Increasing confidence with ICD

Increasing confidence with ICD

The doctor who assisted with the ICD implantation put the fear of God into me by warning that I must not put pressure on my left arm, raise it above shoulder height, etc.  And keep this up for six weeks.   It is exactly four weeks today since the implantation, and I feel increasingly comfortable with the device.  Of course I can feel it, neatly nestling under the skin, but there is no trace of tenderness.  I can move my arm with no discomfort, and I have even managed, comfortably, to sleep on it, my normal position for sleep. 

The problem now is that I feel fine, and am at risk of forgetting the restrictions on movement.  I potter in the garden, but I have to remember it must be in a one-armed way.  I have to get my wife or someone in the family to lift eg compost bags when I cannot do this comfortably with the right hand, or move a wheel-barrow which certainly requires both arms. 

In response to my informing the DVLA of the ICD insert, I had a formal response asking lots of questions about my condition, demanding a list of clinics, addresses of consultants and requiring me to give permission for medical information to be obtained.  Today I received a brown envelope with a formal response from the DVLA,, stating that I could retain my normal licence.  Praise the Lord!  I have still three days to go until a month has elapsed since the insert, when I can drive again.  I find it strange that in a legal requirement, the imprecise month is used, rather than 28, 30 or 31 days.  I would prefer it to be as short as possible

Today we went to Stratford, accompanied by my lovely Susan, my elder daughter visiting us from Cyprus.  Lorraine drove.  It was a lovely sunny day.  I was able to do a lot of walking, albeit slowly because of wretched osteo-arthritic knees.  No shortness of breath, thanks to medication and magnesium supplements.   This amount of walking is something I could not imagine doing earlier in the year.   All for the sake of retail therapy.  The principal retail therapy,  requiring Susan’s expertise,  was buying a refurbished Sony laptop, on which I am typing this blog.  Next Friday I will be allowed to drive, and in two more weeks, if the check-up is OK, to move a wheelbarrow and such other routine activities we take for granted.  Wonderful things to look forward to.   There are times when living with heart failure is not too bad.