Tomorrow is not promised to anyone. I can attest to that and feel more blessed that the LVAD has given me the quality of life (naturally with some restrictions) I had prior to my heart attack.
The remnants of my silent heart attack left me struggling to walk a maximum of 5 feet, let alone run. My left ventricle ceased to function at an adequate rate to sustain life as I knew it... i could not even hold my 10 month old grandson!Running, swimming and contact sports are some of the restrictions while with the LVAD, however I am free to enjoy lifting my grandchildren... and trying to keep up with them.
I look back and think that without the LVAD, the best case scenario would find myself confined to my sofa, maybe a hospital bed in my own home... or even admitted to the hospital full time... for up to a year or more awaiting a heart transplant.The LVAD is a gift that i can never repay to all those committed... to Thoratec, who brought my Heartmate2 LVAD to reality, the team who implanted and grafted the LVAD to my heart. And last but not least, the LVAD Nation located on the 7th floor at Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital. THANK YOU AGAIN AND AGAIN!
What the heart attack took away the LVAD GAVE BACK TO ME. This is priceless.
For the past 7 months, after my LVAD implant, the LVAD has continued to make "me" feel like "me" again!
And the good saga continues...
email me @: LVADone@gmail.com