Since my A-Fib ablation, I still seem to have a social life of medical appointments. It has been 8 months and I still am in sinus rhythm. However, the heart, a living, breathing, self-regulated pump, is an intricate organ.
In fact, I have been even more awed by my Creator's Mind, in my experience with my now aging pump. The human pump has similar functions to a man-created pump. It has valves, mechanism for operating power, etc. I don't profess to understand all the mechanical operations of either pump.
But I digress; I am still in a healing process. Recently I wore an heart event monitor, which is a portable EKG, for a month, to see if the ablation was a success and what else may need attention, as I had a high heart rate (pulse).
The result was the ablation for A-Fib was still successful (perfect sinus rhythm) but I was left with another anomaly known as paroxysmal supra ventricular tachycardia [PSVT].
This anomaly is portrayed in old comedies where upset elderly characters have 'palpitations.'
PSVT not considered dangerous, but will wear the heart out if persistent. Treatment is using a drug class usually contraindicated for asthma patients (me) known as beta blockers. However, since my retirement, newer drugs in this class have been developed which selectively target only heart, not lung beta receptors, at least somewhat better than the older drugs.
Later if drug therapy is not successful, an electrophysiology study (EPS) may be done, where areas may be ablated. I think another name is heart catherization study. All the 'electrical' intricacies which are so finely coordinated in a well-functioning heart are examined.
One welcome result of the month-long annoyance of the heart event monitor--no more blood thinners.
Please excuse the technical stuff.
This week we are trying out the smallest dose of a selective beta blocker drug--brand name, Toprol-XL.
All of this medical social life has really inhibited how I had orginally imagine life would be if I could get the A-Fib fixed. Further I expected to be able to return to my old routines and not tire. Hmmm....I forgot that was at least 3 years ago--I am 3 years older.
I had envisioned being able to enjoy fishing without worry and frustration of all the chores I left undone-NOT! My community and church volunteerism have become more chore than enjoyable, something I really regret and simply must resolve.
My camera has largely been abandoned although I have photos of recent hens and chicks. My plants have lots of peeps. I find it humorous the plants name has no rooster--guess you can say it is built-in.
Somewhere I personally have to find a balance within which I am comfortable.
The last chapter in the Biblical book of Ecclesiastes is an allegorical description of aging. I think I remember the chapter location....no golden years there.
What happened to the GOLDEN YEARS? I supposed the phase depicts our conception of not having to work for income daily. Unfortunately even this may not be the case for the generations following me.
I wish to give a shout to a post by Arkansas Patti entitled RERUN. I hope she archives her many posts for her family. This post so relates to many of my generation in the South even as far as Texas where I grew up in multi-racial culture, including what AP describes in this blog.
We had more Latinos that African Americans. We called them Mexicans which I always interpreted as a person from Mexico, but that has become political incorrect, too. One Latino was in my circle of friends.
In first grade --time frame WWII-- my best friend was a little girl--white--but GERMAN. I was appalled the names my classmates called her, to the point I remember in tears telling my Mother, who urged me to continue my friendship.
Texas has its own ugly racial and cultural history.
Oh yes, there is many types of discrimination and hatred. Some is popping up on the political landscape. That is why I refuse to participate in any discussions along these lines. In fact I do not declare a party to get my absentee ballots mailed to me automatically. I just don't vote in primaries.
My aged near 77 year old memory may fail me, but I believe I declared a party only once in my life and regretted that. My voting is private and may favor one flavor, but I have voted for candidates in both major parties, and once in awhile a lessor party.
By the way how many of you are having problems composing or posting with Internet Explorer 10? Or your posts look crazy in anything but Google Chrome? Even in Google Chrome, if I use large photos, the text overlaps the photos. These problems are only one excuse for my lapse in posting. I cannot solve them and dislike a post that appears to have layout problems. I make enough typing errors.
Well back to the medical/social routines.
