Life on a 12-Hour Charge: Seeking Community in the LVAD Age

MyLVAD.com has been featured on heart.org's website, in a great article! See part of it below:

Mar 19, 2012 | Steve Stiles

Washington DC - After Kevin White of Woodbridge, VA suffered a massive MI three years ago, his health went into precipitous decline, leading ultimately to the decision to implant a HeartMate II (Thoratec) in August 2011. Before he got his left ventricular assist device (LVAD), he says he couldn't walk up six stairs without resting. "My heart was basically shot; something had to be done about it," he explained to heartwire. "When I had the LVAD installed, the difference was like night and day. I feel 20 years younger."

But for White, some unanticipated aspects of day-to-day living needed to be relearned, and not every knowledge gap had instructions?a seldom-discussed reality of life post-LVAD for people whose lives and well-being depend on the small motor and a couple of rechargeable battery packs.

Driving a car with the pump, for example, can be a special hassle, White observed. The HeartMate II has a driveline percutaneously connected to an external "controller" apparatus strapped to a belt and often carried in a waist pack. Two freely hanging power lines connect the controller to a pair of batteries carried in holsters high under the arms....

Read the full article here: http://www.theheart.org/article/1368829.do