Scary Situation

Well, the time is coming up for me to have my surgery.

Just a little recap for those of you who don't know, I was born with a congenital heart block, which basically means my heart does not beat normally. At age 11, I had my first artificial pacemaker implanted in order to keep my heart in working order. In 2001, I had my pacemaker replaced due to battery issues. This is normal as I will have to have surgery every 8 to 10 years to replace my pacemaker.  In 2009, I had my pacemaker replaced again. Recently I started having problems with pain and lost of discomfort in my chest.  After a visit to the emergency room, it was determined that my pacemaker had shifted and was causing the discomfort. After a follow up visit with my cardiologist, it was also determined that the lead wires that connect my pacemaker to my heart are not in great condition and therefore, the electrical current is not staying in the wires, resulting in me feeling the pain and multiple jolts each day. At this point, surgery is imminent and needed to re-position my pacemaker and replace the wires that connect it to my heart. This surgery is invasive as they have to remove the wires from my heart and replace them. As with all surgeries, there are risks, but with this being my heart, the risks are high.

My surgery is scheduled for October 27th. I am extremely nervous and yet hopeful that all goes as planned and that I don't have any problems during my surgery. It is very scary when it comes to surgery where my heart is concerned. All I can do is hope and pray that things go well and that I recover with ease.

More "Heart" Times

Well if it's not one thing it's another. A few days ago I began to have health issues. For those who know me, I have a heart condition which is treated by an internal pacemaker. The area where my pacemaker is located began to hurt and be extremely uncomfortable. I went to the ER on Monday to find out my heart rate is all over the place and my pacemaker may have come unsutured and need to be fixed. To make matters worse, while in the ER, my IV blew during my CT scan.

Because of my insurance, I have to wait to get my referral processed in order to get back to the cardiologist. I am so terrified at the thought of having to have surgery again. Once I get into the cardiologist I will know more so in the meantime, I'm saying lots of prayers, taking my meds, resting and hoping for the best.