My First Time In Water Post-LVAD

"You can’t go into any water," are the words I heard when Sharon was explaining how the LVAD works.

An LVAD is a battery-operated mechanical device that pumps the left ventricle when it no longer can pump efficiently. LVAD stands for left ventricular assist device. Sharon was one of my coordinators on the LVAD team. It was her job to educate future patients with the very important information on the LVAD.

Many things are labeled as off limits and that included going into any water. That would cancel out my baths and trips to the beach. I could not believe that was going to be my life from now on. I love beaches, pools, hot tubs, baths, and anything dealing with water so this was a major blow for me.

How do you shower without getting the LVAD wet?

The LVAD is attached to the heart and a cord is run from the LVAD internally and the cord comes out on the right side by the belly button. That site never heals so it always has to be covered by a LVAD bandage. All the cleaning things you need to clean it came together in a kit. Because the wound is open keeping it clean is a must to prevent infections.

Hygiene is very important to me and my bathing routine was now reduced to taking 4 showers a week. For those of you who don't know anything about LVADs, I will try my best to explain it. Showers now meant that the water was not allowed to hit the driveline which is the cord that comes out of the stomach. The bandages have to be covered by a tegederm strip which is a transparent film dressing.

My shower space had to be reconfigured for this to work. My dad had gotten me a chair for the shower and changed my shower head to the one with the removable hose. That way when it wasn’t a shower day I could still sort of shower.

When I got the call for a heart transplant a year later, I was beside myself with joy because I knew that I could finally submerge myself in water and not have to worry about wetting the LVAD.

My first time in water

My first time in water post-LVAD was not at a real beach per se, it was in the Chesapeake Bay near where I live in Maryland. It was the summer of COVID where everyone, especially myself, was concerned with catching it. I was now immune-compromised and that meant I am at high risk for COVID.

There were not that many people at the beach and although it wasn’t luxurious it felt so good to go and get in the water. It felt familiar, like going to see an old friend. To feel the sand in between my toes and the water rushing between my fingers felt so serene.

Swimming led to a big surprise

My dad had recently bought a house in Florida, but because of COVID I could not get on a plane. So my dad drove up from Florida to pick me up in Maryland. When we finally made it to Florida, I gave my dad the phone and he did a video of me jumping into the water.

That's when I got the biggest shock.

I’m not sure what happened, but it was like I forgot how to be underwater and hold my breath at the same time. I was in a full panic anytime I was underwater. Even to this day, I do not know why this happens. I try to talk to myself in my mind to tell myself to calm down, but I still go into a panic. I don’t let that stop me though. I love water and I'm thinking of taking swimming lessons again to see if that helps.

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