Thank You All for your Prayers!

We are home now and Mike is recovering from his surgery. He is learning to cope with an imobilized shoulder. It makes it very difficult to do some basic things, like dressing. He is only allowed to use his arm from the elbow down.  For those of you who knew what was going on, thank you for your prayers. For those that didn't know what was going on, let me fill you in.

Back in May, Mike applied for life insurance. It was declined as the home EKG,done by the visiting nurse, discovered "something". After a trip to his primary Dr and another EKG, he was diagnosed with First Degree AV block and Bradycardia. After several heart tests and trip to the Prescott VA hospital, he was diagonosed with Second Degree AV block-Type B (Moblitz II) with Bradycardia. He was told he would need a pace maker. After a trip to the Phoenix VA for MORE tests, surgery was scheduled for Monday, Nov 28th. Basically what all this means is this--His natural pace maker was not sending the right signals to his heart (Second Degree AV block). He also had an extremly low pulse (Bradycardia). A normal pulse is over 60 (however in athletes it can be lower). His tests regularly recorded his pulse around 30-35 with some dipping down into the 20's. The cardio Dr was amazed that Mike could have a pulse down around 20 without being in serious medical trouble. If this was all left untreated, eventually, it would have progressed (Third Degree AV block) and he would have been at risk for cardiac arrest. He could have passed out driving or working and injuring himself or someone else. Mike really never had any symptoms that we could directly relate to his condition but hind sight is always 20-20.

So my hubby now has a bionic ticker. He is doing very well and recovering. He is unable to move his shoulder for 2 weeks and his left arm is a sling. He will not be able to raise his arm up for at least 4 weeks while the leads heal. No driving till our follow up appt in 2 weeks and they clear him. No lifing anything over 10 lbs for 4 weeks. This all will be hard for a man who is used to working. He will most likely be off work till January.

Again, I thank you all for your prayers and ask that you keep praying. Pray that he does not go stir crazy sitting at home :).