What's Up...

I was born in Garden City, Michigan, moved to Northern Michigan when I was 5 and have been here ever since.  I'm a father and a husband.  I am a musician, writer, composer, filmmaker, and amateur model builder.  I like watching the sunset on the beach and I would like to see world peace in my lifetime.  But I digress.

When I was 17-years-old, I was diagnosed with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome.  It's a heart condition/abnormality in which there is an abnormal extra electrical pathway in the heart.  It can lead to episodes of rapid heart rate (tachycardia). 

Normally, electrical signals in the heart go through a certain pathway that helps the heart beat regularly.  With people that have WPW, some of that signal goes down an extra pathway.  For me, this causes a rapid resting heart rate (90-140+ bpm) and daily episodes of tachycardia. 

Symptoms I deal with on a daily basis are chest pain and tightness, dizziness, light-headed feeling, palpitations, and shortness of breath.  I have even, on occasion, passed out for a few moments. When the tachycardia hits, it keeps the heart from fully pushing the blood around and deprives the brain and body of oxygen.  

Since I was diagnosed, I have been treating my WPW with medication.  The only other long-term treatment for Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome is catheter ablation.  They insert a catheter into an artery through a small cut near the groin, and guide it up into the heart area.  When the tip reaches the heart, the small area that is causing the fast heart rate is destroyed using a special type of energy called radiofrequency. However, doctors say that catheter ablation is not recommended for me due to the sensitive area where my extra bundle of neurons is located in my heart.  "It would probably do more harm than good."

So here I am.  Besides the persistent thought of possible heart failure and lovely side effects from the many pills I take daily, I survive.  

Oh yeah, I also am slowly seizing up with arthritis pain in my ankles, knees, back and neck.  That's been a growing issue for the last 12 years or so.

All that said, let me add this ... it could be worse!  I'm alive.  I have a great relationship with my two awesome sons.  My wife is too good for me, but she insists on sticking around anyway (bless her).  My mom is alive, a little crazy and getting older, but the crazy part is nothing new.  And I have great friends and family in my life.  If it wasn't for them, I would have long since crawled into a hole and waited for death.  God knows how much I am thankful for them all. 


(If you want to learn more about WPW, click HERE.)