“Is it the scar?” My mind drifted back to my summers during elementary school. Back to the years of wearing a one-piece bathing suit and getting away with it until it was deemed “uncool.” Those one-piece years were then transformed into what I now call my “Napoleon era,” which was sometime around late middle school, early high school. It was then that my normal summer stance, in a bikini anyway, looked much like the French commander’s, one arm staying…
And I ain’t talkin’‘bout the diamonds! cardiac ablation: a procedure used to scar or destroy small areas of the heart by use of heat in sections that are causing incorrect electrical signals resulting in abnormal heart rhythms. My interpretation: a really sharp needle that participates in setting my newly constructed heart on fire… AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! Ok, that…
During the weeks at cardiac rehab, the continuing unanswered question of the “heart scarring” still lingered in my mind, continuously haunting me… The plan was to have a local cardiologist who was experienced in reading heart MRI’s to read both the MRI in October that was done pre-surgery, and compare it with the “scarred” MRI done during my second hospital stay, post-surgery. Time had passed, the days turning into weeks, weeks turning into a month. It seemed like eternity while…
The Trainer Rehab Days So yes, I did manage to make it back to the rehab clinic, but thankfully, had a few “breather days” inbetween… The “trainer days” are the two days prior to when the actual cardiac rehab visits start. During this time, you get acquainted with the warm up and cool down exercises, how the machines work, and the whole routine in general. I walked in and the same friendly receptionist directed me down to the waiting area…
Part One Cardiac Rehab The Evaluation For whatever reason, I sat in my car, at my house, in tears before leaving. Not even able to logically grasp these outlandish feelings I was experiencing, I grew increasingly furious with myself. I couldn’t believe this was happening. But it was. Here I sat, terrified to drive. Seriously?? What was wrong with me?! True, it was only day two of driving, that is, if you counted day one as the short drive to…
“What Makes For an Exciting Story?? An Unexpected Twist!!” After the chest X-ray was the MRI, and yes, the tech followed suit in the pattern of knowing of my daughter… My extensive research on the antiarrhythmic drugs was to no avail. It was deemed best to give the Metoprolol Succinate another shot. So, once again, that prescription was flip-flopped and the dosage upped even more. The cardiology team recommended for me to go ahead and start cardiac rehabilitation therapy…
It was determined that it would be best for me to make a trip to the hospital. I wasn’t necessarily thrilled about this, but I wasn’t necessarily against it either. I was actually scared “Poopless.” My heart rate was low and blood pressure was fluctuating. I certainly wasn’t gonna put up a fight… In the midst of this decision-making, one of the EMS workers took my seventeen-year-old- blind and deaf terrier outside to pee, while another helped me upstairs to…
Once I awoke from surgery and knew I had, in fact survived, I had it all planned out. My Recovery Agenda. I would continue to ‘blog’ the whole open heart surgery thing that I had started, making jokes along the way of all the little details, but once the magic “Six-to-Eight Weeks Recovery Period” came around, (I would choose the “six weeks”) all would ultimately transform back to normal. Or actually, BETTER than normal. I remember how my cardiologist in…
Ahh! The cozy compounds of my house!! It was great!!! I was so glad to see my son, my daughter, my grandkiddies and pets again!! I think my big orange tabby must have missed me the most though, over two months later and he still won’t let me out of his sight! (I say this as he lays in my lap while I type…) Home was a fan-tabulous place to be!! But, being home didn’t mean all was back to normal…
Discharge Day When I asked my husband how he felt on my day of discharge, this was his response: “A little scared, unresolved, and confused as well. Actually, pretty close to when we brought home our first baby…” Well thanks…. Good thing I didn’t pick up on that at the time. He camouflaged it very well, thank God! “Let’s get the paperwork started to get you outta here!” Nurse Sherry said in her chipper voice. What I…