This was my first time in a hospital as a patient so it was overwhelming to say the least. As I was lying there, it was a continuous stream of nurses. One was giving me an EKG. Another was giving me an I.V. drip. Yet another was asking me questions and taking notes. These people were pros and extremely efficient. Eventually during all the chaos the doctor manning the E.R. department that evening came in and introduced herself. She was […]
READ MOREPart 1: A Night of Hard Core Drinking Leads To My First "Official" Afib Episode
I never drank an ounce of liquor in my life until I turned 18 and moved to Minneapolis with a couple buddies. One of my buddies had always been a drinker and partier so one of the first things he did was stock our fridge with beer. One Friday night I thought I would try one. I got drunk, had a great time, and I have never looked back. Ever since then I have been a heavy drinker. Vodka 7 […]
READ MOREA Simple Blood Donation Reveals My Second Afib Episode (Possibly)
In late June/early July of 2005 I went to give blood for the first time. Since this was my first time, I was a little nervous because I HATE needles and I thought it would be painful. My wife, who was with me, assured me it was no big deal. We both sat down and as the nurses began outfitting us for the donation, my nurse paused, turned to another nurse and asked her if she could check my heart […]
READ MOREMy First Afib Episode (and I Didn't Even Know It)
This is going to be the beginning of a series of blog posts chronicling my “afib journey.” My hope is that by sharing my personal experiences, others might be able to identify with them and realize they aren’t alone. I believe my atrial fibrillation started in the summer of 2004 when I was just 31 years old or the fall of that year when I turned 32. I can’t recall specifically when it happened. I never made a record of […]
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