{matters of the heart} an update

It's been awhile since I've updated this blog with my heart condition. That's because there are days that I really just don't want to talk about it. However, I have gotten a lot of good reception to me sharing my story through this blog, so I'm going to continue. So many of you shared with me that you loved reading my thoughts and about my experience. I appreciate that so much. I was so scared to share that deeply personal story of last January with you. Not many people knew about it, and many of you said things like "I knew you had a hard time, but I had no idea it happened like that." Thank you for loving and supporting me.

To update you on what's been going on with my heart, I had a defibrillator implanted on November 6. For those of you who don't know what that is, it's a small device that was implanted just above my left breast. If my heart stops beating, it will shock it back into rhythm. You know the shocking machines on Grey's Anatomy and other medical shows? Picture that on a smaller scale. A lot of people have been asking if I feel better since having it done, but it doesn't make me feel better. It's just there literally to save my life if I go into cardiac arrest. As for increasing my heart function, it doesn't do that, but we have found something that will.

At my last visit with my regular cardiologist, we met with a Heart Transplant Coordinator and began the process of talking about those options for me. However, the arrhythmia doctor who implanted the defibrillator felt that he had another option that would help me. It's called a Cardiac Contractility Modulation Device...also called an Optimizer. They have been doing a clinical trial with this device, and it's been proved to be very successful with the trial patients. I was unsure about it at first, because, let's face it...this is a LOT to take in all at once. I just want to be a mama and teach kids and bake cupcakes now and then. If this device can improve my quality of life, then I'm on board. I'm tired all the time. I have days where I am so weak, and I wake up feeling like I'm about to cough my lungs up every morning. This device is supposed to decrease my fatigue and shortness of breath and make me feel better. If you want to read more about how the device works, here's the link to the company's website. I have to have some labs done and wear a heart monitor for 24 hours before I can get this device implanted, so I'm going to see about setting those appointments up soon. Hopefully we can do this procedure right before Christmas break so that I can recover during the Christmas vacation from school and return in January. If this device is successful for me, then that means I don't have to get a heart transplant, and that is truly an answered prayer...or PRAYERS because I know how many of you have been praying for me. :)

Nobody ever wants to have to deal with health problems, but I must say that I have had an AMAZING support system in my family, friends, and co-workers. I'm so grateful for all of you. Thank you isn't enough.

Common questions and answers about heart failure...

What is heart failure?
Chronic Heart Failure, or CHF occurs when the heart is unable to pump sufficient blood to meet the needs of the body. Doctors index heart strength by a parameter called the Ejection Fraction (EF). A normal EF is greater than 55%, but in CHF, it typically falls to values less than 45-50%. FYI - mine has been as low as 20% but was most recently measured at 30%.

What are the symptoms?
Common symptoms of heart failure include shortness of breath, fatigue, weakness, persistent coughing and difficulty performing everyday tasks such as grocery shopping or climbing stairs. Another sign of heart failure is the accumulation of fluids in the legs, feet, abdomen, lower back and lungs. I have every single one of them. I didn't make it to church this morning because of a severe cough. I struggle with fluid retention and have to take a ridiculous amount of Lasix daily.

Information from the Impulse Dynamics website.