02/09/2026
**UPDATE on my cardiac ablation surgery on February 6th**
Hello everyone, just wanted to say thank you so much for all the prayers and support! I believe strongly in the power of prayer. I have been sharing my story in order to advocate for others & pass on knowledge. Knowledge is power. Women's health & especially women's heart health needs to be advocated for more.
Surgery went well. It will take three months to know if it was successful as it takes that long for the heart to heal. This surgery was no joke...whew. Medical advances have come a long way. It is amazing that they can be inside your heart actually poking a hole in part of it and scarring another part to stop the Afib and you can go home the same day. 🤯 A surgical nurse warned me that the surgery room would be filled with a crowd of people and it would feel like they were all coming at me at once. The room looked like something out of a futuristic movie with all the high technology equipment surrounding the surgical bed and room. I counted at least 12 medical staff for sure, but I know there were more running around in there. Sensors all over my back and front. 5 IV's in me (not sure why). They went into my heart's atria through my groin. Entered one atria chamber & poked a hole through to the other side to enter into that atria chamber where they found the places that cause Afib & scarred them in order to stop them from functioning abnormally. Recovery at first was painful not going to sugarcoat it at all. It felt like someone was sitting on my chest & the groin area was painful, plus my throat from intubation. Then nausea. For a while it felt like I was sick with a flu as I was weak, clammy, wobbly etc... I am much better now. Still having some chest heaviness off and on. Weakness a bit and dizziness. Headache nagging on. But, I'm improving. I'm on a blood thinner for 3 months while my heart heals. The surgery puts me at high risk for blood clots. I'm restricted from lifting for a while or exerting myself.
This is not a cure as there is no cure yet. But, this is a control procedure. The hope is to get many years of relief from the Afib with RVR with this surgery. I will always have my tachycardia issues, but can control that with some medication.
Listen to your heart & body. Advocate for yourself! If the doctors aren't listening then change your doctors. I did! 👍
