“What would you do if you couldn’t do dance??”

loosely translated from “A CHORUS LINE”

Hi everyone,

I certainly can’t say I am original in everything I say (I wish!), but there is so much that has already been said that just needs to be repeated, restated, or reinterpreted. I saw a remake of “A CHORUS LINE” at the Ahmanson Theatre here in Los Angeles. Although it received mixed reviews, I listened to it from a very different perspective than I did the first time I heard the soundtrack nearly 30 years ago. Michael Bennett deserves a lot of credit for capturing the plight of a dancer on Broadway in the audition process; besides, isn’t life just an audition? (Oops, I believe that is the title of Barbara Walter’s new autobiography. Well as a Carol Burnett and Julie Andrews based a special on some years ago, “It’s been done”.) Anyway, my point is if you couldn’t live anymore (as you know it), what would you do?

The first answer is obviously DIE. Sometimes that is indeed what happens. What if there are options, but they come with conditions? Many would presume to say “YES”! As the word “presume” indicates, that would be presumptive! There is are persons who would rather not. There have been books, movies, theatre, TV show episodes, etc. written or produced about both answers. You probably could find there are plenty of soldiers returning from war on both sides of the fence of this question/answer.

Science and medicine has come so far in enabling doctors to save our lives from under prevailing circumstances. Only the recipient of a successful life saving treatment can answer the question for their individual circumstance. There are loved ones who often jump at the solution that seems to preserve life. But, saving life does not always preserve it. I believe fortunately for me, in spite of having near “end stage” heart failure, receiving an LVAD(left ventricular assist device) saved my life and preserved it. I also believe an LVAD can save and preserve life in a high percentage of the folks who receive one whether it be for “bridge to transplant”, “bridge to recovery”, or “destination therapy”.

I am ineligible for transplant. The reason being I have AIDS and the medications would conflict (AIDS treatments work to improve one’s immunity, while transplants require medications to suppress one’s immunity to avoid transplant rejection). There are other complications that also can make one ineligible for heart transplants; including but not limited to some cancers, secondary organ failure, or other auto-immune diseases.

It also is statistically unlikely that my heart will recover sufficiently for it to serve as a “bridge to recovery” so the LVAD can be explanted (except to have it replaced). Depending on the study you read, only 7-20% recovers sufficiently to be explanted. Therefore, I fall in the “destination therapy” category. I still have hope that my heart could repair itself sufficiently to be explanted, but I am not going to sit on the couch waiting. I have a first generation LVAD Thoratec HEARTMATE XVE LVAS, which will probably wear out in 2 to 3 years. A newer model, HEARTMATE II, is anticipated will last 7 to 10 years. In time, technologies will continue to improve and treatments will be longer lasting. With any luck, my heart may mend itself so that I no longer require an LVAD.

So I am still alive and recovery is ongoing. About 5 months post-op I asked one of my cardiologists where do we go from here? His response was “you are there”. He said I will always live a semi-sedentary life style and not to expect much more. Well my reaction I guess is somewhat like having sand kicked in my face by the “beach bully”. I didn’t want to accept this as there had been so much more to my life before; and I wanted back any part I could manage to restore. It is not tough to accept that we have limitations; it is just tough acknowledging what some of the limitations may be. Fortunately most of my doctors have appreciated my desire to recover further, have been supportive and yet at the same time have reminded me I am sort of in uncharted waters. There is something about being a front runner that is exhilarating and yet risky. As a front runner in a race, one might worry about running out of steam prematurely; I worry about expecting too much out of my recovery. Do I have the fortitude to do all that I can?

For me to accept I would do little more than exist and maintain living a semi-sedentary life style was not going to be good enough, I felt like I had to push the line. If not just for me, it would be for those whose journey will follow. I remember struggling through my physical therapy, but I was always thinking it wouldn’t stay this way. Things did get better after awhile, but patience is not one of my virtues. Being one of the first with an LVAD as destination therapy, my doctors, VAD coordinator, and other hospital staff always made sure I had the best support for my recovery; by them and the home health care professionals they scheduled. Not that it was ever easy; they, my partner – Don, family, and friends helped make it as easy possible. I probably will be in recovery for life, but at least it is progressing for the better. I know l owe a lot of gratitude to those who helped me; then, now, and in the future.

So as Cassie would say: “….a dancer dances!”, therefore I say “we live to be alive”. Only each of us can make the decision of what living “is”. Some days are good days, sometimes great days. Some days are a struggle with life itself much less with an LVAD which can be pretty overwhelming.

HELP ME RETURN TO THE WORLD OF LIVING
BY SHOWING ME HOW TO BEGIN.

PLAY ME THE MUSIC,
GIVE ME A CHANCE TO COME THROUGH.
“A CHORUS LINE-The Magic and the Mirror”

It’s not easy realizing that you have to learn life all over again. Living with LVAD has definitely been that, I kid you not! Would I do it over again, and again-YES. Just as Cassie had to come back to Broadway in order to return to the “world of the living”, I had to have an LVAD. LVAD has been a success for me and now I am trying to figure out how to make it even better. I know there is no magic answer to my moving forward other than just doing it. I work to learn as much as I can about my health challenges, understand the risks I may undertake in the pursuit of living, and share it that others may benefit. I do choose to live even when life says I shouldn’t, I hope you do to.

More to Come,

Josh

Do not question or regret the past as it cannot be changed. Strive for the moment and all that it can be as the journey does continue. –jb

...Today is a gift, that's why they call it the present! -Babatunde Olatunji

I Have an LVAD, Pacemaker, DVT, and AIDS; THEY DON’T HAVE ME!

Hi everyone
I know, I translated somebody else’s slogan to my own situation, but I do not think they will mind, after all we are all fighting a similar battle. It does sort of say it all. If “IT” has you, then you have stopped or given up any control that one has over one’s condition. This is not just applicable to medical challenges or disabilities, but with any of the challenges life may present (including such things as being poor, or abused, or not educated, etc.: there are always reasons that one can blame or hide behind, but ultimately it does come down to me (you) taking the first step no matter how small). I will stop short of saying it is as easy as saying yes or no, but it is close. You do have to make some effort to take ownership of how I(you) respond to what life presents to me(you).
All too many times I have wanted to throw up my hands and say woe is me when it came to my more recent health challenges. But the “pity me party” has had to come to an end before things could get better. I have been told I can be pretty intense when I get on my bandwagon, I don’t really mean to be, but the above statement is a must in order to start the real recovery. The latest challenge for me was getting the LVAD (left ventricular assist device). It occurred when I was in the poorest of health. Even though I had been diagnosed with cardiomyopathy a couple of years earlier, and for that matter I had even been told I was in heart failure eight months earlier, prior to receiving my bi-ventricular resynchronizing pacemaker in January, 2007; I still did not want to accept the fact that I had a failing heart. I seemed to improve rather significantly and quickly after each change in treatment. Everything was OK, right?
NO, and I never wanted to think I had heart failure or that it was happening to me. My father died at the age of 56 from heart failure due to an enlarged heart (but he also had diabetes, high blood pressure, arterial sclerosis, and was an alcoholic, overweight most of his life, multiple heart attacks, etc.). My brother (60y/o), also suffers from cardiomyopathy, and a few other negative factors: but me, NEVER. I never had most of the traditional risk factors other than heredity and being a long term AIDS survivor. Other than the stress of continuous travel and being a workaholic, I was relatively asymptomatic most of the time. I always had low and hi energy cycles , but I just associated it to the ups and downs with AIDS. I worked out at the gym pretty regular, not overweight, no high blood pressure, sugar and cholesterol levels good, and no arterial sclerosis. I confess I do smoke, I just can’t seem to give it up, but I am working on it. I do smoke considerably less than I did. A couple of doctors have actually said it was not a direct contributing factor, BUT IT DIDN’T HELP EITHER. I have always had great O2Sats, so I have been lucky on that front. I will eventually give it up entirely as I know I have to; I just have not made it there yet. PLEASE don’t flame me because I do smoke as I already know I shouldn’t…I am just being candid.
Last August(2008) came along, and my symptoms started to appear again, fatigue, breathlessness with the lightest of tasks, digestive issues, and a feeling that my chest was being held up and out for me. I was losing weight rapidly as I dropped from muscular 200 to 154 at the time of surgery (about 6 weeks). I even recall an episode of double vision while we were driving in mid August, and I still denied I was having a problem. I just thought I wasn’t getting enough sleep. Why I got trapped in denial, I am not sure other than I felt if I admit to a health issue, than I had lost the battle. Well that certainly was not a beneficial attitude.
Well I did lose the battle, but I hadn’t lost the war thanks to the cardiothoracic team at Cedars Sinai Hospital, the recent of approval of LVAD as destination therapy by the FDA , my pacemaker, and a boatload of med’s. I wasn’t eligible to receive a transplant, so the availability of LVAD was indeed my life saver and my only real chance of staying alive. They implanted it on August 30, 2007. I did have a rather difficult post-op recovery as I spent 6 weeks in Cardiac ICU (I understand this is not typical as it is normally more like a 10 day to 2 week stay). Once I got well enough to leave C-ICU, my physical recovery started to pick up speed. I was released from the hospital on October 17th. By this time they had inspected our home to insure it was safe me to come home and appropriate locations for equipment etc. The LVAD team also worked with my immediate emergency response (fire departments) on the particulars or difference in emergency procedures for cardiac patients with an LVAD. I also had been trained on the procedures for daily sterile wound dressing changes, working with batteries, and the workings of the components and emergency devices. Well finally I am home. I have no idea what I would do or how well I could get. Only time will tell what progress I can make as this turn in my journey continues. Few have been down this road and with only the encouragement of my LVAD team that things would get better did I continue. I felt lost as I spent a large part of my time on the couch watching life go by instead of getting up and participating. I remember saying I wasn’t going to just watch life, but watch life I did…..for awhile.
The very device that gave me life (LVAD), was the very device I let hold me back. I felt like it was all I can do to manage my regular daily activities and the new “chores” of the LVAD. As I say in the blog header, I run on batteries-2 of them about the size and weight of an older laptop battery. I have 6 pairs that I keep charged so I can do extended activities away from home. At night when I go to bed or when I take a nap, I hook up to a tethered power source that reaches my bed and to the bathroom. I have an open wound for the exit hose and wire connectors that control the LVAD implant it’s self. So, no more baths, hot tubs, swimming, or anything that would immerse the tube connection. There were the daily self tests and measurements to track: electronic control test, what rate it was operating at (rate (like a pulse), volume, flow, blood pressure, weight, and temperature. I must admit I felt overwhelmed and trapped. Top it all off, I have this canister in my chest and its beat can be felt and heard. Most all this was presented to me prior to agreeing to the surgery (my partner and sister tell me), but I have about 5 or 6 weeks I have little to no recollection. I not sure that as a patient, I really took in or understood all that was said. Under the circumstances I am sure all I thought was, “Just save my life”. Later, I really wondered what I had gotten into for the long haul.
I will admit I did get the best of care. I had great support from my partner, Don, who was there every day in spite of carrying the load of being a full time teacher (which takes a lot more time than most folks realize as teaching does not stop when the bell rings at 3), a new puppy to care for, and other commitments in the community. My sister, on a new job was incredible, she and her employer worked out an arrangement that allowed her to be here from Florida and work remotely for several weeks all together. I must thank her employer for the incredible support and compassion they showed her as a new employee (less than 1 yr on the job). My brother also came in from Florida to help and a few friends. Again, I was lucky, very lucky to have the personal support of family and friends to me keep me going even when I really thought I didn’t want to.
This experience is the kind that really challenges you to the max as well as those who love you. I am alive with a whole new life, but it is a different life! But at least I do have one.

More to Come,

Josh
"Do not question or regret the past as it cannot be changed.
Strive for the moment and all that it can be as the journey does continue." jb

SUNDAY - A DAY OF THANKS

The ongoing story “Life, Pacemakers, and LVAD (left ventricular assist device – think IRONMAN without the fusion generator, just lots of batteries)”. As I learn how to take advantage of more features of the blog setup, I will take emails, questions, and comments regarding my health and/or commentary in my blog. (ljbristow@gmail.com )
I do have much to be thankful for whether I always feel like it or not. I am not a devout Christian, but I am very spiritual. I do not think my belief is that much different than many of the principal beliefs common to Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Shamanism, or most of the other major “religions “ practiced by man. I believe our journeys in life are very individual, but being social animals we tend to gather with others of similar belief systems (whether proselytized or assimilated); more often than not, there are many tenets in common. Being that I was raised a Methodist, I learned or developed a respect for all religions (I will use this to include spirituality). Most religions I was aware of were Christian and I would wonder why there was all this desperation that one specific religion or denomination was better than another or that their denomination was the only that led to God, Heaven or Perfection, or whatever (“higher self “or the “collective consciousness”). It just didn’t make sense to me. I did go on to attend Centenary College in Shreveport, Louisiana through a scholarship program to obtain a B.A. in Christian Education. By taking a basic philosophy class, sociology of religion, and theology of religion classes, I learned there was a much larger world of “religion” than I first thought.
These were great classes to break down my assumptions about the world and religion, but not quite enough to finish redefining the foundation for my belief system. Dr. Webb Pomeroy was one of my most effective and fascinating professors, teaching us what I would envision seminary to be like. He strove to break down the very fundamentals of our beliefs that often were assumed and frail only to assist in rebuilding them (whatever they might be) on a stronger foundation to weather the winds of time in our lives. He was well respected, definitely made an impact on my life (God rest his soul), and actually probably had the greatest impact on my life. I established for myself a belief system that religion and spirituality are like a multi faceted and seemingly perfect diamond. Some facets are smaller, larger, or different shapes, all which are components of the same diamond and somewhat reminiscently symbolic of the religious and spiritual systems of the world. Depending on one’s position in viewing the diamond, which facet(s) we focus on, the light from which we see it, etc., we all will have a unique and/or sometimes shared view of the diamond. If you dig under the façade of what we developed to support, protect, preserve, propel, adapt, symbolize, or extol the values, virtues and the solitary way one must believe and practice our lives, I so far have discovered they really are very much the same. Although my view is probably not unique, it definitely allows me freedom to expand my understanding of how things are. As Albert Einstein once said, “Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.” To me, we have our experiences and knowledge to know what is, but the faith of knowing there is more. With respect to Einstein’s quote, we just can’t have one without the other
Therefore, YES, I give thanks that I am still alive, I may not always be thankful, and even sometimes border on regretful. It is a miracle I am alive as so many others, but it does come with a new set of challenges that I or anyone with a major health issue (including our men and women returning from war) struggle with on numerous occasions. I often see exposé’s about how someone with a severe handicap never has a “cloudy day” or that their glass is always seen as “half full”. I suspect it is more that this is the only view they allow others to see. Some can easily arrive at this is another day of opportunity, take longer. It is however a decision faced every day.
Taking this all into consideration, it leaves me pondering my own life situation with LVAD and other ongoing ailments. Is life restored to what it was before? NO! Has it given me a chance to live longer and pretty much independently? YES! Are there things I miss? OF COURSE! But I am certainly better off having the chance to look for those opportunities.
I had something happen this week that I have not encountered in a very long time. I had a trainer, Judith I believe was her name, at the gym ask if she could pray to God for a miracle for me, right then and there! Very reminiscent of my younger years when I was very involved with the charismatic movement. I took it as a compliment. My view of God is much different now, but by no means does this discount her beliefs. It thrills me to see people are still making commitments to their spirituality and not afraid to share unconditionally. In one sense, a miracle has already occurred; the LVAD has made it possible for me to still be alive. Just because man happened to be involved in this solution (thru science and medicine) to extend my life, it makes it no less a miracle. So for this, I already thank “GOD”.
I mentioned the gym above, and yes, even with an LVAD, Pacemaker, AIDS, and DVT (deep vein thrombosis); I go to the gym regularly. It is not that I have any special dedication or personal discipline that makes me do it; I actually think I do it spite. After receiving my LVAD, I used to think I was having a midlife crisis because of the things I still wanted to do. Instead, I realized it really is just me creating and pursuing my “Bucket List” as in the movie of the same name. This is by no means intended to be morbid, but to be more cognizant of my own morbidity and making the most of my life now as possible. My current LVAD will only last a couple of years (at which time I will have another open heart surgery for a newer longer lasting model), give or take 6 months. And, my pacemaker will last about 4 years with about the same time margin. I will reach 1 year mark in August which will be quite a milestone to reach. I feel that I am reaching new milestones all the time, for me and also for the LVAD itself. I have heard of a teenager in San Diego that goes 4 wheeling in the dessert. I plan to take my first flight since surgery in August. I want to live life to fullest I can. I know some things will be more difficult to do, but the thing is I can still work towards doing most of them.
I am working out harder at the gym than I ever thought possible (or my medical team either). I do cardio 3 to 5 times a week, often times up to 60 minutes. My spouse, Don, and I also do a 3 day split doing resistant training 3-5 days a week (for about 2 hours). It has been hard and I have had my ups and downs. Emotionally it has gone from “YES I CAN” to “why bother”. A friend mentioned they admired my positive attitude and drive, but I see it more as my quiet persistence to be more than I am. Maybe like “The Little Engine That Could”, I just don’t always have a smile on my face. Maybe someday I will find that place within me that will give me the ability to see the glass half full from the moment I first wake.
Anyone interested in more details about my exercise, please check out my workout journal on Cardiac Athletes. Just follow the hotlink above in the right column.
Have a GREAT DAY!
Josh

A change in my day!

Well I made a decision a couple of days ago to start doing cardio in the morning (on most days-I won’t commit to 6 with a day off). The biggest reason is if I don’t have a reason to get up, I don’t! I will usually watch news and then “The View” until about 10:30 and then get started. I always feel guilty, but I also know I do require more sleep than I used to. I think another part of it is just the ritual in getting up. One thing that few people know is that I do have a charging unit for my LVAD (left ventricular assist device) that I connect/disconnect from. I hook up to a power cable (tether if you will) in order to go to bed and not be inconvenienced by the 2 lap top sized batteries (and possible discharging in the middle of the night and having to be swapped out). So I guess you could say that is my ultimate place of safety, just directly hooked up to the power charger. Hence I tend to stay in my cozy bed until I have to get up for something. I am not afraid of being on the batteries; it is just the ritual of connecting and then putting on a harness to hold them (or what ever else I have dreamed up as an alternative to the harness.)
Many of you may not know what an LVAD is particularly. In general terms it performs about 80% of my hearts normal function. It pulls oxygenated blood from left ventricle and pushes it into my aorta through a pump mechanism about the size of a small omelet pan. It is inserted just below my heart in the abdomen and sits beside the stomach. (And to think, I get the benefit of feeling like my stomach has been stapled as a free benefit! i.e. I cannot eat big meals). The LVAD has an exit tube that comes through my skin that provides venting for the pump and connects to the controller. The controller is connected to two laptop sized batteries for power and the controller instructs the pump on what rate/pace it should operate.
My particular model LVAD (Thoratec Heartmate XVE LVAD) can pace at 50 strokes(or beats) per minute or automatic response based on heart demand (how fast the heart is beating to try and meet the body’s demand for blood). In spite of some of the inconveniences, it is why I am still alive. Some of the drawbacks are it does make some noise as the pump vents. There is a dressing change I must do every day for the exit tube. Exposure to water is “verboten”(forbidden), so no swimming, diving, hot tubs, traditional showers, etc. There is a shower kit you can use, but it still must be done with a hand held and must be sure the dressing doesn’t get wet. For more information about my particular LVAD, check out one of the following links for more information about LVAD’s and life with LVAD.

http://www.thoratec.com/medical-professionals/vad-product-information/heartmate-xve-lvad.aspx

http://www.thoratec.com/patients-caregivers/living-with-vad/index.aspx

I think I have managed to challenge the limits of the device and of myself. I hit the gym 5-6 times a week doing combinations of cardio and resistance training. I can do 60 minutes of moderate cardio. For resistance training I don’t know what my 1 rep max’s are, but I can bench sets of 10-12 working up to 160 #’s, shoulder press 100 #’s, and leg press 410 #’s. I have managed to do full sit-ups, crunches, and pushups. I never thought I would be able to do those again, but I can! So if I can, there will be others who will be able to also.

Well getting back to what I started talking about, “getting started for the day”. I have decided to take my partner to school and go do cardio every day to get me started earlier in the day. I did it yesterday and today. I am doing OK so far, and it does give me more time in my day.

Hope you are managing to have the time you need!

Josh

NEW BLOG INTRODUCTIION

Hello, my name is Josh and I am starting this blog for myself and to help others living with or supporting those with similar health challenges. I am alive at 51 in spite of having AIDS, end stage heart failure (alive with the help of a bi-ventricular re-synchronizing defibrillator pacemaker and a Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD)), anxiety/depression, and most recently diagnosed with Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) in my left shoulder. I also am now on Long Term Disability (LTD). My life has been rich, alive, exciting, fast, successful, fulfilling, and blessed by my family and my life partner of 17 years (Don). It also has had its failures, struggles (emotional and otherwise), frivolities, insecurities, poor life practices, and loads of experiences.

The very last item is encompassed by all the others and will be the intent of this blog. I am thankful and blessed to have lived this long and hope the sharing of my thoughts, experiences and desires will help others who have battled similar life issues. I have never really been one to sit and let life go by, but I also have not always grasped what it has to offer with open arms and be thankful. I hope by sharing reflections of my past, present, and thoughts about future life will support and inspire others that staying alive is not just about surviving, but living.

I remember when I asked one of my Dr’s about where we proceed from “here”? He responded: “You are there, living a semi-sedentary life is all you can expect.” It felt kind of like the bully at the beach kicking sand in my face and implying “what do you think you are going to do about it!” Well I could sit and stew about it or act like nothing happened which sometimes I do. But, for some reason this was the one time I did not want to take it sitting down. I wanted to do more than just be a couch potato. As I write this I am watching “Gladiator” playing in the background. I hear the line: “death smiles at us all, but all a man can do is smile back”. I hope someday I will be able to say “I did” as I make this journey.

A quick and dirty short medical history:

• Mid 80’s – test positive for HIV – no treatment – asymptomatic
• Early 90’s- T-cells drop below 600-start AZT. Found it intolerable and still work, I was still relatively asymptomatic and needed to work as spouse was in end stage AIDS. Stopped treatment.
• 93 or 94 – T-cells dropped below 400, new treatment options available and my new physician insisted I must start treatment
• 94-2004 – Changed various “drug cocktails” several times in order to maintain 0 viral load and maintain as high a t-cell count as possible (ranging from 100 to 400). My viral load had shot up on several occasions to several hundred thousand. Changing treatments would bring them back to undetectable. In the mean time my T-Cell counts would take a hit (and little did I know so was my heart). I had encountered a couple minor bouts of pneumonia, shingles, chronic bronchitis in the wintertime, and 3 rounds of MRSA (or MERSA, Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus). I continued to work (and I was a workaholic), but all the time taking its toll. I forget the exact date, but was diagnosed with full blown AIDS. Not wanting to give in yet, I continued working.
• Feb 14, 2005 – diagnosed with pneumocystis pneumonia and cardiomyopathy. Having pneumonia was the blessing as the resulting extras broadly displayed the size of my heart (one could only see the upper lobe of my right lung. After a thallium stress test, it showed my EF @ 10%. My cardiologist was surprised I even made it to 98% of the stress test without keeling over!). He was recommending a pacemaker (and I naively thought I was too young and declined), we pursued with an aggressive drug treatment program. That and a new drug cocktail for AIDS, I improved on all fronts experiencing only a couple of ups and downs for 2 years.
• January 2006 – I developed pneumonia again and was still showing a much enlarged heart. Once I recovered from pneumonia, had only minimal heart related symptoms so continued heart med regimen. At this time with my Dr’s encouraged I filed for disability and am now on long term disability.
• January 2007 – I developed into full heart failure (Class III/IV) and hospitalized. We decided getting a pacemaker was an absolute must. A Medline Biventricular Resynchronizing Defibrillator Pacemaker was implanted in Jan 2007
  Concerto™ CRT-D
  Virtuoso™ ICDs
  Conexus™ Wireless Technology
  I improved considerably for awhile. As Heart Failure is a progressive disease, good health was short lived.
• August 2007, End Stage Heart Failure. I remember little at this point (actually almost nothing). My EF was back down to 10% and the beginnings of secondary organ failure. They were not sure I would survive open heart surgery, but they pursued in spite of this. I actually needed a heart transplant, but was ineligible for a number of factors. During this time the Thorotec Heartmate became FDA approved for destination therapy. I was fitted with Thorotec Heartmate LSE Left Ventricle Assist Device and implanted on August 30, 2007.
• October 17, 2007 after long hospital stay (I had a very difficult post surgery recovery not normally encountered by others), but survive I did and returned home.
• January, 2008 – 1 year anniversary of my Pacemaker and 5 months survival with LVAD. Dr. actually released me for the gym to ease into resistance training). I had been going through physical therapy for the first couple of months and then had started with very light weights at home and light cycling in the neighborhood.
  April 2008 – diagnosed with Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) in left shoulder.
  June 2008 – hospitalized with bronchitis, caught it early on and recovered quickly, had everything else checked out while I was there and everything is still functioning as it should be. Released in two days.
  June 14, 2008 – I am healthy, happy, and moving forward with my life. I work out on a regular basis with cardio and resistance training to make the best of my physical health.
  
  This is intended as my intro, I will be writing more soon.
  
  Have a great day!
  
  Josh
  
  P.S. I will reference sites I have found useful along my journey (and there are many). The one which established a turning point in my recovery from heart failure and subsequent LVAD implant was CardiacAthletes.com. This incredible site has given me information, support, and encouragement from its family of members to help move forward with life. There are members from all walks of life from medical professionals to everyday folks. Some, were/are involved competitively to those who just try to start or stay physically healthy through various activities participate. Although I believe I am the only member with both a pacemaker and an LVAD, the members have dealt with all kinds of cardiac issues. This site is setup as not for profit and offered/edited by a physician in England. This site is international with members spanning the globe. Please click on the image below to check it out!