I am home after nine days at Vanderbilt, including five days of plasma exchange and a thymectomy. The surgery went well, but the post-op was a problem. My blood pressure and heart rate was high after surgery. I was in recovery for a long time because of this. My surgery was at 7:30 AM and took about four hours. I was in recovery about four hours. We finally made it to our room about 8:00 PM (I stayed in a recovery bed until the room was ready). My room was on the surgical floor. Almost as soon as I was in the room, my heart rate started increasing again. It was up and down, up and down. Several nurses were in and out for the next twenty minutes. When my heart rate hit 187, the nurses called in the Rapid Response Team. By the time they arrive (a few minutes) I have gone into atrial fibrillation. I do not know how many meds they gave me, but they finally moved me to SICU, which is on the same floor. They worked with me for some time and were able to finally lower my rate to the low 100s then finally to the 80s. Doctors were planning to shock me out of afib sometime Friday if I did not come out of it on my own. I came out of it around 11:30. Yea! Praise the Lord--without being shocked.

Since the thymus gland in on top of the heart, my heart was irritated and this happens sometimes with this type of surgery. I now have a Vanderbilt cardiologist. Thanks again for your prayers and support.
--Kerry