Cardiac Ward Ranger II

The RRR's readers may have noticed he has not been heard from since he posted a sermon two weeks ago. This is why.

The sermon was well received and Elder Raymond and his wife Arlene had Mrs. RRR and I over for a delicious meal of steak cooked on the outdoor grill. Jay and Jason joined us. After a fine dinner we went home. Of course I was very tired and fell into a deep sleep. Just as has happened on the four previous occasions of heart problems I had a nightmare. They are all similar. This time I was the last man alive in a bunker in Vietnam. My friends lay dead. All my ammo was gone. I could hear voices speaking Vietnamese outside the bunker. Flickering red light from flames danced through the firing slits. Suddenly an NVA soldier leaped through the entrance to the little sandbag fortress. He crouched under the low ceiling holding a rifle with a fixed bayonet. He began moving toward me in his crouched down position. I pulled my bayonet from its scabbard and backed away into the corner. He came closer. In my dream my heart was pounding. I awakened hearing my heart beating fast and irregularly in my ears. I was once again in atrial fibrillation.

I went out to the kitchen and gulped down four aspirin and my blood pressure medicines and dialed the Dr. Of course I was told to go to the Emergency Room at once. From there on was a duplicate of the last episode. I once again was admitted to the hospital for a number of days. Once again an increase in my medication converted my heart back to normal rhythm. I don't understand why this keeps happening.

I keep asking the Dr.s. Am I going into Atrial Fib because of the nightmares, or are the nightmares the result of the Atrial Fib? No one can answer me. But I pray now before I go to sleep not to have the dreams. Not a new prayer. But one that has suddenly taken on more importance.