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As no one noticed, I've been gone for a couple of weeks. In the first week of August I went to Austin, to St. David's Hospital, and had pulmonary venous ablation. It was one night in the hospital, and when I woke from the anesthesia, I was told, "You're sinusoidal." Which I knew.
I had suffered from atrial fibrillation, which means that the top half of the heart is shaking and not pumping as it should. Instead of the normal beats per minute, I could have 300 to 600 in the atria. The atria do 30% of the heart's work. If you have a-fib, you never have any breath, you cannot exercise, and I found it was even affecting my thinking. It wasn't near to encephalopathy but there was something noticeable. The staff said they hadn't noticed it but I had. Some thought processes were harder than they ought to have been.
When I woke after surgery sounds were sharper, colors brighter. For six hours I was forced to lie immobile in bed to led the scabs heal on the femoral arteries where they inserted catheters going up into the heart to nuke rings on the inside of the pulmonary veins. Normally it takes four to eight weeks for the lesions to heal--the first time I ever wanted lesions--and they would no longer conduct electricity and solve the electrical problem in the heart. Dr. Zagrodsky is better than good; he got it instantly.
The nurse let me up and I bounced up, walking the halls at night. I was the only ambulatory patient on the floor. And I moved the hospital furniture in my room, until I realized that was very stupid. But instantly I felt better. And people tell me that I now look properly pink instead of ashen.
When Dr. Z. came in the next morning I sat up so briskly that he decided that I could drive whenever I wanted to, and he'd prefer I stay another day in Austin but I didn't have to. So four nights away from home, and in Austin, and a cure which was impossible a decade ago.
Let me recommend St. David's. Not only is the care, at least for my problem, world leading, but the people are the nicest I've seen and the menu is a real menu, and they answer "Room service." It's a small thing but it tells you the level of attention at St. David's.
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10 Comments
Mucho glad you are better ! I am waiting for (sadly) my medicare to kick in . I have the same thing as you and use ALOT of nitro !
Your thinking has never been in question , Theo , get well soon !
Next turn is My turn..I hope .
We did to notice!
My dad had Afib and they snipped the connections and gave him a hot rod of a pacemaker. He was so improved that he drove out to CA in his motorhome alone (from NJ) at age 85 and it only took him 7 days (talk about moving furniture)!
We definitely missed you and are glad to have you back!!
Stay healthy!
Amazing what the docs can do......even ten years ago you would have been an invalid dreading the beat of your own heart....... We are happy to have you bouncing around again wielding the rapiers of comment!
Thanks, folks. And yes, Ospurt, I have spent some quality time with Mozart, who never disappoints. (Well, you can have his string quintets but that's very minor.)
It is nice to be back and with energy.
Welcome back, Theo. I am very glad you are better (though you were pretty good to begin with!).
I recalled an old joke about preferring a bottle in front of me rather than a pre-frontal lobotomy when I read "you're sinusoidal." I'd rather be sinusoidal than suicidal... -- rimshot -- I'll be here all week...be sure to tip the bartender well.
Thanks, Shepherd. And that bottle might be one of wine--my physician here, Michele, American but who taught English in French and vice versa, sent me, overnight from France, some stinky French cheeses. The unpasteurized sort.
The wonderful, strong, delicious, flavorful incredibly rich sort, that are illegal here owing to the nanny state.
What wonderful timing.
Wonderful having you back! Yes, we did miss you. Very glad you're feeling better. I am looking forward to new posts. If your previous ones were you "under the weather", i can't wait to read the new ones!
With Great Respect and Anticipation,
JC
I could watch Schidnelr's List and still be happy after reading this.
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Glad you're better! If sounds are sharper and colors are brighter might I suggest you revisit your art and music collection for a bit....the state of the Country may give you another heart condition.