I am taking a chance here writing about this one because I
am terrified of jinxing it. My heart is
in sinus rhythm. There, I said it. If it falls back to Afib, let’s just deal with
it.
If you go back a few entries in this blog – quite a few
actually, you’ll see some writing about my heart and it going into Atrial Fibrillation. I’ll spare you the hunt and give you the
highlights. About 4 years ago, right
after hernia surgery #2, I had my first bout of A-fib. I freaked out, went to the emergency room, got
a pile of tests, and a beautiful nurse injected me with blood thinners. The nurse’s shift ended, and I went to a hospital
room to ponder what the hell was wrong with my life. It naturally converted overnight, so I got
out of the hospital the next morning and figured it was just a result of the
surgery.
Over the next 3 months, it seemed anything sweet or sour
kicked me back into Afib, as well as any heavy exercise like swimming. And so began the annoying journey known as Paroxysmal
Atrial Fibrillation. Fancy word. Translation: Anxiety Life Sentence. “Don’t worry, Mike,” said the docs and
nurses. “Even though we know nothing
about why people get this and have no solution, it probably won’t kill you so
long as you stay on the appropriate anticoagulant medication. Thousands of people have it. Thousands.”
I realized right then and there I not only had one disease
that nobody can fix, but now I had two. The
emotional yo-yo of being in and out of regular rhythm began, and this carried
on for about two years, until one day I was in a sushi restaurant with a couple
folks for lunch, and it popped out of rhythm once again. I tilted my head like a curious dog, and
thought to myself, “that one felt different.”
I had a feeling that it wasn’t going to convert, and two years later and
two attempts to electronically cardiovert it, my atriums remained as a
quivering pile of Jello.
Fast forward to about a few months ago when suddenly my
hydration levels improved. Then fast
forward to about 5 weeks ago when I went to the plant-based diet. I woke up one morning and I said to myself, “I’m
almost 50. I need to get my heart sorted
out because if I don’t, I am going to start aging quickly.”
As usual, I had to take action on my hunch. TV commercials for long term medications were
out. I jumped on the phone and asked my
doctor friends if I should start thinking about an ablation for my heart. Yes, was the response. An ablated heart in sinus rhythm is better
than a non-ablated heart in Afib.
Ablated hearts don’t always stay in rhythm, though, so I needed some
more answers. I went to see an Afib
specialist here in Las Vegas last week, and we scheduled me for a TEE and
cardioversion. The plan was to take a
good look at the size and shape of my atriums and determine if I was ablation-worthy. Doc specifically told me that he didn’t
expect the cardioversion to work given I’ve been persistently chronic for two
years, but it would give him good information about the ablation
possibility.
I went into the hospital two days later, and assumed the
position I’ve become way too familiar with.
I knew of the anesthesiologist through another friend, and I asked him
the proper way to administer propofyl.
IV was established, and soon I was wheeled into the Cath Lab and dosed gently into La-La land. I woke up after what seemed like somewhere
between eight hours and three months to the words, “Mike, Mike, Mike, wake up,
you’re in recovery. Your heart is in
sinus rhythm.” Turned out I was under
the milk for about six minutes, they did the TEE, gave me a good jolt, and I converted
first time.
WHAT?? I couldn’t believe it. I had to be dreaming. It was like someone reattached my hand after accidentally cutting it off
two years prior. I smiled, even
giggled. I couldn’t pull my fingers off of my throat, checking my pulse every ten seconds.
Then the worry set in. I wondered
if it would last……..my wife wondered too. I woke up the next morning, after some 75,000 beats (amazing how many times our hearts beat when you really do the math), and I thought to myself....."This is different, I think this might stick."
I’ve been sinus since. Tomorrow will be a week. I’ll follow up with the Doc on the 25th,
but as I sit now, I have more blood circulating through my body than I have in
the past five years. I found a new toy
and I can’t put it down.
If it does stick, that will be result #7 since becoming hydrated from seeing my healing therapist and going full vegan with the food. Let's hope it's lucky #7, and there's some more where that came from.
