Posted by Carl Plaskett on May 29, 2002 at 21:24:57:
In Reply to: Worried in NC posted by John Brown on May 29, 2002 at 20:21:38:
John: Since you have visited us before, you have undoubtably read Dave Funderburg's detailed accounts of his experience with Dr. Burton, who I believe has done well over 70 maze procedures to date. I don't believe you could make any better decision than to have him do the procedure.
As far as being worried, I am sure ALL of us were worried about what seems like (and IS), serious surgery. Nevertheless, weigh what life has been like with Afib and the drugs, and what it is likely to become as time passes, against what it is likely to become when you are afib-free. I focused on being in NSR, like the 2 mazers I visited at the CC just before my procedure, and only 5 days after their surgeries. Seeing them and getting the support of the few people who had posted on this board in it's 4 month existance prior to my maze, made me sure that I had made a great decision.
Not everyone is as fortunate as I, and many others, in being able to leave the hospital afib-free for good. There have been some folks who have taken months to have their heart rate stabilize. Most are free of afib shortly after surgery, and a few have needed touch-up flutter ablations, which are quite routine to have performed.
There even have been a few who have had what you might describe as "real problems", such as infections, post surgical bleeding, but they have, with very few exceptions, completely recovered.
We will be thinking of you and praying for your return to the life of NSR come June 19.
You might set up a patient page at: www.thestatus.com so someone in your family can provide updates which all of your friends and associates can read and respond with messages to you.
Good luck!
- Re: Worried in NC Bob McKee 22:13:19 5/29/2002 (0)