Double A's

 I'll be going into surgery a couple of days after this gets posted.  Doing some research now to better understand why I need the operation (Atrial Fib/Fluctuation this time, my wife says it Fib I think it’s Flux but what do I know? I was unconscious when they did the first one. Anyhow, I have no idea what's going to happen or how long it'll take to recover.  Thought some of the readers might know more than I or be in a similar situation.

After my blackout accident,* I had an irregular heart beat in my heart's two atria (the upper chambers of the heart). According to the doctor, one was worse than the other (I think) as he's going to have to use two operations to treat them.  I went through the first operation right after I blacked out, ran off the road @75MPH and hit a rock.  Wife was OK, not great, just bruises.  I was in the hospital for a week or so.  I wasn't very coherent at the time.  

I was diagnosed with Atrial Fibrillation (AFib), an irregular heart beat.  That operation required immediate surgery, so I'm betting that was the more serious one.  

 

 Other possible symptoms of AFib include congestive heart failure symptoms such as fatigue, shortness of breath, or swelling. Loss of consciousness can also occur due to a lack of oxygen, and insufficient blood to the brain being pumped to the brain by the heart. (Which I'm pretty positive was the cause of me blacking out and the cause of the accident.). The abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia) is sometimes only identified with the onset of a stroke or a transient ischemic attack (TIA). It is not uncommon for a person to first become aware of AFib from a routine physical examination or electrocardiogram, as it often does not cause symptoms. Source 

That was not the circumstances in my case. Just thought I'd mention that it can sneak up on you quite fast.  I doubt is was more than 5 minutes from when I first felt bad and when I blacked out. 

How is it treated?  Well, glad you asked. I'm going to be going through a process called Cardiac Ablation.

This is what the Mayo Clinic advises and my Doctor performed.  I'm not sure what the doctor did when he treated the upper left chamber, I was pretty much out of it when he explained it to me.  So, but found this description in the following paragraph on their website

Cardiac ablation often uses heat or cold energy to create tiny scars in the heart. Heart signals can't pass through the scars. So the treatment can block faulty heart signals that cause AFib. During cardiac ablation, a doctor places a flexible tube called a catheter through a blood vessel, usually in the groin. The doctor guides the tube to the heart. More than one catheter may be used. Sensors on the tip of the catheter apply the cold or heat energy. 

 

I talked about AFIB which if you look at the chart below, that  comparison, in bold type, tells what is the more dangerous of the two. I've been through that one. (Yes, unconcious) and am feeling better.  This next one is to treat Atrial Flutter or AFlu to the cognoscenti.  

AFIB VS AFLU

Symptom Atrial fibrillation Atrial flutter rapid pulse rate usually rapid usually rapid irregular pulse always irregular can be regular or irregular dizziness or fainting yes yes palpitations or feeling like the heart is racing or pounding yes yes shortness of breath yes yes weakness or fatigue yes yes chest pain or tightness yes yes increased chance of blood clots and stroke yes yes
This one, the Atrial Fluctuation (I think) surgery, as seen in the chart above,  involves sticking a catheter in my thigh and snaking it into my other atrium.  I guess that one was less damaged.  I'm not a doctor, nor have I played one on TV, but I've been told they'll zap that bad boy and that should take care of the problem. Please, Lord, guide their hands and let it be so.  In any case, peace out, y'all!  *For those of you that haven't read details of the accident that almost killed Mrs J and I, they can be found at that link.

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