Follow up:

The ICD doc said "not recommended". I asked what might happen. He
said if the thing fires I'll feel like I'd been hit by lightning. Not
fatal or even harmful, but decidedly unpleasant.

The JACC (Journal of the American College of Cardiology) study report
I found indicated that this would be quite unlikely at the current
levels I use. The doc wasn't impressed with that study, but he only
spent 15 seconds skimming the summary.

I need to learn more before I decide if I want to weld badly enough to
risk a jolt. I don't really weld that much nor do any big projects
anymore, but it's just so damned handy to be able to stick things
together now and then. I'll still have O/A for brazing and light
welding in any case. I can weld aluminum with O/A but .090 is about
the practical limit in thickness. Thicker takes a LOT of heat and
gas.

I'm not totally bummed because I really think at least light MIG and
TIG should be possible. I just need to know more. I've only got
about 13 days to gather some measurements if I can, since insertion
day is 21 Jan. I need to borrow a scope-meter or something because I
can't watch a scope and weld at the same time.

On Fri, 09 Jan 2009 23:05:46 -0600, Don Foreman
wrote:

Follow up:

The ICD doc said "not recommended". I asked what might happen. He
said if the thing fires I'll feel like I'd been hit by lightning. Not
fatal or even harmful, but decidedly unpleasant.

The JACC (Journal of the American College of Cardiology) study report
I found indicated that this would be quite unlikely at the current
levels I use. The doc wasn't impressed with that study, but he only
spent 15 seconds skimming the summary.

I need to learn more before I decide if I want to weld badly enough to
risk a jolt. I don't really weld that much nor do any big projects
anymore, but it's just so damned handy to be able to stick things
together now and then. I'll still have O/A for brazing and light
welding in any case. I can weld aluminum with O/A but .090 is about
the practical limit in thickness. Thicker takes a LOT of heat and
gas.

I'm not totally bummed because I really think at least light MIG and
TIG should be possible. I just need to know more. I've only got
about 13 days to gather some measurements if I can, since insertion
day is 21 Jan. I need to borrow a scope-meter or something because I
can't watch a scope and weld at the same time.


hell Don..if the Doc says its not going to hurt you if you have a
false firing, Get the implant and learn as you go about what and what
you cant do.

Gunner


"First Law of Leftist Debate
The more you present a leftist with factual evidence
that is counter to his preconceived world view and the
more difficult it becomes for him to refute it without
losing face the chance of him calling you a racist, bigot,
homophobe approaches infinity.

This is despite the thread you are in having not mentioned
race or sexual preference in any way that is relevant to
the subject." Grey Ghost

Don Foreman wrote:

The ICD doc said "not recommended". I asked what might happen. He
said if the thing fires I'll feel like I'd been hit by lightning. Not
fatal or even harmful, but decidedly unpleasant.

Keeping that in mind, should you decide to be the lab rat, make sure you are not where a
loss of balance could hurt you. As in no welding standing on ladders.

Some learn by reading, some learn by watching, and some just go to pee on the electric
fence themselves.

Have you asked for leads to information on sci.engr.joining.welding?

Wes

--
J Miller
"Don Foreman" wrote in message
...
Follow up:

The ICD doc said "not recommended". I asked what might happen. He
said if the thing fires I'll feel like I'd been hit by lightning. Not
fatal or even harmful, but decidedly unpleasant.

The JACC (Journal of the American College of Cardiology) study report
I found indicated that this would be quite unlikely at the current
levels I use. The doc wasn't impressed with that study, but he only
spent 15 seconds skimming the summary.

I need to learn more before I decide if I want to weld badly enough to
risk a jolt. I don't really weld that much nor do any big projects
anymore, but it's just so damned handy to be able to stick things
together now and then. I'll still have O/A for brazing and light
welding in any case. I can weld aluminum with O/A but .090 is about
the practical limit in thickness. Thicker takes a LOT of heat and
gas.

I'm not totally bummed because I really think at least light MIG and
TIG should be possible. I just need to know more. I've only got
about 13 days to gather some measurements if I can, since insertion
day is 21 Jan. I need to borrow a scope-meter or something because I
can't watch a scope and weld at the same time.

Don,

This subject has been kicked around recently on one or more of the welding
forums. Do a searches on Miller, Lincoln, Hobart, Welding Web, and Shop
Floor Talk. I'd give better directions, but I don't remember which/
Medtronic (if that's the brand your doc is selling) has a website with some
guidelines.

The general guidelines (not all inclusive) included: keep amps below 120,
keep the work clamp as close as possible to the torch (make sure that the
connection is clean and solid), keep the leads on the floor and close
together and to one side of your body and don't drape them on your arms or
shoulder, keep your chest 2 feet away from the arc, no HF... There is
probably more but I'm drawing a blank.

Keep us posted on your progress and choices. I wish you well with the
surgery and outcome.

John Miller

Don Foreman wrote:

Follow up:

The ICD doc said "not recommended". I asked what might happen. He
said if the thing fires I'll feel like I'd been hit by lightning. Not
fatal or even harmful, but decidedly unpleasant.

The JACC (Journal of the American College of Cardiology) study report
I found indicated that this would be quite unlikely at the current
levels I use. The doc wasn't impressed with that study, but he only
spent 15 seconds skimming the summary.

I need to learn more before I decide if I want to weld badly enough to
risk a jolt. I don't really weld that much nor do any big projects
anymore, but it's just so damned handy to be able to stick things
together now and then. I'll still have O/A for brazing and light
welding in any case. I can weld aluminum with O/A but .090 is about
the practical limit in thickness. Thicker takes a LOT of heat and
gas.

I'm not totally bummed because I really think at least light MIG and
TIG should be possible. I just need to know more. I've only got
about 13 days to gather some measurements if I can, since insertion
day is 21 Jan. I need to borrow a scope-meter or something because I
can't watch a scope and weld at the same time.

So in the rare case the ICD gets confused and fires, you get "Tased"
momentarily. Considering that the folks with the Tasers generally get
zapped with them during training, it's not something I'd be particularly
concerned about.

What you need is a remote control for the ICD so you can temporarily
disable it while you weld. Indeed, being the absolute control freak I
am, I would not ever consider an implanted device I did not have total
control of.

Don Foreman wrote:

Follow up:

The ICD doc said "not recommended". I asked what might happen. He
said if the thing fires I'll feel like I'd been hit by lightning. Not
fatal or even harmful, but decidedly unpleasant.

The JACC (Journal of the American College of Cardiology) study report
I found indicated that this would be quite unlikely at the current
levels I use. The doc wasn't impressed with that study, but he only
spent 15 seconds skimming the summary.

I need to learn more before I decide if I want to weld badly enough to
risk a jolt. I don't really weld that much nor do any big projects
anymore, but it's just so damned handy to be able to stick things
together now and then. I'll still have O/A for brazing and light
welding in any case. I can weld aluminum with O/A but .090 is about
the practical limit in thickness. Thicker takes a LOT of heat and
gas.

I'm not totally bummed because I really think at least light MIG and
TIG should be possible. I just need to know more. I've only got
about 13 days to gather some measurements if I can, since insertion
day is 21 Jan. I need to borrow a scope-meter or something because I
can't watch a scope and weld at the same time.


If you think about it, cranking over a car engine causes more current
flow in wires than most welding operations. Now that something else to
worry about, Its also a good excuse to send your wife out to start up
the car these cold mornings.


John

On Sat, 10 Jan 2009 09:42:01 -0500, Wes wrote:

Don Foreman wrote:

The ICD doc said "not recommended". I asked what might happen. He
said if the thing fires I'll feel like I'd been hit by lightning. Not
fatal or even harmful, but decidedly unpleasant.

Keeping that in mind, should you decide to be the lab rat, make sure you are not where a
loss of balance could hurt you. As in no welding standing on ladders.

Some learn by reading, some learn by watching, and some just go to pee on the electric
fence themselves.

Peeing on the electric fence is probably a good analogy. I want to be
pretty sure the defib won't fire before I try it.

Have you asked for leads to information on sci.engr.joining.welding?

Wes

Yes.

On Sat, 10 Jan 2009 10:51:01 -0600, "Pete C."
wrote:


Don Foreman wrote:

Follow up:

The ICD doc said "not recommended". I asked what might happen. He
said if the thing fires I'll feel like I'd been hit by lightning. Not
fatal or even harmful, but decidedly unpleasant.

The JACC (Journal of the American College of Cardiology) study report
I found indicated that this would be quite unlikely at the current
levels I use. The doc wasn't impressed with that study, but he only
spent 15 seconds skimming the summary.

I need to learn more before I decide if I want to weld badly enough to
risk a jolt. I don't really weld that much nor do any big projects
anymore, but it's just so damned handy to be able to stick things
together now and then. I'll still have O/A for brazing and light
welding in any case. I can weld aluminum with O/A but .090 is about
the practical limit in thickness. Thicker takes a LOT of heat and
gas.

I'm not totally bummed because I really think at least light MIG and
TIG should be possible. I just need to know more. I've only got
about 13 days to gather some measurements if I can, since insertion
day is 21 Jan. I need to borrow a scope-meter or something because I
can't watch a scope and weld at the same time.

So in the rare case the ICD gets confused and fires, you get "Tased"
momentarily. Considering that the folks with the Tasers generally get
zapped with them during training, it's not something I'd be particularly
concerned about.

What you need is a remote control for the ICD so you can temporarily
disable it while you weld. Indeed, being the absolute control freak I
am, I would not ever consider an implanted device I did not have total
control of.

I think that's possible. I've learned that, at least in some units,
the defib function can be disabled with an external magnet. Any
pacemaking activities keep going. I'll be checking on that.

It stands to reason. I'd think they'd want an emergency way to shut
the thing down if it goes bonkers and starts shocking the crap out of
its user when no fibrillation is present.