Former Vice President Mike Pence hasn’t been feeling well recently and by Thursday, the decision was made to rush him for surgery to implant a pacemaker. His heart’s been beating a little too slowly for comfort but the routine procedure went off without a hitch and our beloved former VP is recovering comfortably at home.
Pence fitted with pacemaker
On Thursday, a spokesperson for former Vice President Mike Pence “underwent surgery to implant a pacemaker.”
His private physician had been closely monitoring his heart rate, which was slower than it should be. Donald Trump’s former White House wingman hasn’t been his usual self lately.
According to insiders, 61-year-old Pence has been having some mild symptoms associated with decreased cardiac blood flow for about two weeks now, so he had the surgery on April 14.
It wasn’t an emergency but the details were kept from the public until after he had the procedure. “The routine surgery was successful, and he is expected to fully recover and return to normal activity in the coming days,” his office notes in a statement they released late Thursday.
Pence was reportedly “pleased” by the way the surgery was handled by staff at Inova Fairfax Medical Campus in Falls Church, Virginia. He complimented the medical team in his official statement, noting “I am grateful for the swift professionalism and care of the outstanding doctors, nurses and staff at Inova Heart and Vascular Institute.”
His family was thrilled with the results too. “My family has been truly blessed by the work of these dedicated health care professionals.” We all want to keep him around for a good long while.
Lurking for years
The underlying cardiac condition had been lurking in the shadows for a while. Back in 2016, during the run up to the election, his personal physician gave him a clean bill of health while noting his history.
For years, Pence has been monitored for a “left bundle branch block.” It can cause “delays and blocks in the electrical impulses to the left side of the heart.” Up until now, he’s been able to keep it under control with “an excellent diet and exercise program.”
The best thing Mike Pence has going for him is his healthy living. “He does cardiovascular training four times per week, bikes regularly, doesn’t consume alcohol, and has never smoked cigarettes.”
No complications are expected from the routine procedure, as long as he stays away from the microwave. Pacemakers are meant to control “arrhythmias” which is a fancy word which means the drummer is out of sync. “During an arrhythmia, the heart can beat too fast, too slow, or with an irregular rhythm.”
With some artificial electrical pulses, the heart is synchronized for most efficient blood flow. “Many people with pacemakers can return to their regular activities within a few days.” Mike Pence will need to learn to avoid devices with “strong magnetic fields,” like microwave ovens.
It’s also not a good idea to keep your cell phone in your shirt pocket. Apple issued a warning in March “iPhones have magnets, components and radios that release electromagnetic fields, which can potentially interfere with sensors on pacemakers.” When, they add, “brought in close contact.”
