Stuff Happening With Me

Tuesday morning, I will go in for an angiogram on my heart. This results from a series of tests that docs have been running on me in the past few weeks. It started with the recognition by my primary care doc that the electrical circuitry in my heart appeared to be off. (Just a routine exam…)

That led to stress test, holter monitor, etc….

The result of that is the discovery that my heart apparently beats a whopping 20,000-more times a day than the average heart should. (Who knew?)

There are no physical symptoms of this, whatsoever. My heart rate is good. So is my blood pressure.
But it is troubling, to be sure.

So, Tuesday morning is an angiogram.

If it shows no blockages, then by process of elimination, it’s an “electrical problem.” The heart doc seems to think there’s a decent chance this is all it is. The evidence supporting this view is that the extra beats seem to go away when I am exercising. (That’s apparently a good sign…)

However, the troubling part is that the *pattern* of my extra beats is one that often indicates blockages. So, hmnn…thus the angiogram. That’s the gist of it.

So, we’re looking at one of these options:
a) Electrical problems…which means a short hospital stay Tuesday, and further treatment down the road.
b) Blockages…which means stints literally that day, and maybe staying overnight.
c) Blockages, which means surgery later on.

Needless to say, this has all been unfolding rather quickly.

Dennise, me, and my parents will be at the hospital at 6 am on Tuesday morning. I’m supposed to be in the procedure by 8 am. (arrival time, 6 am). We’re choosing not to say which hospital at this time, since I may only be there a few short hours. If I must stay overnight, we’ll let you all know more.

We’ll probably post updates to Facebook as we know more on Wednesday. Several clergy friends will be with me Tuesday morning, and I’ve asked Mary Clair to hold down the fort at the Church. We will be giving out info to Northaven through her.

So, point is,  asking for your prayers and happy thoughts.

More soon.

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Eric Folkerth is a minister, musician, author and blogger. He is Senior Pastor of Kessler Park UMC United Methodist Church in Dallas, Texas. Previously, he was pastor at Northaven UMC in Dallas for seventeen years. Eric loves to write on topics of spirituality, social justice, music/art and politics. The entries on this blog reflect that diversity of interests. His passion for social justice goes beyond mere words. Eric was arrested at the White House, defending immigrants and “The Dreamers;” and he’s officiated at same sex weddings. Eric was the 2017 recipient of the prestigeous Kuchling Humanitarian Award from Dallas’ Black Tie Dinner. (Human Rights Campaign) Eric has led or co-led hundreds of persons on mission trips to build houses and bring medical care around the globe, to places such as Mexico, Haiti, Russia, Guatemala, and Nepal. He is proud of have shephereded Highland Park UMC's construction of ten Habitat for Humanity homes, (and one Community Center) and helped forge an alliance with Habitat that led to the construction of 100 homes in Dallas, housing thousands of people. His wife, Justice Dennise Garcia, has 20 years experience as a state district judge and appelate justice in North Texas. First elected in 2004, she was the first Latina ever elected to a Dallas County state district bench, and she she left that position whe was the longest currently serving district judge. In 2020 Dennise Garcia was a elected as a Justice of the 5th District Court of Appeals for Texas. She is currently running to be Chief of the 5th District Court of Appeals in the 2024 cycle. They have the world’s best daughter, Maria, who is a practicing professional counselor in Dallas. Find links to Eric’s music-related websites, at the top of this site’s navigation menu.

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