No, not that kind of hookups. I'm talking cardiac monitors and connections to some machines in offices somewhere in the world which keeps track of how they are doing.
I've had my hook-up since my pacemaker went in years ago. It gets regular check-ins via either a cell or a wi-fi signal on a regular basis - they never told me which - plus I can also send a signal outside of regular times if something seems to be going wrong. So far the only things going wrong are in the programming itself. Twice now I've been in the cardiologist's office getting a light reprogramming of its works. Once it was sending out a test pattern which I actually felt as an extra semi-beat and worried that the ablation surgery had failed to last over the long term. That got reprogrammed last year. No flutters since.
This year my specific kind of pacemakers are all going through a reprogramming by their manufacturer in order to extend the life of their batteries. Both times I simply sat in a room with the tech who did things across the room with her computer which made the changes without ever touching me or my pacemaker. It was followed up with them mailing me a new monitoring box that sits next to where I sleep and checks in automatically at night on some schedule. Or, I still have the option of hitting a button and forcing it to send a recording right now of whatever is going on if something seems weird. It looks almost identical to the old box but a tiny bit bigger, and is needed to work with the new programming.
It isn't costing me a cent so I don't care, but I did make sure, since with my shoulders I can't spend my nights in my bed but half sitting in a recliner, that the monitor is plugged in next to my chair. It does come with one new instruction however. It can't be within a foot of any electronics. Of course that end table by my recliner holds both my laptop and cell and their chargers, with enough other stuff in, on, and around that finding a place far enough away and have it still be plugged into the same power strip without being a tripping hazard was a challenge. It's a very electronics dense part of the house between the normal electronics Steve and I both have, and the extra stuff Steve needs like his lift chair, his back heater/massager, and his fall alert necklace charger. He has other medical stuff he charges across the room. Our chairs are close enough together that we can hold hands when we want and we share the reading lamp between the chairs. We have 3 power strips for just two wall outlets. I did get it working in the new location eventually. The company monitoring them called me back to confirm it when the new one came on line... after my 3rd try.
My change was just a little surprise. Steve was the big surprise. He'd gone in to our primary doc for his needed are-you-well-enough-to-have-hip-replacement-surgery physical. He was extra wobbly just stepping off the scale that day, and they fetched a wheelchair for him so he wouldn't fall. His checkup included an EKG, and his pattern was irregular. Our doc said it looked a lot like A-fib. You know, like my diagnosis. So no, his hip replacement surgery will likely be postponed until the cardiac issues are fully diagnosed and dealt with. He can't get in to see a cardiologist for two weeks, the perfect amount of time for him to wear a cardiac monitor so there will be a continuous record of what's going on with him through the day he walks into that office.
While he waits, he's been put on Eliquis - a hideously expensive clot preventer. There is a coupon making the first month free, but his Rx insurance doesn't cover it, and it costs a big chunk of his income, thought not as bad as when they put me on it post Watchman implant until it grew closed. If he does need to deal with that, we're going to push for his getting a Watchman ASAP to prevent strokes instead. Surgery, at least, is covered with a modest co-pay.
Meanwhile he is now wearing a cardiac monitor, stuck to his skin for two weeks. First you have to shave - male or female, most of us have some chest hairs - then abrade the skin to remove loose or nearly loose skin flakes, then wipe with alcohol to prevent infection from all those little scrapes you just inflicted on your chest. Once you stop hurting from the alcohol and have air dried your skin, the adhesive clear plastic patch with all kinds of embedded electrodes visible and leading to a central button that's pushed onto your newly raw skin by rubbing the entire unit for 4 minutes, to stay for two weeks. So that shower you started with better have been a good one. And you better not be self conscious when your shirt looks like you just grew an enormous extra nipple! Of course if you do get embarrassed by that kind of attention, it had better not stop you from hitting that button when needed even if it does look like you've discovered a weird new kinky way to have some fun. If you are feeling light headed or perhaps suddenly out of energy, that tap will get you an immediate call/report after being examined by a professional who can respond as quickly as needed.
He's lucky his is so thin and lightweight. I had to wear two different ones at different times back in Arizona, and we found out life can be complicated and interesting. Mine were clunky, and one of the monitors wouldn't communicate with the office from inside either our house or the rec center. I had to stand in a particular spot or be outside. Concrete wall construction as the standard down there was not helpful.Three surgeries later and two medication changes and I'm fine... except for all those other things of course.
