Carla's Profile

I was told I had a benign heart murmur after the birth of our first daughter in 1971. In 1976, after moving to South Florida, I experienced some pains in my chest and was diagnosed as having a prolapsing mitral valve. In September of 1985, I had my teeth cleaned, making sure I premedicated before the procedure; but the Heart Association had also just reduced the dosage following the procedure and I am not sure that I took that dose after the procedure. I had gone back to college and was trying to balance a full college load, my marriage, two young daughters, and being employed at my church as organist. From September to December, I kept getting weaker, very achy, running a low grade fever, until just before Christmas, I was diagnosed with bacterial endocarditis. I was hospitalized for almost 3 weeks with IVs every 4 hours; released and had IVs another 2 weeks at home with a home nurse. I managed to go until October of 1997 without any noticeable symptoms; then I began to notice a pulsing that suddenly started in my ear and some A-fib. After testing, my Doctor recommended that I go to Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio for a mitral valve repair of my severely leaking valve. I had surgery February 25, 1998, at age 48, by a "Pioneer in the Field". I only had a trace leakage after surgery but in the next two years I developed mild, then gradually moderate, and then in 2008, severe mitral regurgitation. I have had a few bouts of A-fib since 2003 and have been on warfarin since that time. My local Cardiologist has monitored my condition and now at age 60, my current echo shows that pressures have started to get higher and my heart chambers have started to dilate. I hope to have my previously repaired mitral valve re-repaired at Cleveland Clinic in Ohio on April 15, 2010. "Now is the time"….. Giving thanks in all things.. Carla Hansen, PBG, South Florida "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7