More on the Derek

Just some brief jottings of what went on, yesterday.

Derek had a post-pacemaker check-up and needed someone to go with him for driving purposes. This is due to the fact that if he was still in a-fib, they would need to cardiovert him out of it.

Loren went down to Cedar Rapids and picked Derek up to go to Iowa City (the roads were not that great, by the way). And indeed, Derek was in a-fib.

So, they were able to cardiovert him out quite easily, this time only needing 75 joules (they have used up to 200 in the past, which is still not terribly high).

During all this time since the pacemaker was implanted, the doctor was waiting for the lead insertions to heal, and he also couldn't set the device to do anything but monitor the pacing, basically, since Derek was in a-fib.

So now, with Derek back in sinus rhythm, the doctor programmed in all the settings and the hunk of metal is up and running in toto. Meaning, it can now offer some therapies to prevent Derek going into a-fib. It can't get him out of it, but the device should keep him from going off rhythm again. That is the hope, anyway.

And because of the medicine they use for sedation, Derek wasn't allowed to drive afterwards.

Long day for Loren, who wasn't feeling that great, himself, but he got through it.
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For myself, I ended up revising parts of the Christmas letter...again, but it is hopefully done.

Pretty much.

My goal is to have everything mailed by tomorrow, which means I have a lot of envelope addressing to do, today. And also cleaning before Kendra gets here.

And laundry.

Also school.

Bring on the chocolate, baby!
 

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