Checked Your Heart Beat, Lately?

When was the last time that you checked to see if your heart was beating? Up until eight years ago, I am not sure if I hardly knew how or where to even check. But February 17, 2009 my life changed forever.

I was rushed from a Park Nicolett Clinic to Methodist Hospital in a ambulance. After going in for a check-up all the sudden the doors were opened with nurses and doctor told me that I needed to go immediately to Methodist Hospital and they had call an ambulance. They took me to a room and put a 12 lead on to monitor me heart, as soon as the ambulance arrived I was wheeled out on the gurney, put into the vehicle and I was on my way to the ER.

When I arrived they ran a echocardiogram and the test came back that my ejection fraction (a measurement of how much look the left ventricle pumps out with each contraction) was 10%. He told us that my heart was enlarged because of the fluid and that I had a heart value that was leaking. Not such good news. Matter of fact one of the first things he told us was that he had contacted the University of Minnesota and that he was putting me on the heart transplant list. I wasn’t sure is that was better or worst news.

That was February 17, 2009 and now today I am happy to say that I am still alive and functioning. Yes, things have changed a lot in my life and for my family. There have been times through out our almost 39 years in our marriage when we might be in a tough season. At those times I could tell my wife, “Don’t worry, everything is going to be fine”. Well, even that changed that day because of new fears of future and what that would mean moving forward. But with the medications that my cardiologists have me on, for the most part, I have maintained a pretty good quality of life.

Yes, I still battle arrhythmia. It is a condition where my heart will go out of sinus rhythm and will beat irregularly. Why that happens is a mystery to us and the cardiologists.  But it is a reality we live. Just in past 12 months my heart has been out of 35 times, where a episode will last anywhere from 8 to 24 hours usually. But with what I call “my pill in a pocket” it will (the pill) shocks my heart back into rhythm. But if that does not work within a 48 hour period from the time the arrhythmia begins,  I have have a procedure administrated to me called cardioversion.

This procedure is done by a electrocardiologist who places PADDLES on the heart and administrates electronic voltage to shock the heart back into rhythm, hopefuly. This all needs to be done in a timely manner within a 48 hour period from the time the arrhythmia begins. If not there is greater risk of stroke.  Over the years I have had this procedure performed four times, but in the past few. The pill has worked for me every time within the time perimeters that have been set.

So all in all I have been able to maintain a pretty good quality of life. When my heart is functioning and beating right I feel really good. When it isn’t well that is another story. I really just want to do nothing. When I stand I am dizzy and get hot and honestly most the time I just want to go and crawl in bed. I will drive myself crazy at times checking my wrist every few seconds, hoping and praying that my heart will go back in rhythm soon.

So that is why I asked the question, “Have you checked your heart beat lately?”

Yes, I have shared a little of my journey physically. But for you it might not be physical.

What vital sign do you need to check in in your life, leadership, or passion to see if you are healthy and beating right?

Do whatever you have to do to keep it your heart beating, even if it means PADDLES!