My heart journey with Dr Pathak started almost three years ago. Following a move to the South Coast of NSW and setting up a new home, I was finding my energy levels were way down and it was an effort to walk up hills that normally would not trouble me, without becoming breathless and dizzy. I’d been lucky enough to find an excellent GP in our new town who referred me to Dr Moysur Rahman a wonderful Canberra Cardiologist who regularly visits the far South Coast to see heart patients.
Following a number of heart scans Dr Rahman scheduled exploratory procedures at National Capital in Canberra which identified several severe coronary blockages, whereupon stents were inserted. It is at this point that I first met Dr Pathak who Dr Rahman called in to consult on issues discovered with my heart’s electrical circuitry!
To say I was alarmed at this turn of events is an understatement. Dr Pathak however explained precisely what my condition was, the immediate management and future surgical intervention that would be required and instilled in me (and my husband) an absolute faith that all will be well. Surgery was scheduled a few days later to insert a Pacemaker/Defibrillator. A light sedative was all that was required and though I was conscious and I was aware of what was happening there was no pain. I was discharged the following day and returned to the coast.
My procedure, ablations to correct the ventricular tachycardia was scheduled for later that year and in the meantime my heart rhythm was managed with medication and my ICD.
The story gets quite interesting from this point on…………
My husband and I travelled up to Canberra on the day prior to my admission date at National Capital Private Hospital for the VT Ablation. As I wasn’t allowed to drive my husband drove all the way. That evening following dinner at our Canberra son’s home, my husband suffered a near fatal heart attack. Following panicked calls to Dr Pathak he postponed my procedure, despite having his whole surgical team ready to do my surgery the following day. It was a great comfort that he took the time to talk with me and reassure me that I was going to be OK because I had my implanted device, could resume my medication, and all that mattered at that moment was my husband’s recovery. Followed by open heart surgery by an amazing team at Canberra Hospital, Rob was transferred to National Capital Private Hospitalat which point, at my request Dr Pathak also became his personal cardiologist, inserting an ICD, calling in a crack team of gastroenterologists when Rob twice experienced severe internal bleeding and of course managing his heart recovery until he was well enough to be discharged from hospital.
So now Dr Pathak is overseeing the two of us! We waited another year before undergoing my VT ablation which was scheduled shortly after I experienced further complications and was flown to Canberra by air ambulance. At all times in the lead up to, during and after the procedure Dr Pathak kept me completely aware of what I should expect. In my case it was a complex and lengthy procedure which thankfully was a resounding success and Dr Pathak presented a paper on my particular heart issue at a symposium soon after because of the “interesting nature” of the problem.
I’m not out of the woods yet, with further heart ablations needed in the upper chamber of my heart. Until then Dr Pathak is constantly monitoring my heart medication and with the added insurance of our remote home monitoring services arranged through Canberra Heart Rhythm life goes on as normal here at the coast.
I have the utmost confidence in Dr Pathak who leads an exceptional team of clinicians, technicians and admin support staff who are all extremely caring and considerate of my husband and my particular situations.
Thank you Rajeev for your outstanding care and extraordinary expertise.
Michelle and Rob Nagle
Mirador NSW