bionic gardener

[Smart Red]

I had to look up ICD myself. Implantable cardiac defibrillator. Wow Red! Take it easy and worry about the garden later. Let DH cook and wait on you hand and foot. A few weeks ought to do it

Right you are, MontyJ. It is NOT an inter cranial device as was suggested -- not that I couldn't use one from time to time.

I had the ICD since March of 2008 when the doctor talked me into it for CHF (congestive heart failure). I'm not sure I needed the ICD at the time as I had no symptoms of CHF as long as I took my medications, but I suppose he scared me into it rather than talked me into it.

It seems that for me the battery had a life of 5 years and needed replacing within a month or so. I chose before getting into the chaos of gardening rather than stop working while the weeds and seeds were actively growing. I think I'm well satisfied with that decision.

DH wait on me hand and foot? You've been out in the sun too long already this year. His mother spoiled him and I fear I took over when I took him away from her. The only thing he can open is a menu. Of course I'm not being totally fair. He will do most anything I ask, but I seldom ask him for household help since he works so hard outside.

Slept surprisingly well last night and didn't need any pain meds yet today. I think this is going to be relatively easy-peasy for me to recuperate from.

 

[lesa]

Glad to hear it! Easy-peasy is perfect!

 

[digitS']

Linn, "There is nothing permanent except change." ~ Heraclitus

Here is how my stay-at-home mother spoiled me. She said, "Sometimes young people don't marry right away so you need to know how to do these things around the house." So after that training, I hurried right out and married early.

After that marriage ended, I was a single dad for a good number of years. I did it -- preparing breakfast and a sack lunch, meeting with the teacher, arranging for after school care, cooking, cleaning, laundry, shopping, driving off to Little League, and summer vacations with the little guy.

I've gone thru years of caring for family members with chronic illnesses, keeping track of their appointments and drugs, running their medical devices.

And, I've been laid up on the couch for 3 weeks at a time. People have had to drive me to appointments when I didn't even know if I could walk to the car or sit down in it once I got there or get out whenever we got where we were going. I've had so much trouble getting around that someone else has had to bathe me - I thought there was a chance that I might drown!

There are people who will come to your home and do all manner of things for you. Some will take care of all the indoor work, some will take care of all the outdoor work, some will take care of you.

My dad used to talk about being independent. Bull! Did he manufacture the building material that went into his house, create the power that came thru the wires to it, pave the road to and from, distill the fuel that moved the products he used from far and wide? None of it and volumes more. No one is truly self-sufficient unless they are some hermit in the arctic living off the caribou. About the best we can do is make some choices about our care. Make the best choices you can.

Steve

 

[thistlebloom]

You have a good attitude Red, and of course being a gardener you have real incentive to heal so you can enjoy the growing season!

 

[Jared77]

Glad your doing so well Red. Is it just an ICD or a pacemaker combination?

Also do you have a list of your medications, your ICD number, and allergies listed somewhere like on front of the fridge so in case something happens and your not able to communicate that information is easily found for hubby or family/neighbor to give us when I show up at your door to treat you? It makes a difference and is EXTREMELY helpful.

I say this because too many times when you call 911 and the Paramedics show up we get a handful of medication bottles that your loved ones or the police officer grab off your nightstand, dresser, etc and hand to us. Some bottles are old, some are new, some have various meds in them, and my personal favorite the meds for the week containers that are little plastic boxes that hold your meds with the days listed on them. No bottles just the meds divided up. Great for taking them so you don't forget or get confused, but I have NO idea what that little white pill is or the blue capsule next to it and that CAN affect the course of treatment.

And for those of you who keep this information PLEASE KEEP IT UPDATED!

Thank you and back to your regularly scheduled programming.

 

[Smart Red]

Glad you're doing so well Red. Is it just an ICD or a pacemaker combination? .

It is a pacemaker with a defibrillation option if needed. This new one is a Bi-Ventrical ICD, whatever that is. I have nothing to fear except an AED.

DigitS, I'm really not all that incapacitated. This afternoon I moved all the kitchen furniture and mopped the floor. 'Sides, I'm not the 'sit and be waited on' kind of person when I'm perfectly able to see to my own needs.

I've gone through this after recently starting a new eating plan and I feel terrific! All I have to do now is wait for gardening weather to strike south-est, central-est Wisconsin and I'll be ready.

Jared77 -- I'll get right on that list! I keep one in my purse, but doubt that anyone knows it is there.

Haven't heard from you lately. . . . how's the new house?

 

[Jared77]

House is coming along. I'm a one man crew so its slower than normal. I'd have plenty of help if I worked a 9-5 job but I work 24hr shifts so I spend all day on Tuesday, or Wednesday working when everybody else is at work. Come home off my shift, change my clothes and over I go to keep plugging away.

Yes get on the list. In fact put it a different colored paper even. Pink, or blue, something so it stands out if you keep a bunch of papers on the fridge. If not then just put it in an easy to see spot and leave it there. If you make a change note it. New med, no longer on something, if your allergic to any meds (don't know if I said that in my earlier post) etc.

No offense but I don't go rummaging through peoples purses for a slip of paper with meds/medical history on it. Too much can go wrong there and I really do love my job.

Thank you I hope nobody will ever need it, but even if you don't hear them say it, the Paramedics will be very grateful that you did that.