the bionic woman and her 7 year average

Yesterday I attended my routine pacemaker clinic visit at Hoag Hospital. I was informed that my battery will go into "safe mode" 1-7 months from now! Although I knew it was coming, I didn't quite expect to hear it's practically here. At my last clinic visit back in August, the window they gave me was vague and within a large span; 2-22 months. I questioned if my heart had used the pacemaker more since my last appointment (they thought this was an excellent question) and after reviewing the chart noticed just the opposite. Ironically, my heart had used the pacemaker less, and that no episodes were even recorded! So with that said, I've hit my seven year average. Seems like every seven years I need surgery of some sort, and well, I guess I'm overdue since my last surgery was January of 2002.

What I can expect when the pacemaker goes into “safe mode” is to feel weird, VERY uncomfortable, and VERY tired. They said I would most likely notice when climbing stairs or exercising. Basically, my heart will want to go faster because of exertion, but the pacemaker won’t allow it to go full speed to save battery. When in “safe mode” the pacemaker will do a “half ass” job so to speak. It will only pace in one part of the heart, rather then both, and things like that. Most who go into “safe mode” don’t wait too long to have surgery, because they are so uncomfortable. I have 3 months from the time it goes into “safe mode” to have the battery replacement surgery. All the information of what to expect was exactly what my cardiologist up at UCLA said a year ago.

After talking with the two pacemaker technicians/nurses who feel I have a good enough case and my family and because we have two important weddings scheduled in Sept & Oct (and now maybe three) we've decided to get the ball rolling to schedule the surgery. Perhaps by the time authorization and plans for surgery are made, my battery will go into "safe mode" and that it will all be in perfect orchestration. Due to some changes in insurance, I will be having phone checks every 6 weeks rather then every month. If I begin to feel strange and very tired I can call them and they can do a phone check to see if perhaps I have gone into "safe mode" within the 6 week period. So for now the plan is for Hoag pacemaker clinic to notify my Hoag cardiologist to begin authorization and approval for scheduling the surgery at UCLA. My job, is to contact my cardiologist at UCLA and follow up with the cardiologist at Hoag in a week.

Things are sort of making sense with why I haven’t found a social work job. God’s got impeccable timing I suppose, since the day after tax season ends, I find out surgery is just around the corner. Now that the shock is wearing off, I’m beginning to focus my energies on contacting UCLA, and making a list of questions and things to do before surgery. Jay reminds me that this might be the easiest surgery I’ve had. Although I'm quite “experienced” with surgeries, any surgery, no matter how big or small is still SCARY. Thank you to those who have already begun praying. I'll be sure to keep you informed as things begin to unfold. Jay showed me this verse last year and well it came to my mind as I began processing the news.

“Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” Matthew 6:27 .