Fixed ?

Spent way too much time thinking about this.  As I type this, it's a lil after 3AM and .. awake and thinking.  When did it actually 'begin' I wonder sometimes.  Or as my heart doc said to me two years ago " I don't understand what caused the infection" .. his exact words.  He corrected himself  and said damage instead of infection .. but .. I think he might have been right the first time.

Back in Mar 2020 a small group of us were in Galveston.  Due to COVID 19, we canx our trip to Nashville and headed to our old beach home. Not soon after, on day 2 or 3, my chest hurt.  I'd told Lucy if felt like someone punched me right there.  I felt off.  But, this was a crazy weekend for us (i.e. 'party') and after a few Bloody Marys then Margaritas...   whatever I was feeling was forgotten, unnoticeable. Then the next day .. all over again.  She told me I must be hungover.  I was adamant  that wasn't the issue... something else was wrong.  Now . did I have COVID 19 back then and it caused this "infection?"  Did something else happen that caused this damage? I'll never know.. but ...  for many months my chest was a notch sore; sort of how it feels right now after surgery.  Exactly how it feels.

Two months later I'd find myself being rushed to the hospital where this all officially began.  I wrote about it >> HERE<< .  I was in the hospital for 48 hours and left with an ICD in my chest.  That thing stayed 'hidden for two years until I had a really bad day and it did it's job almost two years from it's implantation.  I wrote about that one  >>HERE<< .  And for the last several months, I've felt off.  I've continued to have what we have learned to call "episodes".   I get dizzy, light headed, irregular heart beats, BP all over the map ... and ...  made me anxious for the first time in my life.  So much so my doc prescribed me meds for it; she told me pop one if needed!  Only done it once on the way back from Kentucky last month when I found myself on the side of the road, by myself and having an episode thinking "here we go ...  hope someone doesn't find me in a ditch"  Yes.. I actually thought that.  But it did it's job, calmed me down and off I went for another six hours of riding headed home.  This was all really wearing on me.  I know that guys I ride with were concerned for my safety.  Hell, I was concerned for theirs when we were in a group ride.  Two months ago I was on a CVMA Chapter ride when this shit happened ...yep .. wrote about it .. <<HERE>>  .. lol!  Ended up in an ambulance and my Brother Dutch took care of me and took Krush home for me. Also happened several other times but I was able to get through it while on two wheels.  Well now .... the next phase.

Yesterday went in for the Ablation that I posted about <<HERE>>.  Got to be honest; I was a lil nervous.  Reminded my wife where all the important account info was.  Where all the passwords are.  You know...  the 'what if' shit.  Floated around in the pool Monday sipping a few cold ones wondering ...   what if. Yeah ... that crap is depressing; I admit it.  Well, the 'what if' is in the rear view mirror and I'm ready to live life again!

The Ablation procedure lasted about 2.5 hours.  My doc is a stud heart doctor in Dallas and this is his specialty.  They tried this back in May 2020, but he was unable to find the source of the problem so he implanted this ICD in my chest in case of future AFIB issues; only needed it once to date. Yesterday he was able to located the source of the problem in one of the hearts' lower chambers and basically, cauterized them.  The heart then reroutes itself around it basically fixing itself.  Once in the car on the way home felt pretty good.  Went to dinner, then home to watch TV and feeling pretty good.  Well, almost.  Guessing when you sear the heart like a rare piece of meat on the grill, shit happens.  Swelling, bruising, etc.  Anytime I took in a deep breath it hurt; lil weird.  Went to bed early and the real fun began. I'm a side sleeper and lets say that angle wasn't what worked because it felt like a dagger from my neck spinal area to my heart and ....  I found myself pleading for Lucy's help.  After rotating pillows a dozen different ways, lifting the head of the bed and the foot of it ... finally got me in a position that worked and I was back to minimal pain.  Found myself in that exact position at 0300 this morning and got up.  Put the bed down for Lucy and ... here I sit.  BUT.... all that pain from yesterday?  Barely noticeable. I can take a deep breath without pain.  I feel great sitting here with a cup of java.  Now.. yes.. it's sore.. but...   damned I feel alive!   

Good Days Ahead!  Doc says 98% chance this was the fix.  Worst case, I go in one more time for a 'tune up' Ablation procedure and he finds the remaining crap .. if there were any.    But I did get some lessons learned in during the last two years.  And I've made some lifestyle changes thinking they might be the problem.  I turn 62 this month, in fairly good shape, doc says the ticker is rock solid (hard to believe right?) and ... with my Dad rocking it at 84 in great health, I see 25 + more years in my future.  Now.....   just need to leverage this 'win' and get my weight down another notch and .. back in the gym (slowly). 

For those that have stuck with me through this journey, I'm so thankful.  My phone gets busy sometimes with advice, info, worries from a few out there that I love. Feeling Lucky ....  

p.s.  For the dumb fux that spread rumors I had  Heart Attack(s)  ... you're either stupid are just a low life POS.  Yes folks... these type of people exist.