PATRICA’S STORY

I feel way different from having Optimizer — so much more energy than I ever had before! But my life wasn’t always like this. Since my husband passed away, I felt as though my sense of purpose in life was ripped away from me. Some moments found me deliberating whether or not to get the Optimizer, and I almost decided not to go ahead with it.

Implanted 9/20 | Renewed Life

“Today nothing gets in my way — energized and excited to get involved in all kinds of physical activities ”

Background

But my family never gave up on me with constant support. My daughter pushed me, finally convinced me to pull the trigger and get it done. I recall countless times in which I couldn’t do anything around the house, making me feel useless. However, today nothing gets in my way — energized and excited to get involved in all kinds of physical activities.

And for my doctor — my hero — I have all the thanks in the world, making this possible. I feel so much better now that I have my Optimizer. Nothing stops me anymore!

VERON’S STORY

Back in my day, my day job found me spending most of my time fixing golf carts in Illinois. But when my wife passed away, things changed for me. I picked up my life and moved to Arizona — looking for a change. Still, I needed to focus on my condition, which was reducing the quality of my life. And I made another big decision, opting for the implant procedure. I’ve had the Optimizer for around two years and rediscovered life again.

Implanted 2/2017 | Former Mechanic

“I’ve had the Optimizer for around two years and rediscovered life again. ”

Background

Following the procedure, during my two-week doctor visit, I realized that I wasn’t just feeling better with my heart failure symptoms but also sensed an improvement with my back and leg pains that I suffered for years. The Optimizer has helped me in more ways than I ever expected. And for anyone thinking about getting the Optimizer, all I can say is, “Go for it! You’ll be glad you did — just like me!”

BOB’S STORY

I have an ICD, which I’ve had now for three or four years. But about a year or so ago, I started to diminish, If I walked more than a hundred feet, I had to stop. My cardiologist told me about this Optimizer it was called. He thought that I would be the perfect candidate for it and that it would help me improve my lifestyle, which had gotten rather sluggish.

Former Power Lifter | Proud Grandfather

“I already had an ICD, so I knew it was an easy operation. ”

Background

Before I got the Optimizer, I was just limited. If I walked a hundred feet, I had to stop. Where I had a climb — like any stadiums with steps or stuff like that — I just couldn’t do it.

My youngest granddaughter spent a lot of time at our house, and it got to the point where if we were doing a sit down for a coloring day or whatever, I was okay. But even just to go out onto the back patio and roll the ball around, stuff like that, was a challenge. My other grandkids were older, and they were all active in different sports. So it got to the point where I could go to one game, but I couldn’t go the next day because I had to recover. I was just totally played out.

I was leading, what had become my new normal lifestyle, and more medicine wouldn’t have made my situation any better. Tried changing a couple of different things — and this one product made me dizzy all the time, making me want to fall. After the second time I fell, I told my cardiologist we have to stop this, and that’s when he recommended we try the Optimizer.

After I had the Optimizer Smart put in, I was able to focus on spending all my time with my family again. And if I felt like I could take a walk, I could go take a walk — nothing to hold me back anymore. If I wanted to go to the store, I could go to the store without worrying whether I would pass out halfway through the store or something like that. Most people will look at you like you’re crazy when you say something like that. But for me, that was a huge improvement, just being able to … it’s like having chains taken off your legs or something like that.

I already had an ICD, so I knew it was an easy operation.

The procedure was straightforward — went into a hospital on a Friday, got prepped, they implanted the Optimizer Smart in my chest, and the next day I went home. It was great. No pain, no complications whatsoever — all pretty easy.

Before the Optimizer Smart, I would get to almost total exhaustion after just walking ‘cross the room. If I walked 30 feet from the living room to the kitchen, I had to rest.

I don’t know whether it was psychosomatic or not, but just knowing that it was in there, and I felt better. And after a day or two, I could feel the difference. I had more energy, I felt more awake, and after a little while, I started an exercise cardio rehab plan which improved my physical wellbeing tenfold.

After having the Optimizer Smart done and taking this cardio rehab program, I felt tremendous. At the cardio rehab that I went to, they do testing before and after. When I started, I was low on their scale. But when I finished it, I actually had the highest record of improvement of any patient they ever had — like 86% improvement from the time I started to the time I finished. I just know that if I didn’t have this Optimizer Smart, given my capacity, I would have never improved that greatly.

My advice is to discuss your problem with your doctor and, if he doesn’t recommend the Optimizer Smart, mention it to him and discuss it with him. I’m sure that you’ll find that it will help improve your situation. I have three sons and, if any of them had the same kind of situation, I would highly recommend that they have this procedure done.

It’s just expanded my life, and my lifestyle improved drastically. I look forward to having fun with my family and being able to walk around and do things.

Now that I’ve had the Optimizer Smart put in, I just know that I’ll be able to, with my three youngest grandchildren, go to Disney World and enjoy our time together. And this all I live for today.

DARLENE’S STORY

My name is Darlene Velez, and I’ve had CCM therapy for two years now. When I first started noticing symptoms, I didn’t know what I was experiencing, and I really couldn’t do any of the things that I was doing before. Heart failure limited my life extremely and I really just spent my time sleeping because it’s really all I had the energy to do. CCM therapy has literally given me my life back. I never thought I would see the day where I would be back to where I am right now …

Mother of Three Boys | Apache Junction, AZ

“What surprised me the most about the treatment was really how simple it all was.”

“CCM therapy has given me my life back. I can’t even call it an impact. It’s literally given me my life back. ”

Background

Heart failure limited my life incredibly. I couldn’t participate in the kids’ lives anymore. I just spent my time sleeping because it’s all I had any energy to do.

I started to feel better, a little bit, once they got me on medications, but then eventually I felt like I was kinda going backward, and backward, and backward. I believe my ejection fraction started around 45% and, eventually, slid back to about 18% over time.

When I realized that the symptoms were getting worse again, um, it was very, um, it was very depressing. I had a new baby. I still had two children who needed me actively there. And seeing me distance myself further and further from their lives was very painful emotionally. Basically, physically, I just … I felt like crud. I really just felt bad.

My cardiologist gave me the option, basically, for a heart transplant. I had been maxed out on medications at that point. My body couldn’t take ’em anymore, so the transplant was my only viable option.

I was taking an obscene amount of medications, and they helped on the one hand, but then I ended up suffering from a lot of side effects from those same medications, which caused me to have other issues.

Ultimately, I tried CCM therapy because it seemed like a no-brainer. I had a very invasive option of a heart transplant, or LVAD was the second option, um, or I could get this little device that would fix the problem in the long term without me being on a lifetime of medications and without the increased risk of cancer and all the other things that come along with a heart transplant. It wasn’t an option for me at that point. It was just, “Let’s do this, and how soon can we do it?”

CCM therapy has given me my life back. I can’t even call it an impact. It’s literally given me my life back. I never thought I would see the day where I would be back to where I am right now, where I can actually participate in life with my family. It was a very bleak outlook initially, so it’s been a miracle for us.

What I like the most about CCM therapy is that I mean my life just goes on from here. I don’t have the long-term effects that I was facing with a heart transplant. Now I just move on with my life.

TERRY’S STORY

I feel much better having the Optimizer. Before I had the procedure, I wasn’t feeling much for getting up and working out. I felt fatigued — no energy and no desire. But now I’m feeling so well that I want to get up and just go! My energy levels have increased so much. I even went out and bought an old Volkswagen van to fix up — like I revitalized my life.

Implanted 10/2019 | Retired Police Officer

“Now I’m feeling so well that I want to get up and just go!”

Background

I also work for the Arizona Motorcycle and Safety Awareness Foundation, where I assist with free motorcycle education and discounted helmets in the Arizona area. And while I try to help others, as I think back to the four years I spent in the U.S. Navy, I recall my exposure to agent orange. I believe that this impacted my health with heart failure.

When I was discharged from the navy, I worked as a police officer for 36 years — always trying to help the communities I lived in. I even volunteered for many different organizations, such as AZCEND, which helps people in Arizona with everything from food and shelter to education and other support services. But what I’m most grateful for is that the Optimizer has made it possible for me to continue moving along, feeling strong, so that I can keep doing my volunteer work for countless people that need me.

ROBERT’S STORY

Back in October of 2017, I had all kinds of problems — tired all the time. I had deep vein thrombosis or DVT, and the increased swelling and pain were, at times, unbearable. But 2017 also introduced me to Dr. Chan and a new chance at living my life.

Implanted 2/18 | Avid Scuba Diver

“A painless and straightforward implant and no complications”

Background

Since my procedure, I can say that I neither experience any symptoms while charging the device or when therapy is delivered to my heart. I can say that my experience has been positive, overall — a painless and straightforward implant and no complications, with only a minor soreness after the procedure. All in all, I must say that the entire process was not only transparent but has put me on a new path to enjoying my life again.

BARBARA’S STORY

For about a month, I started feeling extremely weak and exhausted. My breathing was so bad that I had to sit up in a chair all day. I didn’t feel well and couldn’t see very well. I got an appointment with Dr. Chan, and he performed an echo. He told me I was back in CHF — because I only have seven percent of my stomach, which prevents me from taking any medication to help with my condition.

Date Implanted: 2/2021 | Walks Daily

“The surgery was not hard at all —simpler than I thought ”

Background

Dr. Chan introduced me to the Optimizer. I didn’t want to do it or go through surgery. I didn’t know enough about it. My granddaughter works for the heart hospital in the ICU. I went home, talked it over with her, and she checked into it. My granddaughter felt it might be something that could significantly help me. I agreed with her, contacted Dr. Chan, and he scheduled me for the procedure right away.

The surgery was not hard at all —simpler than I thought. The hardest part was the pain in the shoulder area and not using my right hand after surgery while I healed. But, and I have to emphasize this, the benefit of breathing, moving around, walking, and even seeing better without a challenge was incredible. I felt alive again! And these results outweigh dealing with the surgery.

There are no words to describe how much better I feel on the inside. I can read without glasses, and I walk every day. I even started doing things around the house, like cleaning and cooking dinner — in only three weeks. I noticed improvements in my breathing in the very first week. Overall, it is an incomparable experience to live again and enjoy life to the fullest.