Beginning LVAD Life!

Are you about to be or recently discharged after LVAD implantation? The first week at home will be an adjustment. But be hopeful! There are new things you and your caregiver need to manage now but it really will get easier over time. You will eventually feel “normal” again as these new routines become, well, routine!

Be patient. Healing takes time. Things improve so slowly you may wonder if things are improving at all. After a week think back and you’ll see the “baby steps” of improvement.

Chapter 1: Journey from hospital admission to surgery.

Chapter 2: Journey from surgery through recovery to discharge.

Chapter 3: Journey after discharge to home.

Here are some of the sub-chapters I hope to address:

• Advanced Heart Failure - A Journey Begins
• Cardiac evaluation and Testing
• Treatment Options (medications, defib, sync, both, transplant, LVAD…)
• Decision for LVAD (meds out due to low BP, transplant out due to immune probs)
• LVAD Evaluation
• Surgery
• Extubation
• ICU
• Sternum precautions pillow
• step-down recovery unit
• Recovery Pitfalls and how to avoid them
• Useful tools while in the hospital
• Diet tips
• Training, dressing, anchor, equipment
• Home preparation
• Hoops to jump through in order to be discharged
• Discharge, checklist
• Anticipation
• First 72 hours
• First week
• Record keeping
• Meds adjustments, Warfarin (Coumadin); diuretic
• Patience, patience, patience, hope
• Regaining strength, muscle, cardiac rehab
• Do what you can when you can
• Maintain Sternum precautions
• Ways to carry controller & batteries, vests, other options
• Dressing changes, tips - adhesive remover, skin prep
• Drive line anchor
• Follow up appointments
• Approaching a new normal - routine, routines
• Manage Expectations - There will be up days and down days