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DFW

(60,636 posts)
Fri Jun 12, 2026, 07:23 AM 4 hrs ago

The Wizard hath spoken.

I’m in recovery.

Immediate diagnosis is: hurry up and wait, BUT——

I had no further arterial blockage, so no additional stent(s) were required. The extra heartbeats ARE still there and must be addressed. They will try with medication (color me skeptical) or another kind of intervention in the fall, maybe.. But it’s not an immediate danger. It’s shortly after noon here (German time). They said my wife can puck me up in three hours.

There will be a follow-up story to this one. If their diagnosis was correct, it’s not for the immediate future. I suspect my bill will be around €15,000. It’s still less than half of the €30,000 of the yearly insurance premium the Germans quoted me. Our American insurance is sure to deny the whole thing. What else is new?

My infinite gratitude and appreciation for all those who bothered to express good wishes/vibes/etc. I came out of this not exactly cured but secure in the knowledge that I am in no imminent danger for now. That’s a more encouraging diagnosis than many can say they have received recently, so I’ll accept it without whining.

There will be a next chapter, but not immediately. I’ll take it.

Again, thanks to all!! Now it’s time worry about those facing less rosy diagnoses.**

**if the specialists here turn out to bave been wrong about me after all, and I fall over dead tomorrow, I reserve the right to take it all back!

39 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
The Wizard hath spoken. (Original Post) DFW 4 hrs ago OP
Yaaaay! SheltieLover 4 hrs ago #1
Here goes... True Dough 4 hrs ago #2
Google was accurate this time, and the capital letters weren't random DFW 3 hrs ago #9
Not just proper nouns, The Madcap 3 hrs ago #11
So far so good!! Great news!! Irish_Dem 4 hrs ago #3
Good news is good news. mwmisses4289 4 hrs ago #4
Sounds like good news (Except for the bill LOL) Liberal In Texas 4 hrs ago #5
So glad to see you posting so soon! LuckyCharms 4 hrs ago #6
Good news. murielm99 3 hrs ago #7
Good news. And good luck going forward. Scrivener7 3 hrs ago #8
So good to see your post first thing! Vibes for continuing recovery niyad 3 hrs ago #10
I love your attitude. Continued good luck... surfered 3 hrs ago #12
Good to see you back so soon! I hope the meds they'll try will help, but if not, there are very successful highplainsdem 3 hrs ago #13
good AllaN01Bear 3 hrs ago #14
Aces! cachukis 3 hrs ago #15
Nice. tavernier 3 hrs ago #16
Excellent news, DFW!! We're rooting for you! 🌞❤️ littlemissmartypants 3 hrs ago #17
Thanks for the good news! orangecrush 2 hrs ago #18
Great news DFW. Good to hear ... KPN 2 hrs ago #19
Great news! Thanks for posting so soon DFW. livetohike 2 hrs ago #20
That sounds quite encouraging PatSeg 2 hrs ago #21
OK, thanks for the good news. Your Mission is to outlive the Orange Hellbeast and help us build a more perfect future. NBachers 2 hrs ago #22
That is good news, DFW. I'm pleased to hear this. hlthe2b 2 hrs ago #23
Happy for your prognosis BumRushDaShow 2 hrs ago #24
Very glad for you Alice Kramden 2 hrs ago #25
My wife had an laser ablation, atrioventricular node ablation... NNadir 2 hrs ago #26
Thank uou for the update, it is good to know you can go home today irisblue 2 hrs ago #27
Wonderful news, DFW! Grim Chieftain 2 hrs ago #28
Relieved to hear that. blm 2 hrs ago #29
Glad to hear good news....👍 MiHale 2 hrs ago #30
Very glad to hear this! yardwork 2 hrs ago #31
Wishing you the best!!! CaptainTruth 2 hrs ago #32
Thanks, all. But I'm not out of the woods yet. DFW 1 hr ago #33
I had an ablation in 2023 for pre-existing Afib... 3catwoman3 1 hr ago #35
That's good to hear. greatauntoftriplets 13 min ago #38
Thank goodness you're doing well as can be expected! I am relieved. CaliforniaPeggy 1 hr ago #37
Great news. question everything 1 hr ago #34
Welcome back, DFW!!! So glad to hear you have a fine future ahead.... BComplex 1 hr ago #36
Sounds like you're doing well post-op. greatauntoftriplets 12 min ago #39

True Dough

(27,531 posts)
2. Here goes...
Fri Jun 12, 2026, 07:28 AM
4 hrs ago

Möge dein Herz noch viele Jahre schlagen!

^ Admittedly used "Google translate" for that one. Hope it makes sense. A bit puzzled by the seemingly random capital letters, but maybe German is like that?

Take care.

DFW

(60,636 posts)
9. Google was accurate this time, and the capital letters weren't random
Fri Jun 12, 2026, 08:02 AM
3 hrs ago

Proper nouns are capitalized in German.

Irish_Dem

(82,781 posts)
3. So far so good!! Great news!!
Fri Jun 12, 2026, 07:37 AM
4 hrs ago

And you are being released to go home.

Take it easy.

There are meds for the extra heartbeats that work well.

Liberal In Texas

(16,492 posts)
5. Sounds like good news (Except for the bill LOL)
Fri Jun 12, 2026, 07:40 AM
4 hrs ago

I am quite familiar with those extra beats. PVCs mine were called. They're not actually extra, there is one that is premature. Premature Ventricular Contractions. I was told that unless they bothered me a lot to not worry about it. But I was also getting some other weird beats and that turned out to be Afib. Long story short, a couple of cardiac ablations (day procedures) and I'm pretty well fixed up. No more Afib. The PVCs have lessened to a level where they're not noticed.

It sounds like you're going to be OK.

LuckyCharms

(23,373 posts)
6. So glad to see you posting so soon!
Fri Jun 12, 2026, 07:43 AM
4 hrs ago

Sounds like things are looking up, and I'm grateful for that.

You're a good guy, DFW.

Edit to add: If your extra beats are PVCs (Premature Ventricular Contractions), try not to worry too much. I've had them for about 10 years, and while they can freak you out a bit, they are usually pretty harmless.

Wishing you all of the best. I think you'll be around awhile to enjoy your beautiful family.

niyad

(134,824 posts)
10. So good to see your post first thing! Vibes for continuing recovery
Fri Jun 12, 2026, 08:15 AM
3 hrs ago

and healing. May this weekend be beautiful and peaceful.

highplainsdem

(63,482 posts)
13. Good to see you back so soon! I hope the meds they'll try will help, but if not, there are very successful
Fri Jun 12, 2026, 08:36 AM
3 hrs ago

treatments for arrhythmias, including cardiac ablation as Liberal In Texas mentioned above (which one of my brothers also had; heart problems run in my family) and pacemakers (which my mom needed, before cardiac ablation became common).

AllaN01Bear

(29,967 posts)
14. good
Fri Jun 12, 2026, 08:46 AM
3 hrs ago

ive been dealing with afib for 10 years . this last go round was when a dr took me off a med cold turkey. the hearrt decided to play. been playing ever since . i have had good success with meds and going into the main hospital w drs ballanceing meds working with my ticker dr.

livetohike

(24,470 posts)
20. Great news! Thanks for posting so soon DFW.
Fri Jun 12, 2026, 09:11 AM
2 hrs ago

Continued positive thoughts for your recovery .

PatSeg

(53,832 posts)
21. That sounds quite encouraging
Fri Jun 12, 2026, 09:24 AM
2 hrs ago

You sound very chipper, probably more than you feel right now, but it appears the Great Pumpkin was on the job!

NBachers

(19,634 posts)
22. OK, thanks for the good news. Your Mission is to outlive the Orange Hellbeast and help us build a more perfect future.
Fri Jun 12, 2026, 09:25 AM
2 hrs ago

hlthe2b

(114,977 posts)
23. That is good news, DFW. I'm pleased to hear this.
Fri Jun 12, 2026, 09:29 AM
2 hrs ago

May good health and outcomes continue for a very long time!

BumRushDaShow

(172,951 posts)
24. Happy for your prognosis
Fri Jun 12, 2026, 09:29 AM
2 hrs ago


My BIL is going through similar and had been fitted with a stent and was originally scheduled for another or a bypass this week (apparently set up by attending physicians) until his cardiologist stepped in and rescheduled that procedure for next month to give time for the anticoagulants to work.

NNadir

(38,740 posts)
26. My wife had an laser ablation, atrioventricular node ablation...
Fri Jun 12, 2026, 09:34 AM
2 hrs ago

...for a similar syndrome, atrial fibrillation.

It was a day procedure. We went in around 7 AM and were having pie in a diner by 3 PM.

Hopefully the treatment for your syndrome will be as minimal.

Grim Chieftain

(2,222 posts)
28. Wonderful news, DFW!
Fri Jun 12, 2026, 09:36 AM
2 hrs ago

You have been in my thoughts since we learned of your heart issues. Take care of yourself and please keep us posted when you can.

MiHale

(13,242 posts)
30. Glad to hear good news....👍
Fri Jun 12, 2026, 09:51 AM
2 hrs ago

If the extra beats are a-fib, not saying great but I’ve been living with it for decades…managed by pharmaceuticals.
Just gotta stay within my limits. That’s the hardest thing to learn and abide by.

DFW

(60,636 posts)
33. Thanks, all. But I'm not out of the woods yet.
Fri Jun 12, 2026, 10:09 AM
1 hr ago

Final report went something like this:

Follow up with a hospital cardiologist. Not quite as rosy as wished. I indeed was not blocked up enough to need another stent. However, I am still showing far too many supplemental heartbeats to be healthy. Too many supplemental heartbeats overstrain the heart muscle, and lead to heart failure. What they think will probably be needed will be what is called a heart ablation, unless some combination of medicines will alleviate the symptoms. Follow up talks next week.

Still, it was "call us Monday," and not "bring a suitcase, you're not going anywhere!"

3catwoman3

(29,998 posts)
35. I had an ablation in 2023 for pre-existing Afib...
Fri Jun 12, 2026, 10:37 AM
1 hr ago

...that went wildly out-of-control after surgery for a ruptured appendix. It was the proverbial "piece of cake," and I wouldn't hesitate to do it again should that become necessary.

We are all so glad to hear from you today, and to know that you are still walking the planet.

greatauntoftriplets

(179,488 posts)
38. That's good to hear.
Fri Jun 12, 2026, 11:43 AM
13 min ago

I'm having a cardiac ablation on July 7 for A-flutter before it turns into Afib. Thanks!

CaliforniaPeggy

(157,143 posts)
37. Thank goodness you're doing well as can be expected! I am relieved.
Fri Jun 12, 2026, 10:53 AM
1 hr ago

And thank you for posting so quickly! May your path continue to bring you health.

BComplex

(10,001 posts)
36. Welcome back, DFW!!! So glad to hear you have a fine future ahead....
Fri Jun 12, 2026, 10:53 AM
1 hr ago

as much as any of us can be assured of that! We value your participation in this life !!! I hope you continue to get better every day.

greatauntoftriplets

(179,488 posts)
39. Sounds like you're doing well post-op.
Fri Jun 12, 2026, 11:45 AM
12 min ago

At least this step is done with, other than your recovery. I hope that you get more good news.

Apologies for hijacking your thread with a post about my upcoming ablation.

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