Anyone in your family have a pacemaker?

A close family member of mine (he's 79) is scheduled to have a pacemaker implanted tomorrow.

He’s actually in pretty decent shape for his age and doesn't really deal with any major health issues aside from this.

Up until now, he hasn't faced any significant heart complications or serious medical struggles.

I'd love to hear about your experiences if you have any to share.

1) How successful is this procedure generally?
2) On average, how long do people live after getting one?
3) Does it actually improve an older person's quality of life, as many people claim?

A buddy of mine had one installed about a decade ago. I think someone mentioned it’s probably due for a replacement by now, though it should technically be holding up better than it actually is.
I haven't really gone into detail before, but from what I can see, he’s living quite normally for his age. He manages a larger garden, drives his own car, gets around town...
He dealt with some heart issues a few years back and spent some time in the hospital, but that was just a temporary setback. Everything went back to being fine after that.

My grandfather actually went through this around this time last year.
He’s 85 now—disabled, mostly bedridden, and he actually survived two heart attacks back then.
But ever since they implanted "that thing," the man has practically come back to life. He’s shaving himself again, sitting out on the patio... honestly, he just seems so much better.
I'm really hoping he stays this strong for a long, long time.🙂

My aunt is 65, and she’s been living her life totally normally with a pacemaker for about 15 years now. She stays on top of all her checkups, and she’s already had one or two procedures to replace the 🙄 leads connecting the device to her heart.

Best,

My mother’s brother had a pacemaker installed when he was in his early seventies. The surgery itself was a success, and he likely would have enjoyed many more years if he hadn't stubbornly stuck to his habit of smoking about twenty cigarettes a day and living such an unhealthy lifestyle... He managed to get another four or five good, solid years out of it—years where his heart didn't give him any trouble...

Ultimately, everything hinges on whether a person actually listens to their body and adjusts their habits to match their age after a procedure like this. From what I understand, these surgeries are generally quite successful and can grant people a significant amount of extra time, so please don't worry; everything is going to be just fine... 🙂

Ah
You can never really tell when it comes to these surgeries. Though, if you ask me, a pacemaker procedure is generally less intense than a bypass...
Hmm, I don't know... my own father passed away right in the middle of a bypass surgery 😢 ...
So, nothing you say is ever a hundred percent certain...