Well, just one Pacemaker. Excellent shape, 172, ride bikes, treadmill. Nothing surprised me more when I couldn't get my heart pulse past 40, which dipped into the 30s. Off I went and had a Pacemaker installed. Npt a real difficult procedure, but those hospital pokes and all are enough to say "get me the hell out of here".

Everything is great now. I have even more energy, which is so awesome.

I picked up on my jazz piano studies again and will probably forego arranger play for the foreseeable future.

I missed all the reasons members are dropping out and hope everyone reconsiders. I sure am counting my blessings and friends. Life throws us curves and I'm happy to be alive.

zuki ... welcome to the club ... I've had mine for a few years now ... They say I've got about 6 1/2 years left on the battery ... I hope I live long enough for the battery change ...

It's amazing how easy the procedure seemed ...

Stay safe and Stay well ...

PS: Unfortunately, it seems that politics has overflowed from 'THE BAR' and has gotten in the way of allowing for diverse opinions ... I am not confident that anyone who has left will return - at least not for some time ...
Don Mason has established a FaceBook GROUP, and is looking into other alternatives ...

I will probably be more of a 'lurker' from here on out ...

Glad you got it taken care of Jim. Hopefully the others will come back, or we can continue our productive arranger-focused discussions somewhere else...

Technology advances in pacemakers has been incredible since I first was introduced to them way back in 1963. At the time, they were quite large, and in order to implant one, we had to perform major surgery, opening the chest and sewing electrodes on the heart, then fishing the two wires under through the intercostal muscles, under the skin and down to the pacemaker pack which was placed on the left side of the stomach. The batteries only lasted about a year, and replacement was not at all easy because of adhesion formation from the device.

Today, the electrodes are at the end of a catheter, the wire is not much larger in diameter than a thin spaghetti noodle and the batteries pretty much last longer than the patient does. And, now they include a built in defibrillator, which is automatically triggered by a built in EKG monitor.

WOW!

Gary

Wow Jim...So glad to hear You are doing fine. I'm almost 72 doing what I think is good ( just don't ask My Wife) just kidding...Stay Safe Sincerely, Harold

Zuki - congrats on the "new band".... ha ha. Yes, the heart stuff sure comes as a surprise to soooo many (me included - been down the triple bypass road). Glad to see you are doing so well! Technology is amazing and it's wonderful it is applied so well to medical devices and procedures.

I am sorry to see the folks around here disappear due to politics. It is such a shame but we all have to be true to our inner selves. It's a very sad sign of the times we are now living in, I suppose. I, like Tony will likely become even "more" of a lurker if that's possible. Will have to check out the new FB hangout and see how life is on that side of the park...

Anyway, congrats on going through the procedure successfully and enjoy all your endeavors be they musical or not!

Zuki,
Good luck with the pacemaker. Glad to hear your doing great. Today's tech is incredible.

Thanks all for the nice comments. Stark reminder that life is fragile. I'm not going anywhere. We need a new arranger to hit the market????

Jim, Great name for a band! I wish you the best and if I were a betting man I would have bet you would never had needed a pacemaker. Stay well and glad to hear you're doing great.

I think "Gerry and the Pacemakers" beat him to it ...

Jim, my Dr. says I'm headed in that direction. About 5 years, he guesses.

Last year, because of a problem with blood pressure meds, I was walking round with a 37 heart rate.

Pretty scary.

An old boss of mine had the world's first nucular pacer in in 1970 at the University of Kentucky. Last time I saw him (1995) he was doing great.

Be well,

Russ

Better watch it Russ. I cannot even express what a difference it is to have a normal pulse. Feel like I'm on speed

Thanks Ted. Front Liners are surely to be taken care of. I was amazed at the care and attention the RNs and Docs gave me. Working under today's conditions are to be greatly appreciated.

I'm so happy my RN daughter visited just in time to send me to the hospital. Without her, who knows what would've happened - yikes!