May 6, 2026
For more than 20 years, Dwayne Hornsby has cared for patients in the Terrebonne General Health System cath lab as a nurse – never imagining that one day, he would find himself on the other side of care.
Dwayne first began experiencing palpitations that came and went. At first, the episodes were intermittent, but over time they became more intense – interrupting his work and limiting his life outside of it.
“When I would have atrial fib, I wasn’t able to do anything,” Dwayne said. “I didn’t want to go out to eat, I didn’t want to go anywhere because I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t really function. My wife was always very worried about me.”
Dwayne was diagnosed with Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) in 2007. Prior to his diagnosis, he had underlying risk factors, including untreated hypertension and sleep apnea – both of which can contribute to the development and progression of AFib.
“Early warning signs of atrial fibrillation can be as subtle as a flutter in the chest that lasts a few minutes and goes away,” explained Dr. Kanwar Singh, electrophysiologist at CIS in Houma and Thibodaux. “A single episode – or even episodes that occur years apart – may not have much impact on the heart. But if you experience an episode that gives you pause, especially one that causes shortness of breath or dizziness, it’s important to get it checked out.”
In 2017, Dwayne was recommended for an AFib Ablation procedure by Dr. Singh when he joined the team at CIS and began offering the specialized procedure. Dwayne was initially hesitant and chose to wait about a year. In 2018, he underwent an AFib ablation performed by Dr. Singh.
“My experience [with the procedure] was great,” Dwayne said. “Of course, I’m a little biased, but our team does a fantastic job – and Dr. Singh was wonderful.”
Since the procedure, Dwayne hasn’t experienced a single palpitation and is back to living fully – without the interruptions that once controlled his daily life.
Dr. Singh emphasizes that AFib can sometimes go unnoticed. By age 50, he recommends getting evaluated to help catch the 20% of cases that are silent and may not show symptoms until something serious, like a stroke, occurs. He also stresses the importance of routine care as we get older and not brushing off symptoms at a younger age – listening to your body can make a life-saving difference.
Request an appointment today with a CIS cardiologist.