LVAD... Left Ventricular Assist Device

THIS BLOG POWERED BY THE THORATEC HEARTMATE II LVAD:















PARTIAL HEART PUMP = LEFT VENTRICULAR ASSIST DEVICE = LVAD = THE HEARTMATE II



THE LVAD ALLOWED ME to go HOME and conquer my normal and newest tasks once again.



Thank you Columbia-Presbyterian... Dr Naka and his Surgery Team, LVAD Nation, Dr Bijou & Dr Bonoan, Dr Mascitelli and Dr Shulman-Marcus!!!



AND TO THE SCORES OF PHYSICIANS, NURSES, PROFESSIONALS AND PEOPLE THAT PUSHED ME ALONG THE WAY... FORWARD.



Thank You God For I Am Blessed!







If I Was An LVAD-NASCAR Race CAR

If I Was An LVAD-NASCAR Race CAR
I would look like this :-)

FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY LVAD DAILY NEWS AND INFO FEED

01 September 2010

My LVAD Experience Response Letter To A Daughter Whose Dad Is Post-Op with LVAD HeartMate ll

My LVAD Experience Response Letter To A Daughter Whose Dad Is Post-Op With LVAD HeartMate ll :


"As you stated my case is different than your dad's... i have no prior Heart History until my heart attack that happened about 1 month before my LVAD implant. I am also under the age of 50.

But I have LVAD friends in their late 70s and well into their 80s who are more active than they have been in 10 maybe 20 years! I know kids 19, 20 21 year olds with the LVAD. One 21 year old is a Father of 2.

The LVAD is amazing, however... respecting the Driveline and Entry Point and our diets are crucial elements in keeping healthy and preventing infection.

Bravo to your Dad, i think the key to keeping him positive through the 1st week of recovery...

...i kept setting ...Goals Setting SETTING GOALS :-) and achievements... rewarding myself by fulfilling certain food cravings... and other small goals.

Here I am seen helping to "teach" Baseball to my eldest Grandson ...along with my Son-in-law, Daughter and wife.


Also battery location... I use this Holster-shirt that undercover law enforcement wear. i conceal my batteries in these pockets :-) Nice.

I have no neck,shoulder and or back strain as the batteries are stuck to my ribs like a spider web, i barely feel the weight of the batteries while there is not any free motion of the batteries as well.


Holsters are stitched onto an actual shirt and the shirt actually stretches over the driveline that helps to keep everything snug and stable. Lower risk of tugging on the driveline and entry points too.

THE MAIN OBJECTIVE NOW IS FOR YOUR DAD TO PREVENT ALL TUGGING OF DRIVELINE ON THE ENTRY POINT OF THE BELLY. NOT GOOD! IT CAN CAUSE INFECTION. VERY BAD :-) BUT IT IS EASY TO PREVENT THE TUGGING.

I also wrapped a binder around my belly, taught by my hospital, that trapped the driveline as a secondary measure to prevent tugging on the entry point. feeling more secure too.

This style shirt makes "This" LVAD RECIP feel even more comfortable and dignified too ;-)

Sometimes when i dont wear the binder or holster-shirt i wear this small round "thing" called a Hollister that sticks to the skin and snuggly anchors the driveline like a brake, but the Hollister might be given to your dad from the hospital upon discharge... Because it was an LVADRecip from Belgium who told me of the Hollister ...!

I trust that your Dad is being Honored as his biggest Victory in Life has just occurred...

Tell your Dad to Keep Strong, fight the good fight, Heal as Quick as possible and will have fun soon :-)

BTW i am posting this on my Blog without revealing your name.
Thank you... it was a good and important topic to cover. POST-OP LVAD

If you are on Facebook, there is a Greg Wood Memorial HeartMate ll Group there that has LVAD recipients, recipient's family and friends there"

And the good saga continues...