Sunday, December 7, 2014

New job. Whoops! Not so fast.

This last week my life changed in a major way. I just didn't know at the beginning what that major change was going to be.

Monday morning I became the full-time daycare provider for Lachlan my #15 grandchild.
Lachlan was 2 months old on December 3.

You know how 2 month olds are - - they sleep alot.


Or they should.

Lachlan is starting to really look and listen and grin. All signs that he is adjusting to his new earthly existence. 



This week he had 'tummy time' . . . 



And I introduced him to a game I really like that I call 'Boy in a Box.'



We had a few 'MOMENTS' during the week but all in all we were beginning to think that this could work out just fine.


But I guess my HEART just wasn't in it. 

Yesterday morning Barry and I left the house at 4 A.M. to check into Utah Valley Medical Center.

My driver was pretty agreeable for that time of morning.


Here I am in my private suite, already doing a wardrobe update before 5 A.M.




 Barry thought this was amusing for some reason. Looks like an Inmate.


 This colorful wall poster was less amusing.


After a few other minor preparations - like an IV :( - I was ready for the big theatre. They actually wheeled me down to the EP Study room but made me stand up and walk in to meet the four man crew . . . minus the doctor.

What you may ask is an EP study? EP= Electro-physiology.

Diagram of heart. The electrical impulse begins at the Sinoatrial (SA) Node, located in the right atrium. The electrical activity spreads through the walls of the atria and causes them to contract. The AV node is located between the atria and the ventricles and acts like a gate that slows the electrical signal before it enters the ventricles. This delay gives the atria time to contract before the ventricles. His-Purkinje Network - this pathway of fibers sends the impulse into the muscular walls of the ventricles and causes them to contract.

My ticker has been tock-ing when it should be ticking and other variations on that theme. So I was here for a catheter ablation of the offending tissue in my heart. Basically Dr. Chun Hwang, noted electro-physiologist, was going to run a thin flexible tube up through a vein in my groin to my heart. After mapping the electrical impulses, contractions and blood flow in the heart he would decide where the offending impulses were originating. Then he would use the catheter to cauterize or kill that tissue. 

Death to the Rebels! 

The procedure generally takes 4 hours.

 By 7:30 A.M. I was back upstairs in my suite!?!

DISCLAIMER: I did not give permission for this photo.


Wow! That was fast. Turns out there was no electrical problem. It is a muscle problem. A recent MRI has shown the Atria (upper chambers) of my heart to be enlarged and the weakness and inflammation there is disrupting the beat as well as keeping my resting pulse around 44 BPM.  CAUSE: Virus or Genetic problem.

Good News! No overnight stay at Utah Valley Medical Center!


Bad news! Dr. Hwang says my heart must rest for 3-4 months to see if it will heal. No running, no biking, no fast stairs. What!? Not even fast walking. This is a big change for me. AND NO LACHLAN. Dang!

Okay, Okay. I will try to be good. Doctor's orders. 


2 comments:

  1. You look great even after a procedure......:)

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  2. We can complain about recuperation together, since I'm also on "light duty" after my mastectomy. What, precisely IS light duty??

    ReplyDelete