FoolKiller Becomes Bionic - NEW UPDATE Nov 19, 2012

  • Thread starter FoolKiller
  • 274 comments
  • 33,199 views
Hey, FK, I'm also seeing this for the first time. I'm glad to hear that the surgery went well and I hope this improves your stability and longevity!
 
Wow, must have been quite an ordeal... Glad to see youve made it through, hope you get well and heal up soon 👍 Good Luck with everything :)
 
FoolKiller
Any tips on keeping one arm dry but not smelling like old socks after a few days? We are using garbage bags at the moment, but that is quite awkward.




Anyway, the best news to come out of this is that my first weekend of being allowed full activity again is Petit Le Mans. I feel that will be a proper celebration.
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Yep, used garbage bags also. Just try not to sweat if at all possible. I was excited when I got this cast on as they said I could start working out (cardio and legs) but they suggested/warned me about the sweating.... After much consideration, I concluded that sweating in the cast for three weeks would not be a good deal so I opted to stay in an A/C environment, limiting my activities to reduce how much I would sweat. Are they putting you in a split cast or just a sling to keep your shoulder from moving?

I have a great coat hanger design for under-the-cast itching if you're interested. :) Word of advise on that.....don't use wooden shishkabob sticks as it tends to splinter off under the cast and it feels like your arm is wrapped in fiberglass.... (I speak from experience).
 
Pako
Yep, used garbage bags also. Just try not to sweat if at all possible. I was excited when I got this cast on as they said I could start working out (cardio and legs) but they suggested/warned me about the sweating.... After much consideration, I concluded that sweating in the cast for three weeks would not be a good deal so I opted to stay in an A/C environment, limiting my activities to reduce how much I would sweat. Are they putting you in a split cast or just a sling to keep your shoulder from moving?
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I am only using a sling when I sleep, because I tend to pull my arm up under my head at night. Otherwise they want it to hang lose and still move around as I walk to prevent the muscles and joints from becoming stiff and causing total recovery to last longer. I just can't stress it any. I can still play games with a controller and hold a fork and knife. But I shouldn't fight a force feedback wheel or try lifting a dinner plate for a couple of weeks.

I'm just not allowed to get the incision or covering wet, which basically means I have to cover my whole left arm and shoulder region. Once the main bandage comes off tomorrow and it is just the steri-strips I may be able to work with it a lot better. I am still finding bathing with one hand to be a bit odd. I had to use a back scrubber to reach under my right arm.

I have a great coat hanger design for under-the-cast itching if you're interested. :)
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I'd take you up on that if it worked for medical tape. This thing itches like crazy, but it is apparently a big no-no to scratch at fresh incisions, particularly ones directly over your aorta.



Speaking of aortas (and blood), the plus side to all of this is that I watched the entire first season of Dexter this weekend.

And now my kitchen is a disaster, My wife is pregnant and too tired to clean, especially after staying with me in the hospital, and I am physically unable to.



Thanks to everyone I haven't directly responded to for the well wishes and whatnot. This is far from the worst medical procedure I've had, but it is the most interesting in my adult life. I'm too much of a geek to not find it cool.
 
Life is good and I am glad to see there are ways to keep you in the game. With everything you have on your plate I wish you all the best.
 
Glad to hear the surgery went well.

My mom has one of these and so does Heathers sister. They are both doing very well and the scar is not that noticable at all.
 
FoolKiller
I'm just not allowed to get the incision or covering wet, which basically means I have to cover my whole left arm and shoulder region. Once the main bandage comes off tomorrow and it is just the steri-strips I may be able to work with it a lot better. I am still finding bathing with one hand to be a bit odd. I had to use a back scrubber to reach under my right arm.

And now my kitchen is a disaster, My wife is pregnant and too tired to clean, especially after staying with me in the hospital, and I am physically unable to.

Thanks to everyone I haven't directly responded to for the well wishes and whatnot. This is far from the worst medical procedure I've had, but it is the most interesting in my adult life. I'm too much of a geek to not find it cool.
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Maybe you could talk the wife into getting you a nurse to bath you:idea:
You know the big burley male type:crazy::nervous:

Get well from that Crazy Opelgt guy.
 
Well, the gauze came off last night and now it is just steri strips and major bruising. I have a new pic, but I am spacing it down for those with a weak stomach. You can see where some blood and seepage came through the steri strips, and the bruise makes me cringe, even though I can feel that it isn't that bad. So, if you don't want to see that move along until there are a couple more posts.






































photo0202t.jpg
 
hey, that's not so bad.

I had surgery a few years ago and was semi-conscious during it, and I remember the anesthesiologist asking how I was feeling, and I said something like not bad. He then asked if I'd like a 'little cocktail'... to which I said yes. Didn't know surgeries could be so fun!

I started watching Dexter last night (1st episode, 1st season). I'll catch up eventually. Still, glad to see everything's alright with you.
 
Cool, another Honda guy at heart. ;)



When you said you can't have anything with an EMF near the device, would that really just run the immediate risk of it suddenly going into overdrive and speeding up your heart rate? As you said, it isn't supposed to be doing much of anything unless your heart starts getting out of tune to begin with. Hopefully that can put your mind at rest some.

I'm also amazed that the battery not only lasts 7 years or whatever, but can keep working after multiple defibrillations? Wow.

And of course, glad all this came through alright for ya! :cheers:
 
Quality pics there, FK! It's no "meat flap", but then again few things are.

Good luck with your new equipment!
 
*There can be only one Meat Flap*

Damn, look at that bruising? Looking good there though! 👍

Is that a outline of where the tape was? That must have hurt coming off.... *ERRRRIIIIIIPP*
 
Eric.
When you said you can't have anything with an EMF near the device, would that really just run the immediate risk of it suddenly going into overdrive and speeding up your heart rate? As you said, it isn't supposed to be doing much of anything unless your heart starts getting out of tune to begin with. Hopefully that can put your mind at rest some.
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Magnets are used to disable the device when I am having medical work done, so an EMF will disable it until I move away. If the pacemaker is being used it quits, or if I go into V-tach it won't defibrillate. The tech said the most common issue they have is older men who work on cars and leaning over the engine while it is running. The alternator puts off a large enough EMF to disable it and he'd heard of guys just falling over dead on to the engine.

That really just sounds more like a scary story to get my attention, but that was the example he gave.

I'm also amazed that the battery not only lasts 7 years or whatever, but can keep working after multiple defibrillations? Wow.
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It gets checked four times a year and I imagine battery levels are part of that. I am thinking the battery life is based on pacemaker function. If you have the need for multiple defibrillations often I would imagine that you have bigger issues to deal with.

Pako
Damn, look at that bruising?
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You should see the other guy. :D Seriously though, it reminds me of when I saw a guy that took a fastball to the armpit.

Is that a outline of where the tape was? That must have hurt coming off.... *ERRRRIIIIIIPP*
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Yeah, it was that clear plastic stuff that was over the gauze. It wasn't really tape though. It felt more like artificial skin. It was weird because there was no sticky residue left after I pulled it off.

But the pain was minimal pulling it off. They didn't leave any hair behind for it to stick to. I am curious why both sides of my chest got shaved though. :odd: At least its even.

And yes, it itches...a lot.
 
Ive had my pace maker since 2002 and because i rarely use it my battery level is still very high, so indeed its relative to how much it actually uses it.

Also be weary of weilders and big subwoofers, not sure if you have had it already but if you place a big magnet over it the pacemaker automatically starts pacing.. well at least mine does.

youve done well with the scar, mine is quite thick (cause i was only a teen when I got it done) and apparently the hormones made the scar so big.

Id guess they shaved both sides in case they couldnt mount it in one side... always have a backup plan!.

anyway best wishes to you mate!! another scar to show off to the ladies :D
 
Well, I had my follow up appointment today. They checked the machine and pulled of data of six pacing events. I thought it was a lot but she called it seldom. I didn't feel one of them. She even showed me the exact dates and times and three were while I was sleeping, two were at work, and one was when I was doing absolutely nothing but watching TV. I shoudl have noticed that one. I was also paranoid that I would do something to mess it up because not using an arm that isn't tied up in a sling or cast is hard to remember, especially when it is only certain motions. But I didn't and they she told me that with me pacing as rarely as I do I wouldn't notice if I did make it loose.

They do want to see me in two weeks again just because there was still bruising and they don't want to sign me off as fine until that goes away.

So, its a busy month between baby news and this.

Anyway, I also took off my final dressings and have a picture of the healing incision. It is spaced down for weak stomachs, as usual.
























photo0208p.jpg
 
Glad to hear that things are returning to normal.

That looks like a 3"-4" slice, is there a chance you could take a snap shot with a coin next to it so we can see how much pain was involved, (or to ridicule you if it's a tiny cut ;) )
 
Omnis
FoolKiller has met his match.
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No need for sociopathic mutants. One of these would do me in just as quickly.

mri-image.jpg


Der Alta
Glad to hear that things are returning to normal.

That looks like a 3"-4" slice, is there a chance you could take a snap shot with a coin next to it so we can see how much pain was involved, (or to ridicule you if it's a tiny cut ;) )
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Sure. It will have to wait until tonight or tomorrow. I'm not doing that at work.
 
Der Alta
Glad to hear that things are returning to normal.

That looks like a 3"-4" slice, is there a chance you could take a snap shot with a coin next to it so we can see how much pain was involved, (or to ridicule you if it's a tiny cut ;) )
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As requested, scroll down.
















































:sly:
photo0210o.jpg
 
That's an impressive slice. Nice touch with the GTP on it. :D

I'm guessing that when you hang out topless, you'll actually see the lump under your skin?
 
PFFTT, thats nothing but a paper cut! Sissy...

J/K man, nice wound. Take it too the beach and show it off, chicks dig scars!
 
Der Alta
That's an impressive slice. Nice touch with the GTP on it. :D
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I felt that small touch would be appreciated. Now I am tempted to do it to multiple quarters and spend them to see if any other GTP members run across them in circulation.

I'm guessing that when you hang out topless, you'll actually see the lump under your skin?
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Probably. It is hard to tell now because some of the bruising is still swollen. So, I don't know how much is due to swelling and how much is actual displacement due to the device.

SRV2LOW4ME
Take it too the beach and show it off, chicks dig scars!
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Scars are like tattoos, with better stories.

Of course, this is likely to be my least noticeable medical scar. It will probably be about the same as the scar on my arm from a bike accident when I was a kid (bikes + barb wire don't mix) or hopefully the barely noticeable dog bite on my forehead, but after two heart surgeries I have enough scars from incisions and tubes to make me look like a Weapon X reject.
 
Well, for those wondering about costs, I got my statement in yesterday. I circled what I pay and underlined the cost of the device itself.

photo0211y.jpg



Yep, I paid nothing out of $142,000, and the ICD itself is $73,000.

Oh, and as you can see the hospital did not charge me for my overnight stay.
 

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