Last Wednesday I shared about my heart disease called: Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy which leaves me with virtually no energy. Evidently, my transparency was appreciated as a number of you have shared with me your thoughts and stories about your health.
So today the rest of my story.
During an exam many years ago my Doctor, while listening to my heart asks? “Have you always had a heart murmur?”
“No, that’s Brady my oldest son,” I responded.
But, I did have a heart murmur and that led to the discovery of my HCM. In 1993 I hooked up with my dad’s cardiologist and started treating my symptom which was simply shortness of breath.
In 1997 after a visit to the Mayo Clinic on an unrelated issue my first pacemaker was installed for my HCM and it helped.
But, in 2002 my HCM decided my vacation was over and manifested itself in an episode of A-Fib – Arterial Fibrillation – a very rapid heartbeat.
My A-Fib led to several trips in an ambulance, being “coded” twice (fortunately because of misdiagnoses) three cardioversions (again fortunately under sedation, so, NO paddles!) two ablations where the doctor’s tried to fix my problem by redirecting signals in my heart and finally to an AV Node Ablation five years ago that connected my ventricle to my pacemaker thus making heartbeat totally dependant on my pacemaker for the balance of my life.
Unfortunately, my shortness of breath and lack of energy got progressively worse forcing my KU doctors to put me into their Heart Failure Protocol two years ago. After exhausting all of KU’s options we traveled to the Cleveland Clinic a month ago.
Cleveland verified all of KU’s findings and then tested me for their Septal Myectomy a surgery used for HCM patients only after all other options have failed.
This will be open heart surgery designed to create more room for blood to pool. After opening my chest the surgeon works through the aorta and carves out as much of the wall thickness as possible thus allowing for more blood to be pumped throughout my body.
Recovery from open heart surgery is typically 3 to 6 months, but with more blood flowing throughout my body, I’m hopeful for an even quicker recovery. The Doctor said I could play golf in 8 weeks, so that’s my plan!
That, of course, is a very simple explanation of what’s planned. The best news is my surgeon is a pioneer in this procedure and has done this many times. He is optimistic about a successful outcome.
And, since I am convinced this is God’s plan for me what I need from you are prayers reminding him to pay attention to me on August the fourth!
I am Steve Sauder
