A New Heart Rhythm

I was born with Wolff Parkinson’s White Syndrome. It is a rare condition that leads to extra electrical pathways in the heart that can cause it to beat too fast at times. It became apparent in the last few month through a routine check up that it had become time to address it. I had experienced my heart in my own way my whole life so I wasn’t aware that my experience was actually daily episodes of it beating too fast. After my check up I realized how many times in a day or week that it was beating to its own fast rhythm.

So the decision was made to do the cardiac ablation where they go in your veins through your groin and enter the heart to cauterize the extra electrical pathway . This meant getting more tests done and preparing for the surgery. Prepping for surgery can be done in many ways(this is assuming that you have time to prep). I wanted to share my process and what I learned along the way in the hopes it may help others in the future.

Prepping for the big day!

Preparing Yourself Mind, Body and Spirit

Work with a Rolfer that has knowledge in visceral and nerve work to make sure that the fascia(the connective tissues) in your body especially from your groin to your shoulders. Your whole body will be affected by this process but by making sure the tissues in these areas are freer you can make it easier on your body to receive this surgery.
Get Acupuncture weekly until your surgery to help your body be as resilient as it can be, especially your immune system, cardiovascular system and digestive system.
Work with your religious or spiritual mentors to feel settled in this way.In your own beleifs and practices there may be certain things you need to do to prepare for your surgery.
Observe your breath and other mindful practices. This will help your body be more resilient and help you stay relaxed before the surgery and while you are on bed rest after
Work with an NET practitioner to make sure that your being feels congruent with the process that you are about to go through. Ask your doctors to describe the surgery and after the surgery so that you can go through these details with your practitioner.
If you are not already aware of how certain whole foods can help your heart and immune system then I recommend doing research to make sure that your diet is supporting your body in a way that promotes strength and wellbeing. Bobbie at RU Nourished is a nutritionist I recommend contacting if you need assistance with this.
- Dark red beets and beet greens are great for your heart so having them in your week meal plans can help support the heart!

Preparing your home

Make Sure your house feels good before going into surgery because you will be spending a fair amount of time resting in your home. This will be easier. I had my house cleaned professional with non toxic cleaners while I was in surgery so that when we came home the next day it was clean and fresh feeling.
Have friends help with cooking or prepare enough food ahead of time for at least 4 days. I have a very specific diet so in my case I did cooking before. I recommend having soups and things that help promote a healthy digestive system. I found myself not super hungry so making it as nutrition packed as possible was key for me.
If you have young kids or pets have people help out with the care as you are not allowed to lift/pull/etc anything more that 10 pounds make sure that you have the support you need to make sure they are taken care of. I was on a weird sleep schedule for the first 4 days and am very grateful to all of the help I had because it allowed me the space I needed to rest. In my case I have a great dog and he is all for sleeping all day so he was a super healing buddy!
You are going to need a place to rest that feels supportive to your body. In my case this ended up being our futon. It was firm enough for me to lie on my back for long periods of time. I have had back injuries so knowing this I felt it was important to find a place where I could rest comfortably.
Have enough comfortable soft clothing(especially pants or shorts, I recommend loose fitting) washed and ready to go for at least 5 days after your surgery.

Hospital Packing List

If you have a special diet or prefer certain foods bring a cooler with snacks. I had an amazing friend who brought me dinner from a local restaurant called Shine where I could get very healthy food that was easy on my stomach.
Comfortable clothing to change into once you are allowed to get out of your hospital gown
- Bring a shirt that has a wider neck as there will be monitors connecting to you as well as an IV
Something to listen to or watch as you will be lying on your back for at least 6 hours after surgery to ensure that the incision sites close. My husband, family and a few friends came by which helped the time pass more quickly.
Heating pad if your hospital doesn’t provide you one for your back while you are on bed rest

Tips for after the surgery

When they first let you stand up do it slowly and splint your incisions every time you change position for the next week especially when you cough, laugh, sneeze, etc. I didn’t do this the first time I stood up and it resulted in my incision bursting open and 3 more hours of bed rest and more bruising.
It was very hard for me to sleep for more than a couple hours at a time so just be patient with yourself and get rest when you can. I found that I would be awake and then get tired very quickly. It got easier after a couple days!
Take your time getting food in your system and try to get things that are nourishing for your body to help with your bodies ability to recover. If you find it hard to eat try green smoothies or soups!
Use a timer to help remind you to get up every half hour if you are sitting. It is to help reduce the chance of blood clots
When you feel ready get acupuncture, NET, cold laser, cranial sacral, and visceral work to help your body heal.
You will be placed on a blood thinner but there are homeopathies, chinese herbs and standard process products that can help as well. Make sure to consult your practitioners to see what is appropriate for you!