Have pacemaker, will travel

This article is taken from our July issue of My Life magazine. You can read the whole magazine here, or to subscribe to receive a free copy via email or post please sign up here.

Request a postal copy or download a copy here

80-year-old Mike Richardson’s last check-up revealed he had nine years left on his pacemaker battery - but he fully intends to get a new one...

Mike Richardson, from Edinburgh, had always led a reasonably active outdoor life and as a biologist, was used to field work and hill walking. But he knew something was wrong when in late 2007/early 2008, he began to get breathless very quickly, having to stop after 100 metres uphill.

Despite going to his GP several times, his dilated cardiomyopathy remained undiagnosed until in April 2008, he visited his son’s doctor in a small village in France. “I saw a French cardiologist the next day, who told me he was pretty sure I had heart failure and confirmed it at his main clinic later in the week,” recalls Mike.

“It was a bit of a shock, but I was glad to finally have a diagnosis after six months. “I tend to be fatalistic and pragmatic and as a biologist, know that we all have to go sometime. I remember saying to the cardiologist: ‘Will I see Christmas?’ and he said: ‘Yes, but maybe not in 10 years’ time’.”

Mike’s next question was whether he’d be able to go to Greenland for his 70th birthday?

“I went and had a great time – my friend was post-hip replacement, so it was two old men going slowly!” he recalls.

Six years later, during a routine clinic appointment, it was suggested a pacemaker would help his left branch bundle block (which Mike knew nothing about). “Apparently, impulses to the left ventricle were being delayed, so the two ventricles were out of sync and getting them firing together would help.

“I was told I’d need a pacemaker eventually, so I agreed to do it then while I was fit,” he says. A few weeks later, Mike had his procedure under a local anaesthetic.

“I felt no pain at all, but the most disturbing aspect was the actual physical pulling and tugging while the surgeon made space with fingers to take the device - he was quite energetic! “I had a disturbed night as the device was making me twitch and wondered if I had made the right
decision, but it was quickly sorted in the morning.”

Having a pacemaker has been a positive experience for Mike, who admits he’s hardly conscious of it. “I’ve had no side-effects, apart from some itching at the site of the implantation for a while, but after four years, it’s almost unnoticeable.”

 Mike attends a pacemaker clinic every six months – likely to be yearly now - and is full of praise for the pacemaker technicians, who last year, made adjustments to the rhythm of his pacemaker after he felt he was becoming tired more quickly.

“It’s amazing what they can do without any intrusive treatment,” he comments.

“At the clinic, you simply lie on the couch and have electrode pads stuck on arm and ankles. The technicians warn you that you might feel changes as they speed it up or slow it down, but I’m not conscious of my heart rate, as some people seem to be. And they can tell you how long your battery has left.”

Since having his pacemaker fitted, Mike tries to live life as before and until two years ago, was still going on research projects with his wife to Puerto Rico, doing field work and research in the rain forest.

A former glider pilot and photographer, he still enjoys travelling and thanks to a mobility scooter - which goes free on aircraft - he’s enjoyed holidays as far afield as America and Gran Canaria in the past year.

He has no problems with going through airport security and often receives VIP treatment. “Assistance at airports is excellent. I show my pacemaker card, but often they don’t want to see it – just saying ‘pacemaker’ and patting it is enough - and I don’t go through the scanning arch.

“I think I’m lucky when I read about other people’s experiences. Although I’m limited in what I can do physically, it could be so much worse. Ten years on and I’m still around. My last check-up revealed I have nine years left on my battery - I hope to get a new one!”