Tag: heart

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Cardioversion

While it’s been a while since there has been an update on my journey, things are still happening. The latest has been a cardioversion yesterday, July 15, 2025. I’ve asked a guest author to explain. 

Dearest gentle reader,

It has come to this author’s attention that a most intriguing procedure has been the subject of much whispered curiosity amongst the ton—one known as cardioversion. Allow me to illuminate the facts, as only Lady Whistledown can.

When the heart, that most steadfast of organs, loses its rhythm and begins to dance to an irregular beat—most dreadfully termed atrial fibrillation or its cousins—the esteemed physicians of our society may recommend what can only be described as a positively strawberry, vanilla strawberry French toast or anything like that in there as well instead an egg over easy, bacon, sausage, bacon shocking intervention[1][3][7].

On the appointed morning (no later than seven-thirty, for scandal despises tardiness), our patient arrives at the institution of modern medicinal achievement, having forbidden themselves food, drink, or even the slightest dab of lotion since midnight—lest it interfere with the orchestrations to come[1][3].

With due ceremony, intravenous lines are introduced, the patient draped in dignity and electrodes, and—most crucially—granted the mercy of a gentle slumber by skilled hands[7][5]. As somnolence claims the patient, the doctors deploy their external paddles (not entirely dissimilar to a fencing duel, but for the heart), sending a carefully measured current through the chest[1][3][7]. A single jolt, or sometimes more, is often sufficient to restore the heart’s beat to its proper tempo. The entire affair, readers, often concludes in mere minutes, leaving barely a hair out of place as the patient awakens, memory mercifully blank, and the prospects for renewed vitality much improved[1][3][7].

The aftermath? The patient is forbidden from driving carriages—or their modern equivalents—making critical decisions, or imbibing spirits for the rest of the day. Indeed, propriety dictates an escort be arranged in advance to whisk the convalescent safely home[1][3].

Thus, dear reader, the scandalous irregularities of the heart are remedied—not with tonics or ton gossip—but with science, precision, and a little electrical intrigue. How titillating.

Yours truly,
Lady Whistledown

FYI it was successfully!

Sources: [1][3][7]

Sources
[1] Cardioversion | University of Ottawa Heart Institute https://www.ottawaheart.ca/test-procedure/cardioversion
[2] What do you hope they do about the Lady Whistledown narration? https://www.reddit.com/r/BridgertonNetflix/comments/1ecv1fi/what_do_you_hope_they_do_about_the_lady/
[3] Cardioversion therapy – Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada https://www.heartandstroke.ca/heart-disease/treatments/surgery-and-other-procedures/cardioversion-therapy
[4] Metaphors and Their Meanings in Lady Whistledown’s Utterances in … https://kneopen.com/kne-social/article/view/10625/9746
[5] Cardioversion: Procedure, Treatment & Recovery – Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/16952-electrical-cardioversion
[6] Bridgerton: Why The Show Reveals Lady Whistledown Earlier Than … https://screenrant.com/bridgerton-lady-whistledown-identity-reveal-early-books/
[7] Electrical Cardioversion | Johns Hopkins Medicine https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/electrical-cardioversion
[8] Let’s Discuss the Bridgerton Finale’s Whistledown Reveal – Vulture https://www.vulture.com/article/bridgerton-finale-lady-whistledown-reveal.html
[9] Cardioversion – Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/cardioversion/about/pac-20385123
[10] Bridgerton: Why Julie Andrews Is The Voice Of Lady Whistledown … https://screenrant.com/bridgerton-julie-andrews-lady-whistledown-voice-explained/

Courtesy of Preplexity :

Write an explanation of the cardioversion procedure in the voice of Lady Whistledown from the Bridgerton series.

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Ketchup

The AI assistant thinks the tile of this post should be “My Ongoing Health Journey: Updates and Challenges”. Not bad but I like “Ketchup” better. 🤣

For some reason I’ve been procrastinating about keeping the Journey blog up to date so this post is to catch up. While the Journey blog has been quiet, my Journey has been quite busy, too busy.

Well, where did I leave off? By the Numbers was a bit boring with just a recount of blood work numbers. Cardio Chron was a simple list of dates around the heart surgery.

While the heart surgery went well it didn’t accomplish all the goals. There was a plan for bypassing three arteries but only two were possible. As they had expected the radiation from the cancer treatment had damaged the area needed for the third bypass. The left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is a measurement of how much blood the left ventricle pumps out of the heart with each beat. My Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction (LVEF) prior to any treatment was 59-60, a decent normal range. After chemotherapy my LVEF dropped to about 55 and then with some bike work recovered up to 57. After the heart surgery my LVEF is estimated to be 35-45. There are various opinions if this function can recover. While waiting on the recovery, my heart is running at sub-capacity which limits my cardiac abilities.

Shortly after getting home I fell in the kitchen. I passed out briefly due to postural hypotension. This triggered a 911 call and next thing know I’m back in the hospital. Shortly after this I develop a chest infection in the area of the heart surgery incision. This requires a lot of antibiotics both in hospital and at home over 5 months to get under control.

Next is yet another side-effect of the bypass surgery, fluid collection in a pocket at the bottom of my left lung. They call it pleural effusion. I get referred to a lung specialists and have several litres of fluid drained off in his office over a couple of visits. This fluid is compressing my left lung and shows no sign of stopping so I get referred to a thoracic surgeon.

The thoracic surgeon proposes a pleurodesis surgery. The surgery goes well and appears to work. At his point I’m hopeful this is the last “thing” and I’ll recover and stop seeing doctors and hospitals. However, another “complication” arises and I’m frustrated that my heath issues just never seem to end. This is certainly testing my faith and it’s getting harder to trust in God’s goodness and healing powering my life.

I get a cough, shortness of breath, and difficulty breathing when laying flat. I consult with the thoracic surgeon and he’s not concerned. The impression is that this is typical and will resolve on its own. As it persists I consult with the lung specialist who basically says he can’t do anything and I should stick with the thoracic surgeon’s advice/help.

Things continue to get worse with cough, shortness of breath, and I’m easily exhausted by even minor activities. I’m getting worried and at one point I call everyone I can think of to try and get some help. Feels like I’m pushing the panic button. Finally I consult my GP. He is pretty sure it’s pneumonia and starts me on antibiotics and requests a chest X-ray. The X-ray shows it’s a pretty bad case of double pneumonia and congestive heart failure (CHF).

The antibiotics start helping within a couple of days and my coughing is subsiding and I can breath a bit easier. Still quite tired and breathless on exertion. I’m left wondering when and if this will correct itself. Feeling a bit helpless with not being able to do very much physical activity.

The rower is idle, no energy or breath to workout.
I’m just supposed to rest and recover.

I get a referral to my cardiologist regarding the CHF. He will likely request an echocardiogram of the heart and then prescribe some form of treatment. A May 6th appointment is lined up.

Stay tuned for more excitement on The Journey.

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Journey: The Cardiac Edition

In the beginning, the Journey was about the Lymphoma cancer diagnosis. In the last year it has expanded to cover some other health issues. Today, we really move into the “Cardiac Edition” with the kickoff to heart surgery.

We’re up at 6am and off to St. Boniface Hospital for a 7:30 am meeting with the Cardiac Pre-Operative Assessment Clinic team. For those of you interested skipping to the outcome, click here, otherwise read on.

The team is a nurse, ECG tech, a nurse practitioner and the cardiac anesthesiologist.

The nurse confirms all my basic info, records height & weight, temperature, blood pressure (sitting & standing). All my medications and vitamins are reviewed and recorded. The contents of the pre-op package of printed material is reviewed. Special attention is given to what I need to do the night before and the morning of the surgery. Blood is collected for testing and an ECG is performed. The last test is to get a chest x-ray on the way out of the hospital.

The nurse practitioner confirms my medical history and confirms in more detail all my medications. She reviews all my symptoms related to the heart issue. She performs a physical examination. In addition to discussing the surgery she reviews what to expect post-surgery and highlights of the recovery process. The recovery is quite lengthy with the sternum that they cut open healing in about three months. There is a lot of detail on exercises you need to do both in hospital and after discharge to give me the best outcome. Lots of things you can’t do for quite a while, like basically don’t use your arms because it, stresses the sternum which is trying to heal. No pushing, pulling, lifting, no driving for 4 to 6 weeks, etc. etc. I’ll need to get used to asking for help and letting others do quite a bit of stuff. Deep breathing and walking seem to be key exercises.

The cardiac anesthesiologist shares his understanding of my situation gleaned from my hospital history files and his consultation with the nurse practitioner. He explains more about the nitty gritty of the surgery, the risks and benefits and answers all our questions.
He feels that I’m an excellent candidate and will do well in my recovery.

Summary:

  • I’m on the cardiac surgery wait list and flagged as “urgent”.
  • I will get a phone call with the date of the surgery. The date is likely to be “within days to a couple of weeks”.
  • The phone call is likely to be on a Friday morning with a date in the following week.
  • I’ve completed all the pre-op testing.
  • Surgery is typically 3-5 hours.
  • Hospital stay is typically 5-7 days
  • Full recovery is over the following 3+ months

Just waiting for the phone call with the surgery date.

At this point we are both feeling quite overwhelmed with the enormity of the journey ahead but we are also relieved and encouraged that things are moving ahead quickly. Our God is good.

Ps 91:2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

More details

Cardiac Sciences Program website for additional information and videos including:

Your Heart, Your Health A Patients Guide To Heart Surgery – YouTube –

Patient guide to heart surgery book: https://cardiacsciencesmb.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/PatientGuidetoHeartSurgeryEnglish.pdf

Heart and stroke “Living well with heart disease” book

Moving safely after heart surgery pdf/book