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Hopefully Dad will get much better, but he has been told he should never raise his left arm above shoulder level again. Since his right arm is bad, that means he'll never do some things he used to do. To clarify, this isn't a "sudden" decision, but something bro and I have talked about for a couple years as probably being inevitable. With the pacemaker surgery, we realized we need to have bro's house ready sooner rather than later. Considering how many times a week bro & SIL already go over to parents' house to help with things, they're thinking we're at the point where it would be best to just move parents in with them.
The bolded does not sound right unless there is something else at play besides the pacemaker.
Usually, the restrictions on raising your arms are for about 4 weeks while you heal so the wires stay in place.
Once you're healed, I have never heard that you're restricted on moving your arms. Both my father and my FIL had pacemakers and neither was told this.
You might want to check that further if you didn't hear the doc yourself or get a second opinion if you did.
Even if it doesn't change the overall sitch, it would be a shame to unnecessarily limit your fathers mobility.
The bolded does not sound right unless there is something else at play besides the pacemaker.
Usually, the restrictions on raising your arms are for about 4 weeks while you heal so the wires stay in place.
Once you're healed, I have never heard that you're restricted on moving your arms. Both my father and my FIL had pacemakers and neither was told this.
You might want to check that further if you didn't hear the doc yourself or get a second opinion if you did.
Even if it doesn't change the overall sitch, it would be a shame to unnecessarily limit your fathers mobility.
It's not correct. OP, I have been doing OT in skilled nursing homes for 20 years and have never heard of that. Blondy is correct, pacemaker precautions are to be followed for approximately 4 weeks, not forever. He can use his arm now, he just can't raise it above shoulder level for again, about 4 weeks.
Thanks everyone for the input. I'll try to address some of the points:
(like recently after Dad had a pacemaker put in, rendering him pretty much unable to use either arm much. His right arm was already almost immobile, and he broke the pacemaker wires by overusing his left arm---so he is supposed to really take it easy for a few weeks now).
Do you think the rest of us cant read that he has issues with his right arm?
That is all the more reason not to unnecessarily restrict the use of his left arm.
Do you realize how restricting that would be not to be able to raise one of your arms above shoulder level for the rest of your life?
So once again, pacemaker surgery does not impact the mobility of either arm.
What you go in with you come out with.
Either way, you are discharged with instructions for 4 weeks not to raise your arm above your shoulder, not to lift objects more than 10 pounds, not to engage in activities involving strenuous use of your arms like vacuuming, golfing, lawn mowing, etc. There's a whole list of stuff like that.
The purpose of the 4 week healing period is to allow the body to heal over the pacemaker wires thereby holding them in place.
After the 4 weeks, you can do whatever you want to and could do before with your arms.
If the OP is getting different info, she is getting bad info imo. A quick Google search will tell her that.
The bolded does not sound right unless there is something else at play besides the pacemaker.
Usually, the restrictions on raising your arms are for about 4 weeks while you heal so the wires stay in place.
Once you're healed, I have never heard that you're restricted on moving your arms. Both my father and my FIL had pacemakers and neither was told this.
You might want to check that further if you didn't hear the doc yourself or get a second opinion if you did.
Even if it doesn't change the overall sitch, it would be a shame to unnecessarily limit your fathers mobility.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ocnjgirl
It's not correct. OP, I have been doing OT in skilled nursing homes for 20 years and have never heard of that. Blondy is correct, pacemaker precautions are to be followed for approximately 4 weeks, not forever. He can use his arm now, he just can't raise it above shoulder level for again, about 4 weeks.
Well this is the best news I've read in this whole thread! I guess I should have googled, but when bro told my about the restriction being permanent, I assumed he got the facts right. I'll make sure that one of us clarifies this with Dad's doctor.
Thank you!
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