The Heart of the Matter

Ever since I was a teenager, I have had episodes when my heart races.  I had my first cardiologist appointment in high school.  I don't remember him giving me a name for the condition, but then again, I was just a teenager and may not have paid much attention to what he said.  In my 20s, I had a dr. who told me I have svt.  He taught me some things to do to get my heart slowed back to its normal rhythm and that was it.  After Big Brother was born and I was still teaching, I had a lot of stress with some difficult parents in my class.  I was having a lot of episodes so my dr. at the time made me wear a halter monitor.  This monitor found that, during one of the episodes, my resting pulse rate was over 150.  Yikes!  So, he referred me to a cardiologist who ran all kinds of tests on me.  Everything checked out fine, and I knew that once I quit my job, I would be fine.  And I was. For awhile..

Last year, I noticed my heart would "flutter" every so often.  It was weird.  And I am a baby... So, off I went to my primary care dr.  I was strapped up to an EKG, and it came back saying I was having a heart attack! We knew that wasn't the case, but they did send me to a local cardiologist that day.  At that appointment, I was diagnosed with wpw.  I was relieved not to be having a heart attack, and off I went on my merry way!

Since January, I have had a lot of episodes of my heart racing.  When I say a lot, it's been maybe 4 or 5 time.  One time it happened at school.  A teacher came into my office later in the day to ask me to please get myself checked out because she had a friend who died from WPW.  Ok, now you've got my attention...

I made an appointment to see a cardiologist ready for him to tell me that everything was fine.  The appointment did not go exactly as planned.  The dr. told me that because I have had so many episodes, I am at a slight risk for sudden death!  What?!?  Granted, I think it is only a 1% to 2% chance... for that matter, I am sure we're ALL at a slight risk for sudden death from something, right?  Anyway, he told me that I need to have a cardiac ablation. 

I left his office feeling VERY anxious.  I didn't know ANYTHING about this doctor.  I only saw him one time, and already he wanted me to have this procedure?  Was he just seeing dollar signs... Finally, after a few weeks of worrying, I e-mailed the dr. from Memphis (who also went to my high school and graduated with my sister).  She has been SO helpful.  Based on the information she has on my medical background, she feels the cardiac ablation is the right procedure.  She assured me it is very standard... in the right hands.  She even contacted a cardiologist friend of hers who practices at Duke.  That friend gave her the name of the "expert" in this procedure at Duke.  And, do you know what?  I have an appointment with him in May.

Last week, the sermon at church was about not being self reliant, and I asked God to help me learn how to become more dependent on Him.  As I have been researching all of this scary (to me, anyway) medical stuff, I have most certainly been reminded of how little control I have over the details of my life.  I am so thankful for a God who so graciously orchestrates every aspect of my life - fitting every piece of the puzzle together to make a beautiful picture that is for MY ULTIMATE good and His glory!  Praise God!