I apologize for being absent the last few weeks. About six weeks ago, I was in the car ready to head out for a nice drive in the Sierras with friends and my dogs. We had a picnic lunch packed and even some wine from a local vineyard. And then, the oleanders at the other side of my front lawn attracted my attention.
"Wait just a minute," I... Read more
Whenever I go to a doctor, I expect a clean bill of health. In this, I suspect I'm not very different from most people. Even if a symptom is bothering me and I've managed to convince myself that it's serious - the stomach ache that means cancer, the dizzy spell that means stroke (you know, the self-diagnoses we make when our worrywart minds... Read more
The first thing I noticed about atrial fibrillation had nothing to do with my heart or chest. The first thing I noticed was that my lips for some reason felt tingly. I would only notice this in the evenings, when I had settled down and was watching television. My lips would have a strange cold, stingy sensation. After a couple of... Read more
Last time, I talked about cardioversions, and their purpose. In today's blog, I'll talk about my own cardioversion.
Once I was given the diagnosis of Atrial Fibrillation as the reason for my breathlessness and strange feelings in my chest, I decided to go to a cardiologist who specialized in irregular rhythms called an... Read more
We've all seen the dramatic scene, which is almost required for any heart patient on House, Grey's Anatomy, and even General Hospital ...shocking an unconscious patient back to life with "the paddles."
"Clear!" shouts the doctor. Paddles applied. Patient jumps. Everyone looks worriedly at the monitor. Flat line. "Clear!" shouts the doctor... Read more
