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 October 2010

Me, My LVAD And A BAT :-) The Video!

Left ventricular assist device made by Thoratec Saved and restored my life.

The LVAD that I have is a HeartMate II. Its purpose is to bypass my damaged Left Ventricle by pumping oxygen enriched blood into my brain, lungs and body. Its kind of a partial artificial heart, but really a blood pump. It is a manmade miracle! before i had the implant i was horizontal on a hospital bed 24/7 with little time left to live and with poor quality of life... now i can swing a bat again :-) Thank you "LVAD NATION" 7th Floor, Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in NYC

Here is a video that is my "living proof" :-)



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4A1yTvFOnk

And the Good Saga continues...

29 September 2010

The General's General, The One You Want Leading The Good Fight For Your Cause.


Margaret Flannery was the first from "LVAD Nation" to meet with me and my wife. With patience Margaret explained in depth about the LVAD implant, the peripheral procedures and testings involved in order to become eligible.

Her confidence, professionalism and approachable demeanor made my decision to trust Columbia Presbyterian Hospital to perform the open heart surgery/LVAD implant very easy. A short time later Margaret made my decision even easier by bringing in Dr Naka, the surgeon who would perform the surgery. Both Dr Naka and Margaret showed me a replica of the HeartMate II LVAD. I was able to hold it and realized that this device would bring back most of the stamina that I had lost. I felt that the 2 of them were the Best of the Best Columbia had to offer.

10 months later, LVAD in place, from the bottom of my LVAD I am thankful that folks like Margaret and Dr Naka are affiliated with Columbia Presbyterian hospital.

And the good saga continues...

28 September 2010

Columbia Presbyterian Hospital VAD SUPPORT GROUP September 28 2010

Today's LVAD Lunch & Learn series proved to be very productive. 1st on the agenda was Thoratec Product Update presented by Teri Gardner, RN Clinical Consultant from Thoratec. The update showed the future generations of the LVAD and LVAS. Smaller, more user friendly and wireless... yes, NO wires! However, the wireless is still in the distant future but on the radar screen of Thoratec. Bravo.

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Dr Yoshifumi Naka, my Surgeon, and the Director of the Cardiac Transplantation and Mechanical Circulatory Support Program, stopped in and greeted everyone between the 1st and 2nd items on the agenda. Dr Naka was greeted by a round of applause and more applause from the audience as he left. After all, Dr. Naka had his skilled and gifted hands "touch" all of our hearts in more ways than one.

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2nd on the agenda was Traveling with the LVAD, presented by Khristine Orlanes, ACNP. Informative topics included "Must Haves at All Times", "Air Travel specifics" and "Land Travel". During this session, discussions led to the proper handling of our LVAS as well as offering information to the airline and TSA for security reasons.

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3rd on the agenda was "Preventing and Managing Infections", presented by Dr Nir Uriel Proffesor Clinical Medicine, Center for Advanced Cardiac Care, Columbia University. This topic was engaging as it addressed infections at the driveline Exit-Site. All in attendance were told and showed what to look for and how to avoid an infection. Well over 40% of deaths related to the LVAD is due to infection.


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Lastly, there was a spread of good healthy food, buffet style, where all the LVAD recipients, care-givers and other interested parties mingled and shared their war stories :-) at the newly built River Terrace, Milstein Family Heart Center, Columbia Presbyterian Hospital NYC.












And the good saga continues...

27 September 2010

2nd LVAD LUNCH AND LEARN


2nd LVAD LUNCH and LEARN... They are great as it focuses on the
LVAD recipient/patient/care-givers/Families ONLY!

The last one pulled in over 20 LVAD recipients. I am hoping more of us is there.

And the good saga continues...

26 September 2010

Large LVAD Community Cheering Vice President Cheney

After attending the HeartMate II Ambassador Summit in Pleasanton, California, I was constantly asked how VP Cheney is faring. I only know as much as the rest. My knowledge of VP Cheney's recovery is as good as what's being released in the media. In an earlier post, I cited remarks made by his daughter, Liz Cheney and linked a radio interview that she made, where she stated that her Dad is doing well.

I would just like to express that there will be a day, maybe now, that Former Vice President Dick Cheney will become an LVAD Recipient, rather than an LVAD Patient. That threshold is realistic and obtainable. It is a point in that person's life that he or she says, "Yes, this LVAD has restored my life and stamina to where it was years ago. I do have restrictions however it is a wonderful trade-off to feel this good.

So again from the bottom of our LVADs, the LVAD community wishes Vice President Cheney a happy recovery.

And the good saga continues...