Still Here ------ And A Selfie
Good Day. It's the first day of September and in a few short minutes from now, my wife and I are setting out for St. Joseph's Hospital in Atlanta where Dondra will have what is known as an "Ablation".
From Web MD: " Catheter ablation, also called radiofrequency or pulmonary vein ablation, is nonsurgical and is the least invasive. The doctor inserts a thin, flexible tube in a blood vessel in one's leg or neck. Then they guide it to the heart. The doctor uses either heat, cold, or radio energy to scar tissue inside the heart, in the location where the irregular beats are triggered. The treated tissue helps to stop the irregular heartbeat.' in Dondra's case this irregular heartbeat is called atrial fibrillation, or, as it is commonly called, "A-Fib".
This also is the reason you all haven't heard from me of late. We have had so many issues with A-Fib that in one week she needed 3 hospitalizations! Many meds were tried until we found one which worked: Eliquis, which is an anticoagulant - meaning it stops blood clots from forming. Because the drug is so astronomically expensive, we were happy to be able to apply for assistance from Bristol Meyers and were approved for its use just yesterday.
The major complication with the ablation procedure would be if there were a clot present and the catheter were to dislodge it. A CT was done, however, so we don't expect any problems.
Because of her heart condition, Dondra has also not been able to have some crown dental work done and we hope this will now allow this procedure to happen as well.
Before I close, I'm going to show you a couple of pictures: One will show what is supposed to be me looking tired and concerned at my wife's hospital bed, and the other is what a-fib looks like together. Be sure to note the two beats close together.
Me? There's nothing wrong with me you don't already know about. Besides, I'm not the one who's important here.
See you soon and don't forget to click and feed.
Thanks.
Bill
From Web MD: " Catheter ablation, also called radiofrequency or pulmonary vein ablation, is nonsurgical and is the least invasive. The doctor inserts a thin, flexible tube in a blood vessel in one's leg or neck. Then they guide it to the heart. The doctor uses either heat, cold, or radio energy to scar tissue inside the heart, in the location where the irregular beats are triggered. The treated tissue helps to stop the irregular heartbeat.' in Dondra's case this irregular heartbeat is called atrial fibrillation, or, as it is commonly called, "A-Fib".
This also is the reason you all haven't heard from me of late. We have had so many issues with A-Fib that in one week she needed 3 hospitalizations! Many meds were tried until we found one which worked: Eliquis, which is an anticoagulant - meaning it stops blood clots from forming. Because the drug is so astronomically expensive, we were happy to be able to apply for assistance from Bristol Meyers and were approved for its use just yesterday.
The major complication with the ablation procedure would be if there were a clot present and the catheter were to dislodge it. A CT was done, however, so we don't expect any problems.
Because of her heart condition, Dondra has also not been able to have some crown dental work done and we hope this will now allow this procedure to happen as well.
Before I close, I'm going to show you a couple of pictures: One will show what is supposed to be me looking tired and concerned at my wife's hospital bed, and the other is what a-fib looks like together. Be sure to note the two beats close together.
Me? There's nothing wrong with me you don't already know about. Besides, I'm not the one who's important here.
See you soon and don't forget to click and feed.
Thanks.
Bill
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