Surgery in under 3 weeks - EEK!

So, I've been having some issues with my pacemaker.  I thought it was the battery starting to go a bit low.  Thought I might need to get it replaced in oh, about 4 or 5 months time.  Thought it would be a simple "out with the old machine, in with the new and attach it to the existing leads", no drama, no complications, all good.  

Well... almost.  I do need it replaced.  But not because the battery is playing up (It's still got more than 6 months life left in it), but because one of the *&^%Y^$ leads has broken.  BROKEN!  

 I have 4 leads - one going to the top half of the heart (the Atriums), one going back from the atriums to the pacemaker, one going to the bottom half of the heart (the ventricles) and one going back from the ventricles to the pacemaker. 

 The lead that is broken is the one sending the current from the pacemaker to the ventricles, which means the electrical current is not getting to the lower half of my heart and then not going back up the last lead to the pacemaker.  This means that the bottom half of my heart is not pumping as it should (as it is relying on my own natural pace maker - the sinus node- to send electric currents through, which it doesn't do very well, hence the need for the pacemaker.) and causing all sorts of weird palpitations and things to be happening.  Not to mention not getting the blood around my body really well, causing me to go blue occasionally and feeling faint every now and then.  

So, I'm going in for surgery on the 18th March.  That is three weeks from yesterday.  They will replace the pacemaker and try to pull out the old lead and replace it with a new lead.  Only problem is, the old lead could have grown attached to the vein it is in (due to scar tissue etc) and if they pull it out, it could cause a rupture of the vein.  That would not be good!  So, if it doesn't look like it is going to come out easily, they will have to leave it in there and just put the new one in over the top - which also comes with a few risks. 

I will admit I am feeling rather apprehensive about the whole thing.  I know it will most likely all go fine and I will be out of hospital the next day and all will be good again.  But there is still that risk, and the fact that it has all happened so suddenly and I have to go in so soon.  I wasn't even expecting to see my Electro-Cardiologist until NEXT monday, and wasn't expecting an op for another few months - so to be suddenly told that everything is a little more complicated than expected and that the doctor will fit me in for surgery in three weeks time (If you don't have to have emergency surgery right then and there, that's good, but if the doctor fits you in in three weeks - well that means it's still pretty urgent) - it's all a little unnerving to tell you the truth.   

Anyhoo, I'm sure I'll be fine.  I just need to take deep breaths and try to take it as easy as possible over the next few weeks.   

walks away saying "it'll be cool, it'll be cool"