By Madhero88, via Wikimedia Commons
Hello Aledans! I think you can guess from the title of today’s update that I found out what’s wrong with my heart. It’s official, I have SupraVentricular Tachycardia (SVT) caused by an extra bundle of nerves on the top half of my heart (supra-ventrical) that causes it to beat faster than the bottom half of my heart (ventrical). When that happens it doesn’t fill with blood properly, so it starts beating harder. That means less blood gets in, and it beats even harder. And the circle of heart crazy goes round and round. I’ve probably had it all my life, but it didn’t go crazy enough for me to notice until I made it to the GUTGAA agent round (there’s a photo of a big spider in that link, now you’ve been warned).
So I’ve been referred to another cardiologist who specializes in electric issues. For the moment I’ll probably go on a fast-acting medication that I can take when it starts acting up (assuming I even notice. I didn’t notice the one time my heart started really going nuts while I had the two-day monitor on), but sometime in the future I’m going to need to go on chronic medication (which I refuse to do), or have surgery (needles!).
Seeing as how I get palpitations every night when I go to bed (yeah, try falling asleep when your heart is skipping beats – I’m fraking exhausted all the time now) I’ll probably need the surgery sooner rather than later. I’ve been reassured that it’s a fairly quick, easy, common procedure, but still… needles *shudders*
But I finally know what’s going on, and I can’t tell you how much of a relief that is. I know it’s not serious, I’m not going to drop dead, and it’s easily fixable. I can deal with a few more needles to fix it for good.
On the writing front, I have been working on Nameless, just not as quickly as I hoped. Loria isn’t a huge character in the book, but she was in all the important scenes, so I’m having to re-write those. Kaye’s scenes are scooting right along, easy peasy, since there are only minor edits to her half of the book. And Kindra’s calmed down some, which is nice. I didn’t realize she was such a spaz until I started this re-write. Yesterday I worked on my favorite scene, and Loria doesn’t show up again until the wedding, so I should be cruising through the next couple chapters (except a scene with the chief that must be re-written because Kindra is a spaz). Then it’s wedding, fighting, death and gore and happy ending! Well, sort-of happy ending. I’m not sure there’s a single person in the book that could call it a truly happy ending. It’s certainly better than it could be.
Kind of like my heart.
Have a good weekend Aledans, and I’ll try to find another scene for Fie Eoin Friday tomorrow. Maybe a Kaye scene this time…
October 25, 2012 at 10:42 am
Yay! I’m glad you’re not dying
October 25, 2012 at 11:26 am
Me too! In fact, I’d say I’m the happiest that I’m not dying
October 25, 2012 at 10:52 am
Wow. I’m so happy to hear you now know what’s happening! Does your heart pound while walking, too? I ask because my uncle’s been dealing with eerily similar symptoms… In either case, here’s to your health!
October 25, 2012 at 11:28 am
It’s definitely been happening when I go upstairs or exert myself (not so much just walking, although I may not be noticing it when I walk). The biggest time that I notice it is when I lay down for bed, and then it feels like my chest is tight and like someone’s putting pressure on the bottom of my throat (right in that little dip where it meets the collarbones).
Definitely tell your uncle to get it checked out.
October 25, 2012 at 11:48 am
While heart surgery sounds like no fun at all, I AM glad to hear your heart problem is not life-threatening and fixable. And maybe that extra bundle of nerves comes with some yet-to-be-discovered superpower? Thanks for the update
October 25, 2012 at 11:56 am
I am hoping there’s a super power involved. Like, the ability to woo agents and editors with only 150 words…
October 25, 2012 at 11:50 am
My best to you and your health. I don’t like needles either. The older I get, the more afraid of them I am.
October 25, 2012 at 11:58 am
I’m hoping with all the needles in my near-future (and near-past >.<) I'll get used to them. As it is I break down crying whenever I go to the doctor and know I need something needle-related :/ Thanks for the good thoughts
October 26, 2012 at 7:14 am
I am so happy to hear it’s easily fixable, Rebecca. *WHEW* I know the needles are a drag, but WE WANT YOU HERE LONG TIME. And YAY on the book that it is coming along (even if not lickety split, it’s still coming!), but no happy endings??? WHAT?? Girl, I love a good happy ending!!
October 26, 2012 at 9:41 am
Hopefully it will be the first book in a series, so there’s always a possibility for a happy ending (although from what I have planned….not so much
). I don’t recall YOUR book having a particularly happy ending, you know…
October 26, 2012 at 10:00 am
Glad you found out what was wrong. That can be seriously scary. Hope everything goes well and your heart starts beating normally…for a writer that is!
October 26, 2012 at 10:05 am
Thank you
October 26, 2012 at 10:39 am
[...] I Have Extra Bits In My Heart. That Makes Me A Time Lord….Right? [...]
October 26, 2012 at 3:03 pm
You have a good heart, if a bit excitable at times. Still, it’s a good heart. Needles verses chronic meds? Yeah, I’d take a needle as well. Glad to know you finally have answers and it’s fixable.
October 26, 2012 at 3:04 pm
I would much rather have extra pieces in my heart than too few pieces! I imagine the surgery for that is much more difficult.
November 7, 2012 at 12:37 pm
Wow. I am soo late to this one. And this was the one I really didn’t want to miss. I’m so glad to hear it isn’t life threatening. Yay. You can see this through. {Hugs} Scary as it will be, you will feel so much better when this is all over. Has a date been set yet? What a difference it makes just knowing, right?
November 7, 2012 at 1:40 pm
No date yet – the new cardiologist and I keep playing phone tag
Hopefully I can get in for my initial appointment before the holidays start, but if not the old cardiologist said there was no rush. And yes, it makes a HUGE difference just knowing!
November 13, 2012 at 11:50 am
[...] And you know what? Even thought NAMELESS isn’t YA, these authors have been super supportive. They cheered me on as I finished the last re-write (and are cheering me on again as I finish the current re-write). They commiserated with me when I was told to re-write it. They supported me when my heart decided to go insane and I didn’t know what was wrong, and they held my hand and encouraged me when I found out I have heart surgery looming in my future. [...]