Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) Support Group

Atrial fibrillation (AF or afib) is an abnormal heart rhythm (cardiac arrhythmia) which involves the two small, upper heart chambers (the atria). Heart beats in a normal heart begin after electricity generated in the atria by the sinoatrial node spread through the heart and cause contraction of the heart muscle and pumping of blood.

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tvanslooten 02/25/2015

Hey gang. I've been hanging low the past few weeks. I'm just one week out from my ablation! This past 3 months has zoomed by. I can't believe it's here already.

At any rate, I just posted something on my blog that some of you younger folks with afib might appreciate. It's a post about how I struggled with telling my kids about my afib. I kept it a secret from them for many years. When I finally told them it was a huge weight lifted off my shoulders.

I mainly kept it secret because they were so young but now that they're getting older and my afib is progressing, I didn't have a choice. I had to spill the beans. Thankfully, my kids took it in stride.

At any rate, here's the link to the post if you're interested:
http://www.livingwithatrialfibrillation.com/1397/talking-atrial-fibrillation-with-kids/

I'm curious if there is anyone else here that struggled like me to discuss their afib with their kids.

Travis

pacyetep 02/26/2015

I posted on your website, Travis. petey

pacyetep 02/26/2015

So Travis, I'll answer your questions here... I'm on Pradaxa and Bystolic. I feel nothing. I was first diagnosed with persistent afib 4 years ago. My left atrium was dilated. So they thought I probably had the afib for some time. It quickly shrunk after treatment and backing off the extreme exercise a little. I have no plans for ablation. Last time at the doctor's office I was told I was in NSR. Who knows when I'm in NSR? But my HR is very steady these days. My kids look at my age of diagnosis as so far in the future for them, they are not concerned. They think I'm ancient. Plus I have no symptoms. I play whatever sports I want and sometimes race my son (100 meters). I don't push it though... just trying to keep him on his toes. petey

acrossthepond 02/28/2015

Travis I dont have any kids so the problem with how to tell them isnt one for me. But like most of us, I was a kid once too ;-) and I know it takes children a little longer to digest things than adults. Your story reminded me of the time my parents took my sister, brother and myself to the theater in Baltimore to see a production of This is your life Charlie Brown, I was probably about 8 or 9 at the time. Years later they told us that on the way home they asked how we liked it and all that and we said it was ok which deflated their bubble; all that time and money for it was ok??!! Well, it seems that a day or two later that was ALL we could talk about for three or four weeks! We just needed the time to digest what we had seen. And that was JUST a theater production and not the health status of our dad.

It sounded like you were very good at telling your kids what was going on. Dont underestimate what they understood though!

All the best for your ablation its coming up soon, right??

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