What a day !

 On the way to A Coeur Ouvert, our hub café, we saw some cranes flying overhead. Normally we see them around the middle of February, and they are harbingers of warmer weather, just as their departure in November signals the arrival of the winter. 

Our hearts were warmed by the sight. Poor dupes.

As I was thrashing out Hebrews 11:1-16 with the lads at lunchtime we noticed a strange perturbation in the air outside. Snow. Lots. Falling hard. Silly cranes! I hope they turned round and flew off back south again.

Anyway I later trudged through the streets to post off my bank loan application and then to meet Pat to go to her hospital appointment. 

Sometime before Christmas she was subject to quite a violent arrhythmia which resulted in her being admitted to hospital by ambulance. The situation stabilised, she was sent home with provisional medication by taxi. Now she needed further examination - an ECG and a heart ultrasound - and a decision about the next step.

A charming lady administered the ECG, then the young cardiologist came in to do the ultrasound. He looked like a tall twelve-year-old, but we're aware that may say as much about us as about him.

"Your problem is atrial fibrillation. It's very common. By their 80s, 1 in 3 people have it. The medication you are taking is working well, and if you were in your eighties we would continue with it, but for someone young like you we need to take a different course of action. Your heart is strong and healthy, but we need to stop this atrial fibrillation. We'll try medication first, but if that doesn't work then we'll perform an ablation."

Somewhat encouraged and reassured, we battled our way home through the snowy streets. Well, kind of. By now it was basically all melted.



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