Atrial Fibrillation - Round Two...

Scott is the picture of health, he's always been fit and trim and rarely gets sick, so the fact that he has atrial fibrillation doesn't seem to fit. (Atrial fibrillation is a particular type of heartbeat (arrhythmia) characterized by an extremely fast irregular rhythm.) Three years ago he had an ablation (Catheter ablation is a procedure used to selectively destroy areas of the heart that are causing a heart rhythm problem. During this procedure, thin, flexible wires are inserted into a blood vessel and threaded up through the blood vessel and into the heart under X-ray guidance. Then, your doctor will find the tiny areas that are causing the rhythm problem. The wires are used to send energy to those areas in the heart. This energy is in the form of heat or freezing cold. The heat or cold destroys, or ablates, the heart tissue. Destroying this tissue can cure your heart rhythm problem.) and we'd hoped his heart would be fixed forever.  In January the irregular heart beat was back and he knew he needed to have the doctor check it out. 

The tender mercies of the Lord, which are abundant in our life, has made this process easier.  Jeremy is the director over the CARMA (Comprehensive Arrhythmia Research and Management Center) at the University of Utah Hospital.  This issue is especially touchy because of Scott's job.  The first time he received treatment, the FAA pulled his medical endorsement and required documentation for the doctor that his heart was functioning properly.  Scott didn't want to raise any red flags this time until he knew for sure he needed another ablation.  Jeremy was able to have Scott be enrolled in the research at the CARMA center as a "John Doe" and have the evaluations he needed to have done completed without having to notify the FAA.  Once it was determined that Scott did need a second ablation, which is actually very common for those with atrial fibrillation, then he notified Skywest and the FAA.

Few are the men that can be happy being at home all day with small children.  After his last procedure,  he was able to work in the office at the airport.  There have been changes in short-term disability and he cannot earn any additional income this time around.  I told him the timing is perfect- it's the beginning of summer and we can have the greatest three months boating, staying at Scofield, going to Lake Powell, camping, and finishing up all the yard landscaping and projects.  I cannot imagine if this were like November and we were stuck inside for months... that would not be good for anyone.  Again, another tender mercy - the timing couldn't be better.

Scott's procedure was scheduled for Monday, May 17th.  A few days before I noticed a Google search on the computer "chances of death from heart ablation."  I felt sad that Scott was worrying about actually dying from the procedure.  The chances of death are exceedingly rare, but I guess that very small percentage seems monumental when you are the one having it done.

Mom watched the boys so that I could be with Scott.  Grandma always comes up with fun activities for the boys.  This time it was a treasure hunt.  She gave them each a bag and a list of things they could find outside.

As is usually the case, Scott had to wait four hours before he was finally taken back.  Annoying as it was to wait that long, the chance to have a minimally interrupted conversation for that long was incredibly nice.  The time spent waiting for Scott's procedure to be finished was the time my thoughts were spent reflecting on what really matters.  Those are the moments when the picture is really clear- when all of the little distractions of life that seem to consume so much of our thoughts and time fall away.  Life without Scott would be unbearable.  I hope that nothing ever happens to him and that we grow old together and find joy in watching our children grow and mature.  To quote the all-wise Winne-the-Pooh, "“If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day so I never have to live without you.”

Thankfully, all went well.  Scott is on the mend and the care he has received is far superior to his previous experience.  At this point he is well enough that I noticed he'd done a Google search, "help wanted, Provo."  If I ever want to know what's really on Scott's mind, I can just look at the "history" on his Google searches- it reveals all.