Hi,
Literary Update: I may be slowing down my writing (again) for a while. The has been an interestingly interruptive year for me, and I’m not sure how much writing I’ll be doing for the foreseeable (near) future. The medical stuff below will help explain why.
The Medical Stuff: As you should know by now, I have been wrestling with the effects of atrial fibrillation (AFib) since April 2021, and have tried all sorts of things (several different medications, shocking the heart, etc.) to either control or cure it. Some of the medications (like the amiodorone) have kept my pulse rate from swinging wildly, constraining it to a specific range (generally between 50 and 90 beats per minute), but the AFib is still active. That causes my heart to beat erratically (just not at an extremely low or extremely high rate). I can’t stay on the amiodorone forever, though, and I would really like to stop taking Eliquis too.
Having an anti-coagulant like Eliquis in my bloodstream all the time will help protect me against strokes, but it also means I can bruise more easily and I have to be super-cautious about getting wounded (no more knife fights for me 😊), but I still have to be extra careful around sharp tools, etc. Minor cuts and scrapes are usually not a problem. Compressing them with a tissue for a minute or so is usually enough to stanch the bleeding, but deep cuts need serious pressure immediately, possibly with a trip to the emergency room (fortunately I haven’t had anything that bad).
Anyway, after tomorrow, I may be completely rid of the AFib (and the stroke worry too). The ablation procedure that was scheduled back in May (three days after I broke my leg and had to have a hip replacement) is back on. Tomorrow (September 22nd, 2025) is the day. I’m having the ablation. At the same time they are going to implant a device called a Watchman that might eliminate the possibility of blood clots, which would mean I might be able to stop taking Eliquis.
I could continue on the Eliquis for years, but if I can get off of it (which the ablation and the Watchman might help me do) it will be much better for me physically. But Eliquis is very expensive. Fortunately, my insurance covers most of it, but I still end up spending close to a thousand dollars a year for it. I will be glad to be done with that.
The next few posts are about the two procedures and the recovery period. I don’t know how long I’ll be in the hospital, but it could be a few days from now before I write again. See you then.
Michael
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