248

Your heart is as big as one fist. I remember learning that in A&P in college. Its one of those interesting facts that seem to mysteriously tie one part of your body to the rest. Like that whole arm length thing: your complete armspan is as long as you are tall. There are many little mysteries riddled throughout our bodies.

248. That was how fast my heart was beating this Sunday morning. 248 beats a minute. I have Wolff Parkinson White Syndrome. It hit when I was in my teens and I was running around the gym at school. These fast heratbeat episodes have happened so many times now that I have given up counting. I will be sitting playing cards, playing drums, digging in the garden, shoveling the driveway, about to get up and play guitar, or even while I am sleeping, and my heart will whir up to hyper speed. "It doesn't hurt." I tell who ever is around me, and they look on in amazement. I always have to try to get to the hospital. Nine times out of ten it ends way before I get there. Actually, it has only lasted until I got to the hospital three times. The first it stopped right as they were about to give me some sort of medicine, I don't remember which. The second time I was with my dad and I made it to the hospital in Gardner They hit me with one of the worst experiences I have had... Adenosine. They shot it into the IV and I felt like I was going to explode... massive pressure in my limbs built over ten seconds till I felt like I was going to literally pop. Then it dissapated as quickly as it built.

This Sunday I was ready to start playing guitar in church when I felt that whir in my chest again. It had been a while. It had only happened once since I had my operation six years or so ago. I kinda thought I might have been cured. I think that may be the worst thing about having this last attack. I am meeting with the cardiologist that performed my first surgery this Thursday afternoon. Oddly, that is the same day that Jenny is going in for a small surgery. This episode was one of the longest I have ever had. It lasted a full two hours. I immediately went outside... something I always have the impulse to do. When I got out there, my friend, who happens to be a doctor, was just coming into the church. He pretty much told me he was taking me to the hospital. I got to UMASS and went straight into the ER. One of the things that I hate the most about making it to the hospital is the gawking. My room, at times, was completely packed with doctors. They all want to see my heart monitor. I even heard a couple gasp... 248 is a pretty fast heartbeat. Its not my whole heart that is going that fast, just the top part... I was told that if it ever caught the bottom of my heart up in the rhythm I might be a gonner....They tried three times with Adenosine... three horrible times. Each time, nothing happened. My heart just kept right on going. Finally, it came down on its own  just after they had started a new type of medicine that was supposed to take it down gradually.

I have this awful feeling that Dr. Rosenthall, my heart surgeon, is going to offer to practice his trade on me again. My last operation took double the time that they thought it would, about six hours. My nerve is nicely located in the back of my heart, making it very difficult to snip... or burn as it is.  They didn't get it. They were frustrated when they told me. Not super happy about these prospects. I am... nervous... (bad pun I know).

Having WPW is not the best either. I have no idea when it will hit. Driving with the kids? Teaching? On vacation? Now?  As I am writing this a commercial from St. Judes Children's Hospital is on TV. I know that what I have doesn't hold a candle to some of these other diseases. I am not terminal by any means. It is just not pleasant, and I wish it was gone....... without having to face another surgery.

db