|
Berwick Area Heart Support Group
October 2004 Newsletter
At our last meeting on September 1st. 2004 Dr. Chris. Plummer, gave us a very interesting talk on Pacemakers. You don’t need to have had a pacemaker fitted to have been interested in what he had to say. I only hope I took enough notes, I forgot to write some of the time, because I was listening.
Dr. Plummer is a Cardiologist with Northumberland Care Trust, working at both Wansbeck and Hexham Hospitals, and whilst there are various Departments working together to keep our hearts healthier, i.e. ECG, Medicines, Stents and Surgery, Dr Plummer concentrates mainly on the electrical monitoring, and “plumbing” that is available.
Monitoring
There are 2 external and 1 internal monitors currently in use.
External first,
One is worn across the chest and monitors the heart for 24 hours at a time. Another is worn on the wrist, similar to a watch, and only records when it detects that the heart is misbehaving. Either beating too fast or too slow or some of the other things misbehaving hearts get up to. The data collected can then be passed to the hospital by phone.
The internal one, is inserted under the skin near the collar bone, and is used to monitor the heart for up to 2 years.
Dr. Plummer then moved onto Pacemakers.
With the use of a comprehensive Power Point display, (By the way, if it’s true that a picture paints a thousand words, no wonder I couldn’t keep up), but also whilst he showed pictures he passed around actual examples of pacemakers, together with some of the pipes and electrodes, which helped to put things into perspective, and make it more easily understood.
But to put it very simply a Pacemaker consists of a power pack, a sensor, a counter and a pulse generator. Different models can be used to work on either single or double chambers of the heart, but all are designed to either ease pain, or make someone live longer.
With the help of his display Dr. Plummer was able to show exactly how pacemakers worked, and what bits went where. He was also able to show the effect of different heart problems.
Pacemakers are usually implanted under the skin near the collar bone. Wires lead into the heart along the veins. One wire monitors the heart beat, the counter counts the seconds, and if necessary another electrode stimulates either one or two chambers. Antibiotics are given before during, and for two days after the operation, to avoid the risk of infection. After release from hospital its no driving for at least a week, and then a follow up check at four weeks.
Pacemaker for treating Heart Failure.
This is for when one side of the heart gets out of step with the other. This is inefficient and causes tiredness and fatigue.
A pace maker and three wires is fitted, and gets both sides beating in harmony again. This used to be a major operation, but now is relatively easier, with a much smaller operation, with wires fed along veins and arteries.
Another type of pacemaker monitors CardiacArrest. It is an internal difibulator. These used to be big pieces of equipment, with a working life of about 18 months, but now they are much smaller, smaller than a box of matches, and have a working life of about 8 to 10 years. If a cardiac arrest is registered it administers a shock, which hopefully gets everything working again.
Costs of pacemakers vary. It costs between 3 and 4 Thousand pounds for a smaller one, up to between 12 and 13 thousand pounds for the difibulator type. In Dr. Plummer’s view all cost effective.
Dr. Plummer did stop for a cup of tea, and answered many questions on a one to one basis.
Thank you Dr. Plummer
Click to return to index
****
Wally’s Yarn
I’ve been struggling for a funny story this month; I must have stayed in more. One story that did spring to mind was about a young couple that had just got married.
He was a strapping; big built lad that had worked on building sites most of his working life, whilst she was a petite lass who worked in an office.
Following the usual advice from his older work mates, on his wedding night as they undressed for bed, he passed his trousers to his wife and said,
“Here put these on”
She couldn’t understand why, but she did as he asked. He then asked for them back, and when she gave them to him, he said with a degree of sternness in his voice, “That is the first and last time you wear the trousers in this marriage”.
She didn’t say anything, and passed her pants to him and said, “You put these on”
He looked at her and said, “You must be joking, there’s no way I can get into these”
She said, “You’re right, and neither will you all the time you have that attitude”.
Click for Wally’s Yarns
A PRAYER FOR STRESSED PEOPLE
Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, The courage to accept the things I particularly don’t like, and the wisdom to hide the bodies of those I had to kill today because they got on my nerves.
And also help me to be careful of the toes I may stand on today, as they may be attached to the feet I may have to kiss tomorrow.
Help me always to give 100% at work:-
12% on Mondays,
23% on Tuesdays
40% on Wednesdays,
20% on Thursdays,
and 5% on Fridays
And help me remember that when I’m having a really bad day, and it seems that people are trying to wind me up, it takes 42 muscles to frown, 28 to smile, but only 4 to extend my arm and smack someone in the mouth.
Click for Wally’s Yarns
Wally
****
Recipe of the month
LIGHTNING BRITISH TURKEY FILLETS
Ingredients
4 turkey fillets or escalopes
40gr margarine or butter
1 tbsp oil
1 onion, peeled and sliced
1 red pepper, de-seeded and thinly sliced
1 tbsp flour
200ml lager or pale ale
150ml chicken stock
½ tsp dried thyme
1tbsp sugar
salt and freshly ground black pepper
4tbsp single cream
chopped parsley to garnish
method
Split the fillets or escalopes in half through the centre with a sharp knife to give 8 thin slices. Season the turkey with salt and pepper. Heat the butter or margarine and oil in a pan until melted, then fry the turkey for 3-4 minutes each side until golden brown. Remove from the pan. Fry the onion and pepper in the same oil until soft and lightly coloured. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute, then gradually add the lager and stock and bring to the boil. Add the thyme sugar and seasonings. Replace the turkey and simmer for about 8-10 minutes until tender. Stir in the cream, adjust the seasonings and reheat gently. Serve sprinkled with chopped parsley.
click for recipes
|
