It Takes Time

"It takes time to recuperate."  This is a phrase I have been reminded of daily for the past week.  Today marks the one week anniversary of my procedure.  I truly thought I would be more recovered by now.  Yesterday, I made dinner for my family.  Today, I went shopping for about three hours and.... it just about did me in.  My heart has been racing and just an hour ago it was racing so badly I would have been dead, had I not gotten the procedure done.  A little concerned, I began doing research on post-ablation symptoms.  Once again, I have learned something new.

First, I read the list of risks in getting the procedure done.  Of course, the risk was much greater had I not (as in cardiac arrest) but let's say I am grateful that I did not read the list prior to going in.  Here is what I read:

Catheter ablation is considered safe.

It has some serious risks, but they are rare. They include:

• Stroke.
• Heart attack.
• Puncture of the heart.
• Need for emergency heart surgery.
• Problems with the pulmonary vein.
• A leaking blood vessel.
• Nerve damage that causes paralysis of the diaphragm.
• Pericarditis.
• Cardiac tamponade.
• Atrio-esophageal fistula. In this life-threatening condition, a hole forms between the heart's upper chamber and the esophagus.
• Bleeding.
• New heart rhythm problems.
• Death (very rare). 

WOWZAH!!  See why I am grateful I did not read it first?  Oy!!  Talk about scary.  I always laugh when they say "death" then add that is is very rare.  Hehe.  Well, good to know I only might die!! 

(It kind of reminds me when I have volunteered at the prisons in Boise, ID the past three years with my women's choir.  With the paperwork we sign, it has a list of guidelines.  The first is something along the lines of: I understand that by going into the prison, I am putting myself at risk for injury or being held hostage.  Haha!  No worries there!)

Back to what I have learned.  It is very normal, actually, to still feel like you are going into tachycardia, then it mellows off after a few minutes.  This is as a result of the adrenaline that was pumped into my body while I was under anesthesia.  My body is just trying to work it out of my system.  Weakness and pain around the heart is normal as well.  "Jenny!  They were inside your heart, burning it!  Of course it is going to hurt!"  This is what I have to keep reminding myself.... or my mother and hubby will.  Haha!  I just want to be 100% again.  I want it to be two months from now where my heart is back to  finally working how it should.  Patience.  I just need patience.  Haha!!  It takes time and I have time, so I will take it. 

The best advice I read from one person who has been through this is, "completely normal - your heart's been through trauma and it may take some time to heal - some of us depending on what was done; can take up to 6 months for it to completely heal and the full effects of an ablation to work
take it easy and let yourself heal and try not to be too anxious"

Oh.... take it easy??  Let myself heal?  Sigh.  All right.  I guess I will. 

My name is Jenny and I will heal.  I really do not want any chocolate..... because I just had some. 

This was taken the week of my diagnosis in June.  I had to wear a lot of makeup to even feel confident because I was so ill.  Notice the sallow look to my skin.

This was taken today. I have a new hair style, I feel confident wearing a lot less makeup and I am able to even keep my eyes open in the sun because I am feeling so much better!  Good health, here I come!  (By the way, that is my cute boy- age 14- in the background.)