Hi, Literary Update: I’ve written very little during this recovery period. I’m off my game, what else can I say? Medical Update: The surgery was about five weeks ago (9-22-2025), so I’ve had plenty of time to recover. Before the surgery I was out of breath after I climbed our stairs (usually with a mug …
Hi, The Ablation Procedure:Here’s what happened during the ablation surgery. They knocked me out like they did for the TEE test, then they inserted an electrode catheter (thin flexible tubing that has electrodes in it) into my femoral vein (near my groin), and pushed the catheter up into the upper right atrium chamber of my …
Hi, The TEE (TransEsophageal Echocardiogram): Friday, 9-10-2025. Essentially, they stuck a tube down my throat, slid some specialized equipment through the tube down into my esophagus in order to get an accurate picture of my heart. The esophagus runs directly behind the heart, and passes within a few millimeters of the left atrial chamber …
Hi, About two weeks ago (9-12-2025), I had a TEE (TransEsophageal Echocardiogram) performed, which was the first step toward getting approval for the implant of a Watchman device in my left atrial appendage. Try saying “TransEsophogeal Electrocardiogram” 10 times really fast!!! The Watchman was approved and, on September 22nd, I underwent a minimally invasive heart …
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, …
Hi, A Medical Update: A few posts ago I said that my heart ablation would take place on May 21st. Today is May 21st, but the ablation isn’t going to happen for a while. I just got home from the hospital last night, after having a full hip replacement. Friday evening (May 16th), Minay and …
Hi, [Medical and Literary Updates: I have done a little more writing, but not much. I need to push myself over the next few weeks to finish the first draft of the novella. My thumb has (almost) healed nicely. My whole hand is stiff when I wake up in the morning, but it gradually loosens …
Hi, Medical/Literary Update and Cars: Not much to tell medically that I didn’t cover in the previous newsletter. There has been no decision yet on whether and when I might have the ablation procedure to (hopefully) cure my A-Fib. My right hand is healing nicely, but I haven’t done much more writing. I did decide …
Hi, Literary Update (not much to add): My novella is a little over 40,000 words now. I hope to have the first draft of it finished fairly soon. [Note (11-7-2025): I was apparently kidding myself. For reasons I will cover later in the year, I still haven’t finished it.] I’ve already spotted a few structural …
Hi, According to the ECG they took a couple of weeks ago, I still have AFib. The amiodorone I have been taking (twice a day) kept my pulse rate within a certain range (which is good), but the AFib is still there. I’m supposed to see a specialist in a couple of weeks to talk …