A pacemaker is a small, battery-operated electronic device which is inserted under the skin to help the heart beat regularly and at an appropriate rate. The pacemaker has leads that travel through a large vein to the heart, where the wires are anchored. The leads . . . → Read More: My mother needs a pacemaker.]]>  

A pacemaker is a small, battery-operated electronic device which is inserted under the skin to help the heart beat regularly and at an appropriate rate. The pacemaker has leads that travel through a large vein to the heart, where the wires are anchored. The leads send the electrical impulses to the heart to tell it to beat.

So my eighty-one year old mom found out yesterday that she needs a pacemaker.  Frankly, given the state of our world and the economic crisis we face, it’s an item that could come in handy for many of us.

I’m about to call the doctor to set up the appointment and checked in with my mom this morning to see how she is feeling about the whole thing.  I need to write the conversation down so I don’t forget:

Me: So Mom, you aren’t too worried are you?  You really shouldn’t be – it’s not a big operation.  Surely you have some friends who have had the operation.

Mom:  Yes I do.

Me:  And what did they tell you?

Mom:  They both died.

Me:  So I guess they weren’t very informative then.

Mom:  Not at all.

Me:  Mom, come on.  What happened to your friend Mary?  Was her death related to the pacemaker?

Mom:  She was 92.  I don’t know.

Me:  Wait, didn’t your friend Emma have a pacemaker inserted.  She is still working full time at the Amityville Library, isn’t she?

Mom:  I shouldn’t have asked her about it.

Me:  Why not?

Mom:  She told me that it was like being skinned alive.

Me:  Do you think she might have been referring to her open heart surgery?

Mom:  You know Emma.  She can be a bit dramatic.

I think I better schedule the operation before she talks to anyone else.