Tammy, the cardiac nurse manager provided us another update. She has been great to keep us posted on what is happening. Our sweetheart's surgery is progressing very well still. The device has been implanted; however, the cardiac nurse manager still wasn't sure if it was placed under or over the muscle yet. We will find out before too long, anyway, so it really isn't necessary for us to know those details at this time. Right now the EP is testing the device. This means he is putting her heart into a fatal arrhythmia to make sure the ICD is effective in shocking her heart back into a normal rhythm and the energy to produce the shock is adequate.
After the EP (pediatric electrophysiology cardiologist) comes into her room to give us a report on her surgery, we will be able to go down in a waiting room near the recovery room and most likely have the opportunity to sit with her part of the time she's in recovery.
The EP said she should probably avoid pursuing a career in arc-welding and if she decides to become a mechanic she won't be able to work on the alternator in the cars. Our booklet says she should NOT operate a chainsaw and should NEVER have a stun-gun or a taser gun used on her. There goes her career as a criminal! No tasers...bummer! Guess she will need to choose another career path (hee, hee!!). Joking aside, she can't ever have an MRI. An MRI will destroy her device and will cause the leads in her heart to act similiar to a microwave and start "cooking" her heart tissues. We will be ordering a medical alert bracelet in order to alert any medical professionals to her Long QT Syndrome and ICD in the case of her being unconscious in the ER, etc. Oh, she will also trigger the security/metal detector systems in airports. She will carry a card in her wallet to explain why she set the alarms off so the TSA doesn't mistake her for a terrorist!
More later...
1 comment:
Just a quick email to say thinking of you all. Your family especially Mariah are in my thoughts xxxxxxxx
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