Anyone on here had heart surgery??

[anoki]

I just found out today that my riding coach (who has been such a good friend and is like my second mom) is going to have to have heart surgery.....

: needless to say I am a little freaked out.

She has a condition where the electrical synapses (I don't know if that is the correct terminology, but it's something like that) aren't firing properly. So they have to go in, make her heart do this, so they can determine where exactly the problem is......

Anyone else know of someone who has had this operation or problem??

They say she is lucky that her heart muscle hasn't been damaged and that she is in great shape physically.....but they are sure this is all coming back to the initial problem with the removal of her parathyroid glands...... :no:

~kathryn

 

[Miniv]

Kathryn,

Don't get too upset yet.......There are different kinds of heart surgeries. One is more invasive and one is not.

The "Open Heart" version is obviously more invasive, but still, the outcome is amazing. My dad had one YEARS ago when it wasn't as common and he came out beautifully - even though he was not a great candidate.

The least invasive is when they do a small incision and slide a shunt up an artery to open things up.

I've also have a dear friend who has had BOTH types of surgeries. And he's back to doing commercial construction now. (He really shouldn't be, but he is.)

Please don't panic. My dad had a triple-bypass open heart, and he lived for over 20 years after.

I suspect that your riding coach is having a version of the least invasive kind......and I'm sure she'll come out of it just great.

MA

 

[NMMack]

Modern Medicine is Marvelous!!

It sounds like she could be having an Ablation - where they can correct the heart muscle to fix the electrical problem, or she might also be having an ICD installed. (Implanted Cardioverter Defibrillator)

If it is an ICD, she should be back up and running in very short order. Because of 2 heart attacks, and Cardiomyopathy I had electrical problems too, and had to have one implanted, and it changes your life very little. It is amazing what they can do for people now, and how soon you are back up and running again! It is like having your own Guardian Angel on your shoulder, so it gives you a great sense of protection!

:

I am sure she will appreciate your concern, I will be sending good thoughts and prayers too! Please let us know how things go?

Nancy

 

[anoki]

Thanks!!!! She knows I am concerned.....I look after the barn for them (and I've worked for them for 10 years), so I know she knows I am worried about her!!!

:

Nancy,

From what she was telling me this morning, it sounds like it could be an Ablation....she said they have to go in and cause her heart to not 'snap through' properly then kill the part of the muscle that isn't working properly......but I don't know what the procedure is called. She is waiting to meet with a surgeon, which will *hopefully* be soon!!!

They don't know for sure why this is happening, though as I said before, she had all of her parathyroids removed (not intentionally), and they are starting to wonder if that is what is in some way causing it.....

~kathryn