Thanks for the info on AF, Perna and candybear. After reading that link you gave, Perna, I can see how the paddles are the typical thing to do, but I'm still glad they didn't have to use them! Right now they have put me on a beta blocker to regulate heart rate until I can see the cardiologist. In the recovery room, they said one thing interesting about my AF was that it was not fast, but a slow arrhythmia, so giving drugs that slow the heart rate aren't necessarily the best course for what I had, even though they are given to many people with typical AF, which is too fast. I am feeling no ill effects of the beta blocker--that I know of.

Today I am feeling better from the surgery and am decreasing the frequency of my pain meds a bit. I took a 15 minute walk in the neighborhood. My girls have been kidding me about taking so many vicodins (we are all fans of the show, House MD, about the brilliant doctor who is a vicodin addict).