Last Monday I was scheduled for my second electrical cardioversion at 1:45. I was dreading it but not as apprehensive as I had been for the first. At 12:20 two nurses came in and said "You have gone into sinus rhythm on your own. To say I was thrilled would be an understatement. The cardiologist came in about 2:00 and told me to go home. So I came home. The rest of this week has been spent recovering from the days in bed. Im finally getting to the point where Im not totally exhausted but I feel better each day. I am so thankful to God each and every day.
Now what - I am on medication and probably will be for the rest of my life and for the next 2 or 3 months I am on a blood thinner just in case I go back into AFib. Im trusting the great physician on this one.
My mom left this morning, the house seems empty with out her. She spoiled me rotten the two weeks she was here but then she usually does. I have great parents and family.
Well thats all for now
Friday, May 23, 2008
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Still from the hospital bed
Well, my overnight stay for observation has now turned into 6+ nights. The cardioversion on Thursday was unsuccessful. It is successful in 90% of patients but again Im in the minority. Plan of action? They changed the meds I was on and will try the electric cardioversion again tomorrow. If it is not successful again then I will have to be on blood thinners for the rest of my life to prevent clotting which is the biggest risk of AF.
The doctor did go in with a TEE and look at my heart and said it looks good, there is no kind of damage. Thank God for that. Im very thankful for a lot of things, my BP has been excellent, all my blood work is good and other than the rapid heart beat, I seem to be doing all right. My potassium does continue to run on the low side so Im taking horse pills for that every 2 hours. Low potassium could have thrown me into AF but they just arent sure.
I have to say one thing for this hospital, they have the GREATEST staff ever. Everyone is so kind and takes the time to see to all of my needs including my emotions which have been off the wall. Today I am fighting depression and had to make myself get up and do something. What I would really like to do is lay down and just sleep. I dont want to eat or watch tv or read or even play on the computer but I make myself because I know that getting depressed wont help matters any at this point.
More later, but hopefully not from the hospital.
The doctor did go in with a TEE and look at my heart and said it looks good, there is no kind of damage. Thank God for that. Im very thankful for a lot of things, my BP has been excellent, all my blood work is good and other than the rapid heart beat, I seem to be doing all right. My potassium does continue to run on the low side so Im taking horse pills for that every 2 hours. Low potassium could have thrown me into AF but they just arent sure.
I have to say one thing for this hospital, they have the GREATEST staff ever. Everyone is so kind and takes the time to see to all of my needs including my emotions which have been off the wall. Today I am fighting depression and had to make myself get up and do something. What I would really like to do is lay down and just sleep. I dont want to eat or watch tv or read or even play on the computer but I make myself because I know that getting depressed wont help matters any at this point.
More later, but hopefully not from the hospital.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
From the Hospital Bed
I am writing this blog from the Wake Med heart center in Raleigh NC. That sounds scarier than it is...well, not for me because I get panicky at every little thing. Last Saturday I had another episode of my heart racing. Ive had these before but normally they only last 30 - 60 minutes, followed by two or three hours of exhaustion. But Saturday was different, it lasted much longer, continued off and on on Sunday and then again on Monday, which was my 44th birthday.
Anyway, I went to see my doctor on Monday. He wasnt in but his nurse practitioner was and she listened to my heart and immediately said..."We are doing an EKG." Then she went and got the other doctor on duty and he came in and told me I was in atrial fiberllation. Of course, I didnt know what that was and nearly panicked until he told me it was something that millions of people live normal lives with, even naming a couple of celebrities like basketball great Larry Byrd. He then proceded to tell me he wanted me in the hospital overnight for observation and they called an ambulance and off I went.
First they put me on an IV of a drug to try and convert back to normal rhythm, successful in 50% of patients, well guess who isnt in that 50% so it took until last night to get the beat normal and today I am having a cardioversion using electricity, yes they are shocking back into regular rhythm. Then I will have to take meds to try and keep it from happening again. I will probably remain in the hospital until Sat or Sun. My mom and sister came down to be with me, thank you God. My poor mom had a bad night last night because *I* was running in panic mode.
It is now 2 hours before the procedure begins and I feel like Im about to jump out of my skin. I cant believe how nervous I am when everyone tells me how common this is and how low risk. Why do I always see the glass as half empty, and why is my faith so weak that I cant trust God to make the best decisions for me. I just dont know.
I will write more on how the procedure went later.
Anyway, I went to see my doctor on Monday. He wasnt in but his nurse practitioner was and she listened to my heart and immediately said..."We are doing an EKG." Then she went and got the other doctor on duty and he came in and told me I was in atrial fiberllation. Of course, I didnt know what that was and nearly panicked until he told me it was something that millions of people live normal lives with, even naming a couple of celebrities like basketball great Larry Byrd. He then proceded to tell me he wanted me in the hospital overnight for observation and they called an ambulance and off I went.
First they put me on an IV of a drug to try and convert back to normal rhythm, successful in 50% of patients, well guess who isnt in that 50% so it took until last night to get the beat normal and today I am having a cardioversion using electricity, yes they are shocking back into regular rhythm. Then I will have to take meds to try and keep it from happening again. I will probably remain in the hospital until Sat or Sun. My mom and sister came down to be with me, thank you God. My poor mom had a bad night last night because *I* was running in panic mode.
It is now 2 hours before the procedure begins and I feel like Im about to jump out of my skin. I cant believe how nervous I am when everyone tells me how common this is and how low risk. Why do I always see the glass as half empty, and why is my faith so weak that I cant trust God to make the best decisions for me. I just dont know.
I will write more on how the procedure went later.
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