tkrik,

I think KM is getting restless and needs me back to pick on me. I guess I will let her now. I'm tough and can take it. LOL

Twink,

It's great to be back!!! I can't tell you how bored I have been!

I am taking it very easy and feel a little better today. I am only using my left had to wash my hair. It's just not the same as the two handed scrub. LOL

I will behave.

PolarExpress,

I missed you all too! I didn't realize how important all my buds on this site were until I couldn't get on it.

I so appreciate all the support from everyone.

Sassy,

Thank you for the get well wishes and welcoming me back. I'm doing better everyday.

Oh Becky! No one picks on you!!! LOL

I'm glad you are back too!

Hope, And those bicycle glasses, my dear, are going to be tricycles! Just watch!!! That's what you get when you put it off too long! (happened to me!!!)

daisymay,

I'm glad to be back and missed picking on you too. LOL

If your Mother had a pacemaker, then you know what I'm going through for sure. They just shove that thing into the skin and tape it down to heal. It's the only place on my body that doesn't have any extra skin. LOL It shows on my chest also and is a very sensitive area.

I do not know why the first surgeon decided to put it on my right side when I had the first one implanted in 1996. I am going to have a harder time getting around since I use my cane on my right side.

My long time Cardiologist retired in Sept. He checked it every 3 months in his office. My new Cardio wanted it checked every 4 weeks since it was over 11 years old and he started me on the Raytel telephone checks in November with the big magnet to check if it was working. My February check came back irregular because the top chamber had stopped working.

The new monitoring systems has a lot more features and will give the doctor the information directly. It makes me feel better to know that since I didn't realize anything was wrong. I noticed that I was getting more unsteady, weaker and my fatigue was getting worse. I thought it was a combination of age, MS, Avonex and stress. It didn't occur to me that it was my pacemaker.

If I stay on the game board too long, you guys are going to have to make me log off. LOL

AZjanie,

Thank you for welcoming me home. I missed you all too.

My first pacemaker was supposed to last between 4 and 14 years. It made it a little over 11 so I think I got my money's worth.

They didn't offer me an extended warranty on this new pacemaker. In fact it is only supposed to last 8 years tops because of all the "bells and whistles" as they put it. The hospital has already sent me a bill for $45,790.49 for the out-patient procedure and that doesn't included the surgeon's charge. Are they crazy???

It will be very interesting to see what Medicare does with this enormous bill. It will also be interesting to see how I will do with what I have to pay for this cute little thing. LOL

BFF/GO,

Wow! You were on until 2 am the other night. I have been falling asleep by 1am lately. I'm going to have to do something about that so I can stay up all night and play like I used to. Just give me some time and I'll be back to my old bad habits of playing all night and sleeping all day.

The heart thing is a mystery but I have always thought it was an MS thing. I guess it doesn't matter what causes it because it has to be treated. I guess I will just consider myself special. LOL

Bird,

No one picked on me while I was gone. KM was ready to get me last night when I came back after 4 weeks. I had to play the sympathy card so she just went easy on me. LOL

I don't need the bicycle glasses, it's our little friend who wears them. I just use reading glasses.

Today has been one week since my incision flared up again. It has been driving me nuts and hurts and wearing me out. I have a lot of patience but it is really running out over this constant pain for almost 5 weeks.

After I took my shower, I looked at it in the magnifying mirror and saw some little things sticking out of both ends, where all the darn pain is. I got my tweezers and pulled on one and it was a stitch!!! I pulled 2 more out and the relief was immediate. I pulled on the 4th stitch and it just kept coming until it hurt so I stopped immediately and called the surgeon's office.

They had me come in immediately. I threw on some clothes and drove myself to get there before their office closed. It's only about a mile from my house.

The nurse said that occasionally the stitches don't dissolve and come to the surface. That's just GREAT!

She said that everything looked fine and I already knew that since this was my second pacemaker. I just didn't know why there were threads popping out of my skin. I'm supposed to call them if things don't get better and in the meantime take pain pills and be more careful using my right arm.

I needed to vent and now I feel all better mentally but not physically.