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I had atrial fibrillation (AFib) for quite a while. Over the past two to three years I have gone through other measures to stop the AFib including two cardiac ablations as well as two cardioversions. After those procedures, my AFib would go away for a period of time. But, my AFib would always come back. The last time I suffered from AFib my cardiologist recommended I go to see Dr. Erik Beyer, a cardiothoracic surgeon who specializes in the Maze Procedure for the treatment of AFib.
The reason I chose to have an open-heart surgery albeit minimally invasive in nature was because I was at a very high risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke. I live a very active life with young children that I’m still running after on a daily basis. With the AFib prior to having this surgery with Dr. Beyer, I wasn’t able to do much due to constant tiredness and lack of exercise. Because I was always so winded my energy level for exercising was way down. Also, at the time I was on heavy medication to slow down my heart rate. I was on seven medications and now I’m just on a few so I’m taking less medication to manage my heart ailment which is a good thing for my health moving forward.
My cardiologist and Dr. Beyer agreed I was a good candidate for the Maze Procedure. So, I decided to move forward with the surgery with Dr. Beyer at Florida Medical Center, a campus of North Shore located in Fort Lauderdale. During the procedure Dr. Beyer disables the heart cells causing AFib, an irregular heartbeat condition known in medical terms as arrhythmia. Via minimal incisions in the atria or upper chambers of the heart Dr. Beyer interrupts irregular electrical routes causing AFib and returns the heart to normal function. Scar tissue cannot conduct electrical impulses so the scar tissue from the Maze procedure forms barriers around the incisions causing a maze effect to keep electrical impulses on proper course.
After my recovery I began an upward climb to feeling great once again. At Dr. Beyer’s office the front desk staff was always very cordial. Dr. Beyer and Daniel Mock, a clinical cardiothoracic nurse practitioner on Dr. Beyer’s staff, those two are “Rock Stars”, the best of the best. Dr. Beyer and Daniel are both super nice; they’re always willing to answer any questions or anything and always took the time to provide me with any details I needed during the course of my care. Dr. Beyer’s surgical coordinator Jeissy Aguado has also been extremely helpful during this entire process. Initially after my Maze procedure I had to go to Dr. Beyer’s office once a week just to make sure everything was OK or if I needed adjustments with my medications. Dr. Beyer, Daniel, Jeissy and the office staff were just awesome.
At the hospital, I had one nurse in particular who was just outstanding and always trying to uplift me because at the time my family couldn’t visit me during the height of the first COVID-19 surge in our community. My care staff at the hospital obviously always had masks and personal protective equipment (PPE) on for safety. I felt safe during my surgery and recovery at the hospital during COVID-19.
I focus on always going to the gym and eating healthy to stay active for my general well-being. By starting slowly on the treadmill I’m able to build up my strength and stamina to achieve my goal of working out hard again. I’m also back to spending time and going out with my family; we’re definitely outdoor people so we’re always at a park or doing something outside. I’m getting back to the lifestyle I enjoyed before suffering from AFib. Getting back to the gym, work and being able to do things with my kids again is really just a blessing. I’m grateful to Dr. Beyer, Daniel and Jeissy for their care in providing treatment for my AFib and giving me back my quality of life once again.
