress. My father lived successfully with a pacemaker for so long it wore out and needed to be replaced.
So - hopefully you have a lot of years ahead of you with that device.
Take a look at my other hobby ... http://www.jk-dk.art |
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Moderator
United States
187582 Posts |
Thank you for the update. |
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Replies: 15 / Views: 569 |
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Posted 02/26/2026 2:23 pm
