Vice President Dick Cheney Released From Hospital

Former Vice President Dick Cheney was released Monday from the hospital, about a month after doctors installed a new pump in his chest to assist his damaged heart. A spokesman said in a brief statement that the vice president “was released from Fairfax hospital and returned home this morning.”

Associated Press

In this July 8, 2001 file photo released by The White House Vice President Dick Cheney smiles while fly-fishing on the Snake River with his family in his home state of Wyoming.

The former vice president was released from the hospital Monday. His daughter Liz Cheney said he is already planning trips for fly fishing and hunting later this year. Cheney had his first heart attack at 37-years-old and his most recent one in February. He entered the hospital in late June complaining of discomfort, and later disclosed that he was “entering a new phase of the disease when I began to experience increasing congestive heart failure.”
That led to the decision to implant a left ventricular assist device, or LVAD, in his chest in July.

While the treatment is relatively new, one of Cheney’s doctors held out hope last week that the former vice president will be able to return to an active life.

“This can take a person who has a failing heart, who is short of breath, perhaps, you know, walking to the bathroom, and can restore them, not just a sort of adequate functioning, but to normal functioning,” Dr. Jonathan Reiner told Cheney’s daughter, Liz, on Fox News last week. “People with this device can go back to work and go back to full-time work.”

They also can go back to fishing and hunting – two of the vice president’s favorite activities – Reiner added in response to a prompt from Cheney.

Reiner describes the device this way: “What this pump can do is take blood from the failing heart, accelerate it with a turbine essentially that’s spinning it almost 10,000 revolutions per minute and essentially jack that up into the aorta. So, a failing heart may only be able to deliver two liters per minute of blood to the body. A normal heart can deliver almost six liters per minute. It’s about a quarter and a half, gallon and a half, excuse me. This device by itself can deliver over six liters per minute.”

Link:
http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2010/08/09/cheney-released-from-hospital/

And the good saga continues...

LVAD LUNCH AND LEARN

LVAD Lunch & Learn
For LVAD recipients and families to participate in an LVAD Support Group

Date: May 3rd, 2010

Time: 11:00am – 2:00pm

Lunch will be served

Location: Montefiore Medical Center
3415 Bainbridge Ave Bronx, New York
CHAM Conference Room

Guest Speakers:

Nicolette Keen,MS,RD,CDN
Paula Marcus M.D.
Jery Whitworth RN...

Lunch provided by Thoratec Corporation
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I often joke with my LVAD team at Columbia-Presbyterian/NYC that with my LVAD lithium batteries, I can charge a dead battery in a car. I am now convinced after meeting with 20 + LVAD recipients at one gathering, we all probably can jump-start a Jumbo Jet should the occasion arise. :-)


As I end a great day and change my power source from my lithium batteries to my PBU leads ...yes Margaret, I do sleep without batteries :-)... I can not help to think of how honored I feel to be given the podium to speak before 20+ LVAD recipients. It was also an opportunity to meet Simone Van Tull from the transplantcafe.com site, Dick Clark and Mr. Stowe, all who are LVAD recipients and I have gotten to know them (or of them) from online connections or the telephone. This conference also enabled me to exchange contact info with many new LVAD brothers and sisters :-)

Honored... me at the podium, another humbling experience.

I discussed my ideas on how to live a more comfortable life with the LVAD, such as using the 511Tactical Holster Shirt and my encounters with Thoratec; the company that developed the Heartmate 2 LVAD. In turn, I was asked many questions.

It was amazing to see a conference room populated by folks powered by an LVAD. On the agenda, LVAD medical professionals discussed with the LVAD group ways to address situations that an LVAD recipient may encounter, such as stress, depression, meditations and palliative decisions to name a few.


What was particularly interesting to me was the time taken to heed the words from the LVAD recipient’s caretakers and recognizing their tasks and responsibilities in assisting the LVAD recipient in their daily lives. With that said, I THANK my wife.

And the good saga continues...

The FUTURE PROVIDES THE WIRELESS LVAD/Reducing Infection and Mortality.

2 Informative PDF files explaining the WIRELESS LVAD:

PDF 1:

A Frequency Control Method for Regulating Wireless Power to Implantable Devices

http://www.tetcor.com/A%20freq%20control%20method%20for%20regulaing%20wireless%20power%20to%20implantable%20devices%20(ping%20si).pdf

PDF 2:
Wireless Power Supply for Implantable Biomedical
Device Based on Primary Input Voltage Regulation

http://www.tetcor.com/Ping%20wp%20paper.pdf

LINK:
Brief but interesting info on TRANSCUTANEOUS as opposed to percutaneous lines: Wireless Technology Sparks New Approach to Powering Implantable Devices

http://www.devicelink.com/mpmn/archive/07/03/009.html


SOME BACKGROUND HISTORY ON THE WIRELESS LVAD ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN Transitions" 2002, a Penn State College of Medicine publication and the DESIGN NEWS:

Rosenberg Named 2002 Engineer of the Year

Rosenberg has worked on heart-assist pumps since 1970 when he joined the Penn State research team as a graduate student. He earned his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in mechanical engineering from Penn State. U.S. clinical trials began for the Rosenberg team’s implanted Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD), manufactured by commercial partner Arrow International, Inc., when in February 2001, Penn State’s Walter E. Pae, Jr., successfully implanted the left ventricular assist system for the first in the United States. Called the Arrow LionHeart™, it is the first LVAD powered by wireless electric transmission.

LionHeart TM is intended to help a large population that is ineligible for transplant and for whom medical therapy has failed. Surgeons in Europe have been implanting the device in clinical trials since 1999. Rosenberg said that LVADs represent less risk to patients, both in surgery and later on. "With an LVAD, if there is a component failure, a patient can still rely temporarily on their own heart until the problem is solved," he said, “and because no wires or tubes protrude through the recipient’s skin, the system reduces the chances for serious infection. LionHeart™ is intended to help this much larger population that is ineligible for transplant and for whom medical therapy has failed.” Rosenberg’s team also has an electro-mechanical total artificial heart that is very close in concept to its LVAD.

Rosenberg has found another commercial partner, Abiomed, Danvers, Massachusetts for this device. Abiomed developed AbioCor, a total artificial heart driven by an electro-hydraulic system that Time magazine called the “2001 invention of the year." Abiomed plans to do clinical trials in 2004 of a smaller version of the Penn State heart, suitable for women and children.

Abiomed CEO David Lederman said of Rosenberg, "Gus is one of the primary contributors to this field, and I have tremendous respect for him. We were competitors,but we also have shared a lot of information over the years"

Here is a more recent photo Dr. Rosenberg. He can still be reached at Penn State University.

And the good saga continues...

LVAD Man? IRON MAN? PEOPLE ASK WHY...

Iron Man?
LVAD Man!
Many people ask why!

For reasons that are not obvious and reasons that are... such as his artificial heart, demeanor and driven strength... Iron Man became a symbol for me and my family.

The Iron Man character is fierce but appropriate. I never saw the movie before ...UNTIL I was in the hospital bed, with the LVAD situation fresh in my mind and the HOSPITAL providing all CCU patients & LVAD recipients with FREE Premium TV and Movies.

The Movie playing at the time was Iron Man... very fierce looking at first, the character in the movie was an ironic comparison and adrenaline raiser for me. The PHOTO below is the 1st Iron Man (Wont tell you too much, not to ruin the movie lol) as the result of being built purely in a dark dingy cave in the middle of nowhere.

I photoshop-ed an American Flag on Iron Man's right arm and the caption.

PHOTO BELOW IS THE KNOWN VERSION OF IRON MAN, tactfully and SURGICALLY CREATED IN THE PROPER ENVIRONS OF A LAB:

And as for me, the hospital was NOT MY dingy cave, MY dingy CAVE was being "under" the weird edgy soreness and stupor of the MEDS and open-heart surgery. MY cave "escape" was post-op when I was allowed to go HOME and conquer my normal and newest tasks once again. Thank you Columbia-Presbyterian Surgery Team, LVAD Nation and Dr Bijou!!!

***IRON MAN 2 PREMIERS MAY 2010***

HERE IS TRAILER FROM 1ST IRON MAN 2009:



and the good saga continues...

The LVAD is a sensible and remarkable option for people with heart falure.

Due to my heart failure my Cardiologist told me i would need a temporary LVAD (left ventricular assist device) to extend my life and lead as normal of a life as possible until my heart transplant. I was classified as a "Bridge to Transplant" patient. Other folks who can not receive a heart transplant may recieve a permanent LVAD under the classification "Destination Therapy".

The LVAD is a titanium pump that does the job of the heart's left ventricle; pumping oxygen enriched blood.

It is implanted behind the ribcage and grafted to the heart.

The pump is a mini jet/turbine motor turning 8,600 +/- revolutions per minute (RPM). Its job is to pump 4 to 7 liters of blood per minute from the left ventricle up to the aorta. The LVAD is powered through a special wire called a driveline that is connected to the pump portion of the LVAD and tracks through the body to an exit point in the lower left or right abdomen.

The driveline wire exits the abdomen and is connected to a system controller/computer that monitors and powers the LVAD. The main functions of the system controller maintain the pump motor's RPM, the amount of blood flow while alerting the LVAD recipient with alarms should something be abnormal or fail. It also stores in depth daily data that can be seen on a home base system monitor or retrieved at the hospital during routine checkups.

The power source of the LVAD is electricity via a household electrical outlet or 2 lithium batteries. The lithium batteries can last up to 16+ hours in an emergency but 12 hours is the recommended use before changing to fully charged batteries.

Each battery weighs close to 1.5 lbs and worn in shoulder-supported holsters.

When at home, but especially asleep, the batteries are removed and the LVAD is plugged into a household electrical outlet. Each time an LVAD recipient leaves his or her home, they must carry at least 2 extra batteries and an extra system controller in the event of rare problems or failures.

As an LVAD recipient, I believe the LVAD is a sensible and remarkable option for people with heart falure. As stated by a cardiologist at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, Dr Ulrich Jorde said "...it could save the lives of 10,000 Americans a year."

And it saved mine.

And the good saga continues...

LVAD VIDEOS & VIDEO OF MY SURGEON

MY SURGEON DR. NAKA

(APPEARS @ 32 SECONDS OF VIDEO)

GENERAL LVAD INFO

THORATEC HEARTMATE II LVAD

And the good saga continues...

START HERE: DONT KNOW WHAT AN LVAD IS? IT WAS AN ALL OUT AMBUSH!

It all started when i thought life was set and my perimeters secured.

2 Grandsons in the last 3 years...

Jaydon & Jordon.

We just completed 4 round trip cross-country drives NYC to Cali and back from October 2008-October 2009

My wife and best friend made my good life possible!

I was sitting pretty, no one could knock me off the Helm.

Then "It" came, from all directions!

T H E H E A R T A T T A C K !

NO CHEST PAIN! NO PAIN OR NUMBNESS IN THE LEFT ARM, MY HEART ATTACK WAS DISGUISED AS "FOOD POISONING".

All i had was a sour and very eruptive stomach.

For one week i sat home with my wife nursing my stomach. FINALLY I had a few doctors see me. They told me i had a MASSSIVE heart attack! They told me i needed a Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) implanted and grafted to my heart ASAP... They told me i was lucky to still be alive :)

THANK YOU GOD, I AM BLESSED with the LVAD in place...

I was discharged 11 days after the LVAD was implanted and grafted (I am told one of the fastest discharges in LVAD's 14 year history at the hospital). With a longer lease on life, things began to change; including my wardrobe that showcased undercover holster-shirts!

These special shirts make my days easier as i need to carry 2 lithium batteries (and instead of guns, the batteries are tucked into the holsters) to power my heart pump... the LVAD.

The LVAD team (Margaret, Rosie, Jennifer, Khristine and Donna) and the rest of LVAD NATION at the hospital trained me and my family to live with and safely maintain the LVAD. They are angels here on earth.

I still have no complaints as i work on myself in preparation for a Heart Transplant :)

The good saga continues...