[Update: See below.]

Last week, my dad had a procedure done to fix a heart rhythm problem. He was having rapid heart beat episodes about once a week. It was not a major issue, just a “minor irritation” (my mom’s words). Since the procedure, he has had one or two episodes a day.

This morning (Sunday the 22nd), my mom was taking my niece home (about an hour away) when he had another episode, and this one was much worse. As mom rushed home, an ambulance was sent out to the ranch to bring him to the hospital in La Grange. Once they looked things over there, it was decided that he needed more care than they could offer.

As I’m typing this, he’s on a helicopter to the heart center in Austin where they will put in a pace-maker. They also may do more “while they’re in there” to try and fix the problem.

If you are a regular reader, you’ve seen my dad’s comments. He’s a tough old guy, kind of a John Wayne character, always reliable and rarely sick. He’s the kind of guy who hates to be a bother and would rather just take some pills and tough it out than go to the doctor. So, for everyone in my family, this is pretty scary business.

Please be in prayer for my dad, for the doctors who will treat him, and for my mom.

Thanks.

*Update*

It’s Monday morning. I just got off the phone with Mom. They put in a permanent pace-maker because Dad’s heart was stopping and restarting itself along with the rapid heartbeat. This is just to handle the stoppage. It won’t fix the rapidness.

They’re going to start him on medication to treat the rapid heartbeat and they’re going to probably put him on a sleep machine for his sleep apnea (something he’s probably needed to do for years). They think the snoring could have contributed to his problems. If the medication and sleep machine don’t help, they’ll take more drastic measures later.

The doctor seemed pretty calm about the situation and I get the feeling Dad’s out of the woods for now, but that could just be good bedside manor.