Customer story!
This blog is about Mikkel, an ICD wearer with a passion for Jiu Jitsu.
We asked him a few questions.
Since when do you have an ICD?
I have had an ICD since 2020.
How did getting the device affect your life?
When i first got my device i thought it was the end of the world. I was 20 years old and suddenly there was all of these restrictions for me. My doctor actually gave me a pamphlet with all of the things i couldn’t do. Luckily my dad has always been a rock in my life, helping me to find other ways. So if this way doesn’t work – we try another. And if that doesn’t work either – we try another. But it’s not all bad. I ended up getting af job, where I met my girlfriend – a job I wouldn’t have taken if i got into the military or the police.
Mikkel celebrating his 1st place in the Danish National championship.
Now that you have your device, what has changed regarding:
A) Your work
I’ve always wanted to be a soldier and go into special forces. But when they found my heart condition, that door closed. I then thought that maybe I could get into the police academy. But when I got my ICD, that door closed too. It has taken a lot of acceptance and self-belief (and a couple of years to gain these), but I finally found a career path that I really enjoy being a schoolteacher.
B) Sport
I do Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, which is quite a physical sport. When i first got my ICD i didn’t think I would be able to do it anymore. But then I found Vital Beat, which has made me able to not only go to practice, but also compete!
C) Daily activities
My day-to-day life hasn’t actually changed that much. I may make some unconscious decisions here and there, but i really couldn’t tell you. I get to do my sport, I go to the gym, I go to work. I hands down forget it’s (RED. ICD) there sometimes. The biggest thing I’ve done to take my ICD into consideration, is that when I bought a new phone, which wasn’t an iPhone, because I read somewhere that the macsafe wasn’t safe for people with an ICD.
D) Social life/network
Since I got my device from a near death experience, I’ve realized that life is a lot more fragile, than I previously thought. I’ve therefore gotten a lot more selective about how and with whom I want to spend my time. Luckily i also have some great friends who, even though we don’t see each other all that often, I can count on them. They also get me to do things which I thought I didn’t want to do but ended up being quite fun.
You are a customer of Vital Beat. How did you find us?
I found Vital Beat because I didn’t want to stop doing Jiu Jitsu. I thought that there had to be a way that I could do it. I can’t remember the exact search input i made, but i ended up on the Vitalbeat.com -website, which I am very happy that i did.
What do you use the Vital Beat Protection for?
I use the Vital Beat protection for my Jiu Jitsu practices and competitions.
Has using the protection shield helped you? In what way?
It has helped me to actually be able to do Jiu Jitsu
Would you like to pass on any tips or advice to other device carriers?
Especially to the younger people who get a device: it's not the end of the world. Granted it
takes some adjustment, but everything will work out. As my dad has always said to me
growing up: there isn't anything that is so bad that it isn't good for something.
Any other comments?
Thanks for the great products!