02 03 The Next Step: I've got rhythm.... 04 05 15 16 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 31 32 33

I've got rhythm....

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     My heart pounds, skips and races most of the time and keeps me from sleeping--I’m thrilled to get a solid 45 minutes before the sudden pounding begins, and keeps me awake for hours in the middle of the night.
Nooo...not the paddles!
     Last Monday, I’d gotten medication to help my hopping heart and with high hopes went to sleep only to be awakened an hour later with the usual pounding. This time it felt a bit different--like a floppy-jello fish was in my chest instead of the usual blunt-beaked-spasmodic woodpecker. The medication warning said to seek medical attention when irregular heartbeat occurred, so with frustration and hesitancy, I headed to the ER.
     A quick EKG later, I learned floppy-jello fish was really atrial fibrillation (I've known for years that blunt-beaked-spasmodic woodpecker was PVCs.) and I needed cardio conversion.  They tried medication, but that didn’t work. So, I was admitted to the hospital and allowed nothing to eat so that they could shock my heart back into rhythm the next morning...the dreaded paddles. My high hopes of a much needed night of sleep were dashed as my heart quivered and flopped and set off alarms. Seriously, how could anyone sleep with the thought of the impending shock of paddles?
     Twelve hours later, after prayers, chocolate milk and a bit of medication, the rhythm returned and I did not have to get paddled.

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