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Hi folks,
Just wanted to check in as I am scheduled for my ablation on January 6 at Mass. General Hospital with Dr. Fifer, head of cardiac surgery. I have had tons of testing and there are no reasons not to move ahead with the procedure. I should give more of my history. I am 52 and come from a large Irish family in which many of my ancestors have had heart disease and most likely HCM. I am in pretty good shape, walking a lot and love to kayak...gently. I have other health issues including severe sleep apnea, family history of malignant hyperthermia and possible narcolepsy. I also seem to have nightime leg tremors as part of the sleep apnea. I had a blockage cleared in September in the same descending artery that is associated with the area of my heart that is thickened. My internal bp is high and I am not responding very well to increasing doses of toprol which leaves me groggy and short of breath. But, without it my symptoms are strong: radiating pain from the chest and headaches...some numbness in my left hand and occasional problems with my left leg as well. I have a problematic mental health history as well in that I suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder and am also 15 months sober. Despite all of this I continue to work full time and have maintained an active social and community life. I recently cut back on a lot of things so I could focus on work and family. My doctor offered to me the choice of open heart surgery or alcohol ablation and I have opted for ablation on January 6. I really do not want to go through general anesthesia with my family history of mh and also my sleep disorder. I am hoping that the ablation will help me to resume a more active life style to get me in better shape so I can lose weight and improve my other health issues.
My spirit is very strong. I love being in AA and have rediscovered my spirituality. I feel that AA saved my life and my sobriety has meant that I was able to feel my symptoms more clearly. I feel that I was using alcohol to sooth some of the pain and frustration imposed by my limitations and pain. I meditate at least twice a day and am pursuing various spiritual practices and developing my own healing skills.
I look to a future in which I can pursue my interests and see my children mature and start families of their own.
I would add to this conversation that anxiety must be addressed as it is with cancer patients. Anxiety can add to our problems and some combiantion of medication, therapy and meditation is probably called for in most of our situations. I fear that my serious anxiety problems in the past few years which pushed my heart into overdrive probably added years onto my heart and accelerated my condition. So, I do feel that we cannot ignore other lifestyle issues, especially emotional stress.
Blessings to all. I will post again.
Marty
Just wanted to check in as I am scheduled for my ablation on January 6 at Mass. General Hospital with Dr. Fifer, head of cardiac surgery. I have had tons of testing and there are no reasons not to move ahead with the procedure. I should give more of my history. I am 52 and come from a large Irish family in which many of my ancestors have had heart disease and most likely HCM. I am in pretty good shape, walking a lot and love to kayak...gently. I have other health issues including severe sleep apnea, family history of malignant hyperthermia and possible narcolepsy. I also seem to have nightime leg tremors as part of the sleep apnea. I had a blockage cleared in September in the same descending artery that is associated with the area of my heart that is thickened. My internal bp is high and I am not responding very well to increasing doses of toprol which leaves me groggy and short of breath. But, without it my symptoms are strong: radiating pain from the chest and headaches...some numbness in my left hand and occasional problems with my left leg as well. I have a problematic mental health history as well in that I suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder and am also 15 months sober. Despite all of this I continue to work full time and have maintained an active social and community life. I recently cut back on a lot of things so I could focus on work and family. My doctor offered to me the choice of open heart surgery or alcohol ablation and I have opted for ablation on January 6. I really do not want to go through general anesthesia with my family history of mh and also my sleep disorder. I am hoping that the ablation will help me to resume a more active life style to get me in better shape so I can lose weight and improve my other health issues.
My spirit is very strong. I love being in AA and have rediscovered my spirituality. I feel that AA saved my life and my sobriety has meant that I was able to feel my symptoms more clearly. I feel that I was using alcohol to sooth some of the pain and frustration imposed by my limitations and pain. I meditate at least twice a day and am pursuing various spiritual practices and developing my own healing skills.
I look to a future in which I can pursue my interests and see my children mature and start families of their own.
I would add to this conversation that anxiety must be addressed as it is with cancer patients. Anxiety can add to our problems and some combiantion of medication, therapy and meditation is probably called for in most of our situations. I fear that my serious anxiety problems in the past few years which pushed my heart into overdrive probably added years onto my heart and accelerated my condition. So, I do feel that we cannot ignore other lifestyle issues, especially emotional stress.
Blessings to all. I will post again.
Marty
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