Stormy Weather

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

So good to hear your news, Flossie!

[EdgeleyRob]

Another fabulous sunny day, despite rain being forecast (for the second day running). A lovely walk on Troon beach, followed by lunch of mussels, grilled hake & creamed cabbage & bacon, langoustine, seafood pasta, and home-made icecream (mint - proper mint, not peppermint - strawberry & coconut) (not all of that was mine). Followed by another walk on the beach. Made all the better by realising that after being fitted with a pacemaker last week I could manage a substantial walk (especially after lunch) without feeling breathless or having to stop while my heartbeat retuned to normal.

Great news Flossie
Very reassuring for me because I've been told by my Cardiologist that I will more than likely need to have a pacemaker fitted.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Great news Flossie
Very reassuring for me because I've been told by my Cardiologist that I will more than likely need to have a pacemaker fitted.

Very best wishes for that, Edgey -

[Flosshilde]

Great news Flossie
Very reassuring for me because I've been told by my Cardiologist that I will more than likely need to have a pacemaker fitted.

Go for it. My experience of the procedure was nothing but good - sedation & local anaesthetic, didn't feel a thing (I might have dozed off) until a few slight tugs as the surgeon sewed me up (I musn't say 'stitched me up' ). The only difficulty is afterwards as you can't move your left (usually) arm too much - not above shoulder height, or backwards, or too suddenly, or lift heavyish weights, or drive, for about six weeks after so you don't disturb the wires before they have 'grown in'. The British Heart Foundation has an excellent booklet available online.

It does only deal with slow AF, not fast, so I'm still taking drugs, but since I had it done I just get occassional 'flutters' as if my heart is trying to go into AF but can't - it only lasts a minute or so & is like a quiet background noise. I was a bit worried at first as I thought it meant the pacemaker wasn't working but it doesn't seem to have any impact. It's something I'll mention at the follow-up appointment as it might mean they have to adjust the pacemaker.

I wish I'd had it done years ago

[eighthobstruction]

Go for it. My experience of the procedure was nothing but good - sedation & local anaesthetic, didn't feel a thing (I might have dozed off) until a few slight tugs as the surgeon sewed me up (I musn't say 'stitched me up' ). The only difficulty is afterwards as you can't move your left (usually) arm too much - not above shoulder height, or backwards, or too suddenly, or lift heavyish weights, or drive, for about six weeks after so you don't disturb the wires before they have 'grown in'. The British Heart Foundation has an excellent booklet available online.

It does only deal with slow AF, not fast, so I'm still taking drugs, but since I had it done I just get occassional 'flutters' as if my heart is trying to go into AF but can't - it only lasts a minute or so & is like a quiet background noise. I was a bit worried at first as I thought it meant the pacemaker wasn't working but it doesn't seem to have any impact. It's something I'll mention at the follow-up appointment as it might mean they have to adjust the pacemaker.

I wish I'd had it done years ago

....good....in the light of what you say; a very rewarding day at Troon....

[Flosshilde]

Yes, lunch was pretty good

[Flosshilde]

The only difficulty is afterwards as you can't move your left (usually) arm too much - not above shoulder height, or backwards, or too suddenly, or lift heavyish weights, or drive, for about six weeks after so you don't disturb the wires before they have 'grown in'.

Having re-read this I see it could be slightly misleading. I should emphasise that this is temporary, not long-term, just until you've had your follow-up appointment & they can check that tissue has grown around the wires into your heart to hold them in place. This is usually 4-6 weeks after the procedure.

[teamsaint]

Go for it. My experience of the procedure was nothing but good - sedation & local anaesthetic, didn't feel a thing (I might have dozed off) until a few slight tugs as the surgeon sewed me up (I musn't say 'stitched me up' ). The only difficulty is afterwards as you can't move your left (usually) arm too much - not above shoulder height, or backwards, or too suddenly, or lift heavyish weights, or drive, for about six weeks after so you don't disturb the wires before they have 'grown in'. The British Heart Foundation has an excellent booklet available online.

It does only deal with slow AF, not fast, so I'm still taking drugs, but since I had it done I just get occassional 'flutters' as if my heart is trying to go into AF but can't - it only lasts a minute or so & is like a quiet background noise. I was a bit worried at first as I thought it meant the pacemaker wasn't working but it doesn't seem to have any impact. It's something I'll mention at the follow-up appointment as it might mean they have to adjust the pacemaker.

I wish I'd had it done years ago

Great to hear you are doing well, and very interesting to hear of your experience. It obviously hasn't harmed your appetite !

Best wishes of course, to ER if he has to have the same op.

[Flosshilde]

It obviously hasn't harmed your appetite !

Unfortunately not. I haven't been able to swim since April, & have put on a couple (at lest) of inches round my tummy. It'll be late September or October before I can go back to it - I've got a hernia operation coming up, probably in August.

Anyway, last word on pacemakers. There's some technology they're not compatible with, induction hobs especially - it's recommended that you keep at least 2 feet away, which would make cooking on one rather difficult (P G Tipps might be OK, but somehow I don't see him spending much time in the kitchen), and it's best to use mobile & cordless phones on the ear on the opposite side to the pacemaker, & not put phones in a breast pocket. It's to do with electro-magnetic fields.

And, too keep/return to topic, it's overcast & distinctly cool here.

[Serial_Apologist]

The only difficulty is afterwards as you can't move your left (usually) arm too much - not above shoulder height, or backwards, or too suddenly,

At least that means they can't call you up!

- "Doctor, doctor, I can't possibly join the army!"

- "Why not?"

- "Because I can't lift my arm higher than this" - lifts it to shoulder height.

- "And how long have you had this problem?"

- "Oh for at least for five years, doctor".

- "And how high could you lift that arm before this problem started?"

- "Oh, this high" - lifts the same arm up above his head.

[EdgeleyRob]

Very best wishes for that, Edgey -

Great to hear you are doing well, and very interesting to hear of your experience. It obviously hasn't harmed your appetite !

Best wishes of course, to ER if he has to have the same op.

Go for it. My experience of the procedure was nothing but good - sedation & local anaesthetic, didn't feel a thing (I might have dozed off) until a few slight tugs as the surgeon sewed me up (I musn't say 'stitched me up' ). The only difficulty is afterwards as you can't move your left (usually) arm too much - not above shoulder height, or backwards, or too suddenly, or lift heavyish weights, or drive, for about six weeks after so you don't disturb the wires before they have 'grown in'. The British Heart Foundation has an excellent booklet available online.

It does only deal with slow AF, not fast, so I'm still taking drugs, but since I had it done I just get occassional 'flutters' as if my heart is trying to go into AF but can't - it only lasts a minute or so & is like a quiet background noise. I was a bit worried at first as I thought it meant the pacemaker wasn't working but it doesn't seem to have any impact. It's something I'll mention at the follow-up appointment as it might mean they have to adjust the pacemaker.

I wish I'd had it done years ago

Thanks everyone.
A couple of other things going on with the old ticker which need sorting but I've been told that a pacemaker would deal with the missing/slow heartbeats.

OT weather,damp and very warm here this evening

[Serial_Apologist]

Croydon certainly seems subject to heavy downpours. There was that flooded underpass, 3 days ago. Then today, I was in the Whitgift shopping mall at around 1.30 pm, and noticed shoppers' attention being directed up towards the glass skylight that forms much of the roofing of that megastructure for a loud roar coming from that direction that turned out to be torrential rain. People were rushing into side entrances, and the few daring to venture out, even those with umbrellas raised, were quickly retreating to shelter. What was pouring out of the sky was just apopalyptic - probably the heaviest rain I've ever seen in this country, and only on youtube showing storms taken by holidaymakers from hotel balconies in such places as Miami, Singapore and Adelaide. By the time I returned to my bike, which I'd tied to railings near a bus shelter outside the precinct, I was having to pedal my way through water several inches deep stretching from side to side of the wide dual carriageway that cuts through Croydon from south to north, while at the same time getting the lower part of my body soaked from passing vehicles. I was glad for having had the foresight to pack my cape before leaving home. The bulk of the storm had slowly moved a few miles east by this point. What is always extraordinary is how localised this kind of rain often is. Just a mile on the roads were suddenly bone dry, with dampness only on stretches of pavement unshaded by trees: there hadn't even been sufficient rain to penetrate through the foliage! The other noticeable thing was the sudden rise in the air temperature from the rain-cooled air and that which had been unaffected up here, where the temperature was still a very muggy 22 degrees Celsius.

[BBMmk2]

Strangely enough, SA, a similar occurrence happened here, a while back. Going just down the road to my mother's home, and it rained for about 1/2 a mile square!

Bit of a mixed bag yesterday and the same today. Maybe some thunder tis afternoon! certainly feels muggy!

[BBMmk2]

Strangely enough, SA, a similar occurrence happened here, a while back. Going just down the road to my mother's home, and it rained for about 1/2 a mile square!

Bit of a mixed bag yesterday and the same today. Maybe some thunder tis afternoon! certainly feels muggy!

[Serial_Apologist]

Strangely enough, SA, a similar occurrence happened here, a while back. Going just down the road to my mother's home, and it rained for about 1/2 a mile square!

Bit of a mixed bag yesterday and the same today. Maybe some thunder tis afternoon! certainly feels muggy!

I hope not! Someone I know I supposed to be coming round here to clear stuff of his out of my garage that I've "temporarily" been storing for the past 6 years!

Very muggy here at the moment, but reports of the "downpour" on The Mall have been greatly exaggerated, unless drizzle constitutes a downpour.