Suitcase packed? Check

Work notified and time off approved? Check
Guess room set up for mom to visit during the recovery time? Check
Surprisingly large dust bunnies under the living room couch removed? Check

I have been running around trying to get ready for the pending surgery. My ICD has moved out of the pocket and is causing some issues and they are going in to fix it. While in there, they are going to pull that recalled lead and replace it with a new one.

I expect everything to go well, but as with any surgery that involves the heart, you would be silly not to get things in order before you go in. I have updated my will, I have my advance health care directives on file at the hospital and with my cardiologist and I have all my important papers in order for my family to find… just in case.

I have cleaned out my closets because that just needed to be done and I have stocked up on the dry goods and essentials so I don’t have to worry about grocery shopping while I can’t raise my left arm or lift anything for the first few months. I have made arrangements for my mom to come out for six weeks to help out and my kids can drive now and will be able to help out by running errands as needed. I think I am set. Now all I have to do is survive the actual operation.

Work has been a great distraction. I really enjoy my job right now and I have lots to keep my mind occupied so I don’t dwell on the surgery risks. My fingers are numb from typing up all the reports, but that way, when I go home, I get to whine about working too hard and not face the worries I have crammed into the corners of my mind.

However, it was a struggle this week to deal with writing up my Individual Development Plan. This is an exercise we go through annually where we document our short term and long term goals and work with our bosses to get assignments to meet those goals. I had just completed my will detailing what to do with my earthly remains should there be a complication. Somehow trying to figure out what I want to be in five years just seemed silly after that. I just want to survive next Thursday.

It is not that I expect anything to go wrong; it is just that I am at the point where I can’t do anything else about it. I have gotten everything within my control, controlled. Now it is all in the hands of others and hope they are all having a good day and things go well. And that is the hard part.

11/7/08 Stanford — Patient ICD Day

This event is being hosted by Stanford Electrophysiology and Arrhythmia Services.

Friday, November 7
10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Sheraton Hotel
625 El Camino Real,
Palo Alto, CA
(650) 328-2800

Guest Speaker:

Samuel F. Sears Jr., Ph.D.
Professor,
East Carolina University
Department of Psychology and Internal Medicine

Agenda:
10:00 - Welcome — Linda Ottoboni, RN, MS
10:00 - Living with an ICD — Dr. Sam Sears
10:40 - Implant techniques and function of ICD/CRT therapy — Paul Wang, MD
11:00 - A Patient’s Perspective — Hugo Campos, Bay Area ICD User Group
11:20 - Optimizing Heart Function — Randy Vagelos, MD
11:45 - Lunch
12:15 - Minimizing Therapy, Medication, Ablation, ICD Programming — Henry Hsia, MD
12:45 - Surviving Therapy and Confronting Mortality — Dr. Sam Sears
01:30 - Questions and Answers Panel
02:00 - Conclusion

In order to attend this event, you must RSVP by calling
(650) 723-7111 or emailing patientICDday@doctor.com no later than Wednesday, November 5th.

For questions, please contact Linda Ottoboni at (650) 498-5914.

11/8/08 Kaiser — Charged Hearts 18th Annual Meeting

This event is being hosted by Kaiser Permanente.

Charged Hearts is Kaiser Permanente's ICD Support Group. At the group's 18th annual meeting, doctors, nurses, and representatives from device companies will be present and, if the turnout is as great as last year's, there should be over 250 attendees. Many topics will be discussed, including daily living and challenges for both patients and family members, dealing with medications, anxiety, shocks and recalls. See details below.

Saturday, November 8
10:30 am – 2:00 pm
Napa Valley Marriott
Grand Ballroom
3425 Solano Avenue,
Napa, CA
(707) 253-8600

Guest Speaker:

Samuel F. Sears Jr., Ph.D.
Professor,
East Carolina University
Department of Psychology and Internal Medicine



In order to attend this event, you must RSVP by calling
(707) 651-5544 no later than Monday, November 3rd.

When calling, please leave the following information:

• Your name
• Phone number
• Number of people in your party
• Your selection of one of two lunch entrées:
  
  • Sake Glazed Salmon w/Wasabi Aioli and Tobiko accompanied by Bamboo Rice & Stir Fry Vegetables
  • Red Wine Braised Beef Short Ribs with Roasted Shallots, Chive Mashed Potatoes, Seasonal Vegetables & Demi Glace

For questions, please contact Anne McHarg at (707) 651-2758

Hope to see you there!

The wires that bind us

The September meeting of the Bay Area ICD User Group met at my house and we had several new members. Of course the usual members were there as well and we had a blast. I was a little worried opening my home to people I didn't know, but once everyone showed up, it seemed like we were old friends right away.

I know the experiences we share over our hearts and ICDs make us seem like family, but everyone was also friendly and such great personalities that as usual the evening went by way to fast. Our two hour meeting went to four and I spent another hour or so talking with one of our newest members in the driveway.

His story is fascinating to me. He has had his ICD for 8 years and never talked to another person that had one. He has also been shocked and many of us haven't so he had a lot to share with us. Just from hearing what he has been through, the rest of us learned a lot. We showed each other our scars and commented on who had the best placement.

After everyone had left, I thought about the night. We had teachers, marketing developers, preachers and project managers sitting around the room sharing what they were going through and discussing the technology behind our devices. We were comparing doctor experiences and the different shapes of the device demo models we had on display.

It seems like we were all from different paths, from different backgrounds and even heading in different directions. Some of us have been dealing with ICD and heart disease for years; some of us are new to all this and still trying to learn the right terms. But we are going through it together, learning about amazing technology and leaning on each other during the tough times and having fun on the way. It is the wires in our hearts that brought us together and bind us together.