my journey with a hole in my heart
This month marks one year since finding out I have an ASD! What better way to celebrate than by having a stress test 😛 I headed to ERH early this morning for my test with Dr. D. After putting on a gown and getting all the electrodes and belt attached to me, I was able …
It’s already been two months since my ASD closure and things are going pretty well. I no longer have to see the Interventional Cardiologist (Cardiologist #2) anymore, so I’m down to only one Cardiologist. I saw both of them for a check-up the last week of July, as well as my GP, and I was …
On Tuesday/Wednesday I did my first Holter Monitor test. I went to hospital (ERH) at 2pm and they hooked me up to the device and sent me on my way. I kept a diary of any events that occurred and noted the time they happened. I had chest pain and shortness of breath while walking, heart …
I found an excellent research study that sums up what’s going on with me: Conduction Abnormality and Arrhythmia After Transcatheter Closure of Atrial Septal Defect [pdf] Conclusion: Transcatheter closure of ASD is associated with a transient increase in supraventricular premature beats and a small risk of conduction abnormalities and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation in early follow-up. Transcatheter closure …
I have now been acquainted with heart butterflies, aka, atrial flutter. Let me backtrack… I was still feeling short of breath whenever I’d exert energy, i.e. having a shower or trying on different outfits, and my chest still felt like I was wearing a lead vest, so I called Cardiologist #2, and was able to …
There actually isn’t an elephant in the room, either literally or metaphorically, but it certainly feels like there is one sitting on my chest! Chest elephants, unfortunately, lead to ER visits. I had been recovering quite nicely at home with the help of my mom and sister. However, I think I got a bit too …
Surgery Day finally arrived! My day started at 5am with pre-surgerical instructions to drink a cup of juice at this early (dreadful) hour. 😉 Then I went for a little walk, got ready, and headed to New Westminster with my mom. I got a phone call shortly afterward that they could take me in earlier than …
I had my pre-admission clinic visit yesterday, which I like to refer to as a hospital scavenger hunt. I arrived at the clinic at 9am and was sent off into the depths of the hospital with a map, a pencil, instructions to visit the lab and cardiology department, and told to report back to the …
So I’m getting the device! No open heart surgery for me, assuming all goes as planned. 🙂 I met cardiologist #2 today- the interventional cardiologist, who seemed really great. He answered my long list of questions, from my worries of a nickel allergy, to making sure I could still run a half-marathon with the device. …
I survived another procedure- I had a TEE (transesophogeal echocardiogram) on Friday! However, I had to wait until today to write about my experience, until all the drugs wore off. Note my extremely glazed eyes in the photo on the right! For anyone undergoing the same procedure, please don’t worry! It’s not nearly as scary …