A Lifesaving Jolt
Puts Daniel Dollarhide
Last December, Daniel Dollarhide, a retired computer software
engineer at the Library of Congress, was taking his morning walk when he
started feeling light-headed and dizzy.
After a brief moment, a jolt of electricity
caused
him to fall to the ground. That lifesaving electrical jolt came from his
implantable cardioverter-defibrillator or ICD. This small device implanted into
Daniel’s chest is about the size of a pocket watch. Its function is to monitor
and correct heartbeat rhythm when it becomes abnormal.
“My two
ICDs have saved my life a total of seven times,” Daniel said.
Daniel
has a history of heart disease and sought treatment at the CardioVascular Institute at Washington Adventist Hospital after his first heart attack in
1984.
In
2000, Daniel was diagnosed with arrhythmia, or irregular, and often fast,
beating of the heart. It was at that time that he received his first ICD.
“Arrhythmia
is very common, and is highly treatable,” said James L. Cockrell Jr. M.D.,
Director of Cardiac Electrophysiology at Washington Adventist Hospital. With
lifestyle changes that included a healthier diet and daily three-mile walks,
Daniel was starting to feel better until 2005.
“In
addition to arrhythmia, Daniel was experiencing the early stages of heart
failure,” Dr. Cockrell said. “We implanted a different ICD in July 2005. The
new ICD strengthens the heart beat and synchronizes its pumping.” This new ICD saved him that December
morning. Now that he’s feeling better, one of the ways Daniel stays active is
volunteering twice a week at Washington Adventist Hospital. As a member of the
hospital’s Mended Hearts program, he shares his
experiences with patients and families.
For
more information about the CardioVascular Institute at
Washington
Adventist Hospital, please contact 301-891-7600 or