Cardiac Patient

Cardiac Patient: A Journey Through Stints for LAD, SIck Sinus Syndrome, Pacemaker, CABG, Afib, Heart Flutter,Ablation, CHF and Cardioversion

I never set out to become fluent in cardiology terminology. I didn't aspire to collect acronyms like LAD, CHF, AFib, or CABG, nor did I plan to become personally acquainted with pacemakers, cardioversions, ICU rooms, or the particular sound hospital socks make on polished floors at three in the morning.
And yet-here we are.
My journey with Coronary Artery Disease began quietly more than two decades ago. Like most heart stories, it didn't arrive with flashing lights or a marching band. It crept in through fatigue, odd symptoms, unexplained shortness of breath, and the slow realization that something inside was no longer keeping proper time. What followed became a 22-year education in modern cardiac care: a blocked LAD, Sick Sinus Syndrome, a pacemaker, open-heart surgery, congestive heart failure, atrial fibrillation and flutter, cardioversions, countless tests, and more conversations with cardiologists than I ever expected to have in one lifetime.
This book is not a medical textbook. It's the view from the gurney.
Along the way, I learned that heart disease doesn't just affect your circulation-it rearranges your calendar, changes your vocabulary, and introduces you to a remarkable community of nurses, physicians, technicians, paramedics, and caregivers who show up every day to help strangers keep breathing. I also learned that humor, gratitude, and perspective are as important as medication lists and discharge instructions.
Before becoming a full-time cardiac patient, I spent decades in law enforcement and safety leadership, including twenty-two years as a Police Officer, retiring from the Arkansas Highway Police. Then spending more than twenty-five years in private-sector safety and security. Those careers taught me preparation, resilience, and the value of steady hands in tense moments-lessons that translated surprisingly well to hospital corridors and recovery rooms.
I'm also a lifelong storyteller, author, and essayist, known for blending real-life experience with warmth, candor, and a touch of absurdity. I write not because everything turned out perfectly, but because stories help make sense of the hard parts-and because laughter still works, even when your heart occasionally decides to freelance.
I share this journey with my life companion Lynn, whose steadfast support (and occasional medical adventures of her own) has been a constant source of strength. Together we've learned that love sometimes looks like holding hands in waiting rooms, celebrating good lab results, and asking the important questions-like, "Have you eaten?"
Today, I continue to live, travel, write, and collect memories-grateful for every extra sunrise, deeply appreciative of modern medicine, and mindful that this has never been a solo effort. My journey through Coronary Artery Disease hasn't been easy, but it has been guided by extraordinary medical professionals, unwavering personal support, and the simple determination to keep moving forward.
This is my story.
Frank