See. I wasn't joking.
Well, really it's a pacemaker/defibrillator combo, or if you want to get really specific a Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy Device (CRTD).
At my cardiologist appointment in September, I learned my heart hadn't improved in the past year. And with that, I decided that it was time and that I was ready. Plus, my risk of dying was a tad higher than I would prefer (1-10%). (If you're new to this blog or have just forgotten, you can read about my experience with post-partum cardio myopathy here).
So on November 6th, I had a 4.5 hour surgery. What I didn't know before said surgery was that they keep you in "twilight" during it, so I spent the surgery listening to Pandora. I remember waking up at one point during the surgery because my Pandora stopped, and I asked someone to turn it back on. And sadly, the other part I remember is when the defibrillator was being tested and I started crying and saying I hurt. Thankfully, I was knocked out for good shortly after.
My recovery was really difficult. Not because of the pain, but because I was completely helpless. Aside from not being able to lift more than 5 pounds, I also couldn't lift my left arm above my heart – which meant this left-handed girl was helpless (I couldn't even put my hair in a ponytail by myself). And these restrictions were for a month. So Audrey spent the month with her grandparents, and my wonderful friends provided meals every night.
It's been a little more than 2 months since my surgery, and minus a fun ER trip right before Christmas (one of my wires shifted and hit a nerve), I'm doing good.
Even my scar is looking good. My surgeon had me wear a bra to the operating room, from there they traced the strap and sad my incision would be between that. Only a female doctor would think of such awesomeness.
