Posted by Angie on January 30, 2003 at 14:30:22:
In Reply to: Ablation at CC posted by pam sherburne on January 30, 2003 at 00:14:34:
Greetings Pam!
I had a PVA at CC last March. I am female and consider myself completely cured! My procedure took just over 8 hours ... it was a bit longer than usual because of my restlessness and also because my small veins and heart were a bit of a challenge to manuver.
I do not remember a second of my procedure .. last thing was, they were sticking electrodes on, asking if I was nervous or cold and then the good medicine made me feel much calmer until I remember drifting off to sleep. I've had a couple rounds with the catheters before which I have remembered completely. Each time it was uncomfortable .. but nothing at all compared to childbirth or kidney stones .. hee hee hee.
I did have a complication .. one of the catheters "nicked" me and I had a bleed. But they were very on top of everything. I got a day in the ICU and a couple more up on the floor. I had some pain because of the bleed, but my sites were not more than uncomfortable for a day or two .. I didn't even know they had gone in through my nect 'till a couple days afterwards when I was looking in the mirror and saw the sites.
Also, I flew home to Seattle, WA with a layover and metal detectors, etc. (I even got frisked, hee hee) The plane trip was not a big deal to me. No problems there at all ... I did ask for the bulkhead and that really made it easier to stand up from my seat and have lots of leg room. Piece of cake.
I have to also say that I received the best, most completely knowledgable, sincerely concerned care that I have ever received in a hospital at CC. AND, knowing what I know now, I would still have done it even with the complication. For how good I feel now, I would do it again in a "heart beat".
Please feel free to contact me if there are any specific questions that my experience may help with .. I am always willing to share!!!
Good luck. You are surely in the best of hands!!
Angie Strand
(getting ready for softball registration!)