Sorry we didn't get to post anything yesterday after the procedure. It was a long day for all of us and Melinda was too tired by the time they got back to the motel to even turn on the computer. The lack of sleep the night before the procedure had a little to do with that. Friday morning started early since we had to be at the hospital at 7 AM. To be honest I was ready to get it over with.
We started with a stop by the lab for a last minute ProTime before heading up to the EP department. We got there before the staff did so we had to be let into the waiting room by someone else. After a 30 minute or so wait a nurse came to get me (I tried to hide but it didn't work). They took us to a prep area and the fun began. They had me undress and put on a hospital gown about the size of a washcloth. They shaved a little here and a little there (we'll just leave it at that). Then they started an IV and without warning said lets walk over to the EP lab. Melinda and I didn't realize we were separating until about mid-hallway. We had about enough time for a quick uncertain glance and a brief kiss and they led me away.
The EP lab was like something from a sci-fi movie. The room was already full of people going about different tasks and they had some music playing. In the middle of the room was a table they told me to lay on. I didn't get a chance or have the desire to check out much else, I just kept reciting 2 Timothy 1:7 to myself. There were 6 large flat computer displays above the table and several more computers setup in various areas of the room. Once I laid down I was immediately surrounded by 3 or 4 people doing one thing or another. I expected the EP lab to be cool from what I had read from others who had an ablation but I didn't expect it to be like a freezer. I began to shiver uncontrollably and mentioned it to the staff once or twice. They said they were about to cover me with a heavy sterile sheet but before they could one nurse told me she was going to give me some medication to help me relax and that is about the last thing I remember. I'm not sure but I think I might remember Dr. Natale coming in.
I do remember waking up slightly a couple of times during the procedure. They use conscious sedation, not general anesthesia, so it is more a matter of what you remember and what you don't. They had a mouth guard in my mouth probably to allow insertion of a temperature probe into my esophagus. About all I remember is that my throat was dry and because of the mouth guard I could not swallow. I kept trying to verbalize my concern but it came out more like grunts. The response I got was "We can hear you Dave, we are almost done. Try not to talk right now". I'm guessing this was followed up fairly quickly with another dose of meds to put me back into la-la land.
The next thing I remember was waking up I think still in the EP lab with several people removing all the various electrodes and patches that had been stuck on me. Then they rolled me back into the prep room where I was reunited with my family. They had to remove the sheaths from the catheter insertion sites. The one in the neck was pretty uncomfortable but fortunately I was still under some sedation. Then I was rolled from the prep room to a room in the cardiac care unit with family in tow. Along the way we ran into Dr. Natale. He stopped for a moment to talk to Melinda and explained the procedure went well and that besides isolating the pulmonary veins he found and ablated one other site that was a possible trigger source for AF.
The rest of the day was spent in a hospital room under constant monitoring. I was very much out of it for that afternoon. Dr. Natale stopped by later in the evening and explained that the additional site was in the coronary sinus and that it was a source for PACs (Premature Atrial Contractions) which are common triggers for AF. Other than that he said the procedure was very straightforward. This had to be close to a 12-hour day for Dr. Natale.
The night was as sleepless as I remembered from my earlier hospital stay in Michigan. It didn't help that I was right across from the nurses station - I think I can recite the order for Chinese food that was called in about 11:30 PM. But let me say that everyone that was involved with my care at Marin General was top notch.
Well that is enough for now. Next post I'll cover the discharge day.
Dave
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2 comments:
Thank you so much for the detailed description. You made your experience interesting and clear. I am surprised you were feeling up to posting so soon after surgery.
Anne
I wanted to post from the hospital but my family thought that would be a little ambitious. I was very much out of it the afternoon of the procedure but feeling better by evening. It was then I realized that the day had been equally as long and probably more stressfull for my wife. It didn't take much encouragement to get her to go back to the motel and rest. Thankfully our daughter and fiance were nearby and picked her up from the hospital.
Dave
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