ZapUpdate

[Guest guest]

Greeting Everyone....

December is here already. For people in my neighborhood (in addition

to the start of the shopping season) that means: The End of the Hurricane

Season! Now, as soon as we get the holiday presents wrapped... we can put

the masking tape away until spring.

Just as taping the

windows when storm warnings are posted is a matter of routine, so

becomes life with an ICD implant. The surgical procedure, the battery

checking, even the delivery of "therapy" has become UNextaordinary.

The advances in medical science in the past ten years has really made a

difference. How many of you would be looking forward to the 1998 holidays

without your ICD?

Still... there are

many places in the world where an ICD implant is not a matter of

routine. Visitors to the ZAPPER

BOOKSTORE understand this when they read about

the death of Gilead Har'El. The Israeli college student had a congenital

heart defect and should have had an ICD implant... but was without

the life saver when he died... because of the health care guidelines

in his country.

Someday... someday...

the chance to live a longer and fuller life will be routine everywhere.

I trust the decision makers who read this will do what they can to make

it so.

Again... I apologize

for getting back to town late last week and missing the weekly ZAPCHAT.

Maybe this week, we can wrap up our thoughts on N.Y.P.D.

BLUE.

One of our readers

noted the danger in my suggestion to work off holiday pounds on a treadmill.

Good point. If your doctor does not advise such activity for weight control....

DON'T DO IT! My personal methods include a rowing machine, my bicycle,

and the lawn mower... and I'm sure I overdid activity with all of them

after T-Day.

While promoting our

Zap•Life project, I made some postings on several newsgroups

which serve people with various heart conditions. In fact, I got a note

from one paramedic who saw our message and invited us to also post invitations

on channels where ambulance and ER personnel hang out. Well... that resulted

in some very insightful submissions from medics... all of whom HAVE experienced

the "tingle" while touching one us during a Zapping episode.

On the down side,

I had a very unpleasant exchange with the moderator of the alt.support.heart-defects

news group who believes Zap•Life has nothing to do with her

subject as she defines it. Nothing I said could enlighten

the moderator. Since 20%+ of our readers report congenital defects, the

chance are good some of you participate in that channel. If you do, feel

free to post a few words in our defense.

Have YOU completed

your submissions to the Zap•Life project? If not, we urge

you to take a few moments to complete the appropriate form (one for ICD

recipients, one for friends and family, and a third for health are professionals.)

Go to http://www.duff.net/zapper/zap3.htm

to proceed.

That's all for now.

Be sure to check out the website for lots of BREAKING NEWS related to arrhythmia

research and treatment.

Stay well.....

Duffey