Scared Straight

John has a heart arrhythmia called atrial fibrillation that has been well controlled with medication for several years.  This week he went back into this irregular rhythm in the middle of the night.  Yikes!  We just couldn't believe it had happened again.  He called his cardiologist and he said if his heart rate did not straighten out by 7 am on Friday, that they would have to cardiovert him.  This involves putting shock paddles on his cheat and while under anesthesia (thank goodness) they shock and stop his heart briefly.  The hope is when his heart restarts that the rate will go back to normal.  Having all those jolts put through your system is not fun but it sure beats the alternative. 

Friday morning his heart was still beating very irregular.  So, we went to the doctors office. In the elevator I checked  his rate again.  It was still irregular.  The technician came in and asked lots of questions and then did an EKG.  She left and said that the procedure would happen in a few minutes.  John sat up on the exam table after she left and said "you know what...I think I'm back to normal".  And, he was!  Thank goodness!  So, you could say he was scared straight  into a normal rhythm.  That certainly was great news and just in the nick of time.  We left the office with big smiles on our faces.