My Catheter Ablation

I have to give a speech in my COMM 1010 class this week. I chose my catheter ablation as my topic. It's really not that interesting, or that entertaining, but it's an important topic to me. I was diagnosed with Supraventricular Tachycardia - Atriaventricular Nodal Reentrant Tachycardia early this year. I had suffered through several severe, and worsening episodes with my heart. My body was not handling these well at all. I was vomiting every night, throughout the night. I was fatigued beyond words. I had fainted. My anxiety level was up because I never knew when another episode would hit. My well-trained cardiologist was able to detect exactly what was happening and prepare a plan to make it better. One sunny morning, Josh drove me to the hospital and I prepared to be all fixed up. A catheter was inserted into my neck and another into my groin. The two extra electrical connections that I was born with were ablated (or burned). I was back at work five days later. FIVE DAYS later. This was five months ago. For the past month, I have been working out four to five days a week. I walk, jog, kick-box, jump, lift light weights, and play with my kiddos. Yes, I still have minor episodes, but they are much less severe and much, much shorter than they were. I cannot tell you how grateful I am for modern technology. This procedure could not have been done 20 years ago. I am so grateful for well-trained doctors and surgeons who are able to do this procedure with confidence. Without this procedure, who knows where my body would be today. I'm giving this speech on this topic because 1) I want people to know the symptoms and to get checked, 2) I want people to know what their treatment options are, and 3) I want people to have the opportunity to live their lives to the fullest!