Before I share my experience, for those of you that may not know, an implantable loop recorder (ILR) is "type of heart-monitoring device that records your heart rhythm continuously for up to three years. It records the electrical signals of your heart and allows remote monitoring by way of a small device inserted just beneath the skin of the chest." (Mayo)

Now my story!

Surgery was super smooth! The same cannot be said about the registration process, but hey, we can't have it all.

Here's a short recap of my experience.

1) I was brought to a waiting room by volunteers. Good thing I didn't need to use the restroom because no one was nearby to assist!

2) After waiting about 30 minutes a door opened, and I was summoned back to a room with curtains where they took my vitals. After waiting a short time, the cardiologist came by and marked my loop recorder spot with a purple marker (it had an orange cap, but it was purple).

3) The OR was my next stop. They began the process for the extraction. One of the staff members was trying to find my loop recorder, so I told them it was marked with an X a little lower. The next comment was, "wow, that's low." The procedure began with a numbing shot (a cloth covered most of my face, but regardless I didn't have my glasses on so I couldn't see!). I felt a little prick, but the shot of medicine buuuuurned! I told myself it was better than feeling the removal. The doctor started to do something, and I felt it, so he gave me more numbing stuff. I smelled the burning skin as they used some kind of device to cut the skin for the extraction. I have 2 staples in my chest but hey no more loop recorder! I did see my loop recorder. It was skinner and much longer than I expected! I thought it was 1/3rd the actual size and wider; I was wrong. The size shocked me so much the doctor joked that it was good I didn't see it before insertion.

4) They wheeled me to my curtain room. The burnt smell was still in my nose when I was waiting for the doctor to complete his paperwork for my discharge. I was there about 20 minutes or so then I was released. My husband picked me up (he took the little one to get food, plus we didn't want our toddler in the hospital).

5) I took almost a 2 hr nap! For some reason, I was so tired. I think it was the anticipation of getting the loop reorder out, a hospital visit (short as it was), and thinking of the procedure process.