Dancing With AFib- 3

"It has a mind of its own."
That's what Dr. Wonderful says of the Afib. 

That's for sure.

So a couple of weeks ago, after giving a client a strenuous lomilomi session in a hot room, I treated myself with a visit to  Salon Vanity for cut and color by my magical stylist. I was peacefully relaxing, while Lori Ann, with the magic hands,  was touching up my roots, when all of a sudden, there it was- AFib, arriving unceremoniously while my hair was dripping with dye.

Not a good look, I thought.

I vowed to myself, that if I had to go the ER this time, it would be after the color process was at least finished! So, I didn't tell anyone.

Just quietly took the little pill that slows down the beat, and let my hair become beautiful. 

When I realized no ER trip would be necessary,even though my heart was still out of step,  I decided to make my way to my next scheduled stop- phone banking for Hillary. I mean, I'm dedicated.

It was a few blocks to the location, and walking felt weird. Not like I was going to faint or pass out. Just weird. When I stopped,I felt better, so I took my time, stopping when I could.

I knew that if I got to the location, I'd be fine. And I was. Once I sat down and
started making calls, the weirdness of my heart beating out of time seemed to melt into the distance.

Distraction is a good thing, I'm learning.
But, it took four hours, this Afib with its own mind.

And when it stops, also, with no warning, it is like the chest takes a deep breath, and ahhhhh. Back to normal.

Who doesn't love normal?

Dancing with AFib- part 2

Even though Dr. Wonderful told me I could keep dancing, it took us a bit to work that out.

My first "episode" happened right after a dance class. Well, it was also a sweltering, humid  summer day and the air was thick when I walked out of the studio. I had probably not hydrated enough before class, and consumed a giant highly caffeinated iced coffee right before class.

The good news about spending that night in the hospital, was that they did a lot of tests, and at age 63, I'm pretty darn healthy.

The bad part was that my pulse had gone over 200 and the EMT's had to inject me with medication to lower it, in my apt. Hated the nasty stains on my new blanket, and they left a mess, but I love them- I really do.

I'm here today writing because of those guys. Thank you . Thank you, dear EMTs!!

So the next couple of "episodes" happened during dance class. I was taking a 90 minute tap class first, but the heart started to speed up and go out of rhythm in the second class- hip hop. Twice, I didn't make it through the warm-up.

So, twice I took the meds that Dr. Wonderful prescribed, should I have another episode.  It took some time for my heart beat to slow down but even longer for the irregular rhythm to stop.

Dr. Wonderful, available by phone during both episodes, assured me that "eventually" the heart would go back to normal, and that I had the option to go to the hospital, where they could monitor the irregularity and get more meds.

I preferred to wait. Patience has always been a challenge.

We decided that half a pill before dance class might work.
And it does!!
Hallelujah!

but the episodes are not gone completely....

9/11- Welcoming Angels

I was living in NYC on 9/11, way uptown, pretty far away from Ground Zero. It was almost 11 months since i had lost my daughter, Lisa, almost 19 years old, in a firey car crash along with her two friends, Sean and Amy. So I had already been living with shock and grief for a while.


It was an almost perfect fall morning, until we heard the news. In my Yorkville neighborhood people starting spilling out of their apartments, lining up at hospitals to give blood, only to be turned away after waiting... there would be very few survivors who needed it.

In the days following, NYC was in shock.
In a strange way, I felt like I could help, because I was experiencing my own personal grief- I wanted to help, but there was not much I could do.

 Sometimes the only thing that could be done was to move to the back of a crowded bus. A plane would fly overhead, and everyone would freeze. Another attack? Who knew?

Almost 3000 souls were lost in the attacks of 9/11. I thought then and still do now, that Lisa, Sean, and Amy, were  Angelic Greeters for these new souls stepping into the next world. It gives me comfort that perhaps the 9/11 victims saw their smiling faces and felt their loving hugs.

After death, only the love remains....

Dancing with Afib

It's been a while... a long while. And there's been lots of wandering!

2 years ago, almost to the day, I had my first "episode" of AFib, atrial fibrillation, "an abnormal heart rhythm characterized by rapid and irregular beating," which put me in the hospital overnight.

How ironic! I mean, I'm all about rhythm- I dance!! I do tap, hip hop, tango, salsa...and more!!  I even travel to libraries with a program called "Global Rhythms!"

So how very strange to be feeling so out of rhythm.
Strange and scary.
This can't be happening to me, I thought
But, it did.

So, I now have a cardiologist. I'll call him Dr. Wonderful, because he is, because, when I saw him after my hospital stay, he said these words "You can keep dancing." In face he WANTED me to keep dancing. And so, he is Dr. Wonderful. And I am still dancing!

The episodes have not completely stopped and in future posts, I'd like to talk more about the specifics of how they affect me and how, with my own research, and the help of Dr. Wonderful, I am better able to manage them.

I would love for any other "Afibbers" out there, to share their stories. And I'd appreciate any comments or suggestions.

Best,
Roberta