About Me (In My Own Words)
Hi, my name is Cheryl, I am 52 years old and come from Sydney Australia.
I was born with a hole in the heart, had a coarctation repair when I was 6 years old and have basically ventured thru life with absolutely no idea about my health, or should I say lack of it. Just recently I had a random check up and have been told I will be having surgery to replace a densely calcified Biscuspid Aortic Valve. I have a lot to learn
MY LIFE SO FAR AS I KNOW IT MEDICALLY
Hi
My name is Cheryl
I am 52 years old and have recently found out that I will be undergoing open heart surgery.
Any information about my past that I am about to tell you may sound vague but that is because my mother is the only person who knows my history and she has dementia and can only remember I had an operation but can't remember any details.
I was born in 1960 at Camperdown Childrens Hospital in Sydney Australia and was classified as a blue baby. I was not expected to live the first 24 hours. What happened between being born and 6 and half years later is a bit of a mystery. I remember going for check ups but I don't know the reason why I was 6yo before I had my operation. I do remember I suffered with bronchitis and was on medication for a lot of that period.
In 1967 I had a heart operation where they performed a Coarctation repair which means my main aorta had a pinch in it, so they removed the pinched piece of aorta and replaced it with a tube or stent. As far as I can remember, I had a couple of follow up visits and was told I could not do not be involved in any sports or extreme physical activies for at least 10 years after the operation.
When I was 13, I moved to Queensland to live with my father, his wife and my step brothers and sisters. I was always an overweight child probably because I was overprotected and never really got involved in any physical activities let alone sports.
I remember my step mum and my dad took me to a Brisbane hospital to have a routine check and the doctors agreed that I could now ride a bike and was even given the go ahead to join gymnastics.
This was a big turn around for me because I practically thinned out overnight, I was finally allowed to do everything or anything any other child was allowed to do. I rode my bike to and from school, I joined the gymnastics group and even performed on stage at a school concert.
As a teenager and young adult, I would put on weight, take it off, put it on, take it off much like any other woman who does not have a fast metabilism. I did not enjoy aerobics or running as I always struggled with breathing if I got over exerted, but, I put it down to being a smoker.
I have given up smoking several times in my adult life but my breathing never really improved... I enjoy walking and can walk fast for long periods at a time but I could not RUN from one telegraph pole to the next... once again I figured it was because I was an ex smoker.
Now, like I mentioned earlier... my mother has dementia. Mums husband had a fall earlier this year which caused a brain bleed and unfortunately died a week later. I was fortunate to be in the position to pack up and move to Coffs harbour to care for mother full time.
Mum also has a heart condition, she has diabetes, a thyroid problem, high cholestrol, arthritis and a few more things but she has everything under control with medication and is leading a pretty normal life considering. So obviously regular trips to the doctors for top up medication and general check ups is a must.
I have always only gone to a medical centres myself, and seen what ever doctor is available because basically I didnt get sick. So after moving here to care for mum and getting to know mums doctor, I decided to let him check me out as I know I have always had a heart murmur.
After listening to my chest the doctor suggested I have a heart echo to check things out more thoroughly which I did the following day. When I picked up the results and read the prognosis, I thought nothing of it because it was all just jibble jabble to me.
I made a follow up appointment with my doctor probably two weeks later... I was in no hurry. The doctor was quite concerned and suggested I go and see a cardiologist and get another echo done together with a stress test.
Sooooooooooo... I made an appointment and off I went, still not really concerned because I didn't suffer with pain or anything.
As I was having the echo, it was obvious that there was a lot of concern and confusion going on because I ended up having 3 people in the room at one stage trying to work out what they were seeing on the echo.. I was asked to get up and go on the treadmill and tell them if I was experiencing any discomfort.. I walked about two minutes then I asked them if I felt ANYTHING different should I tell them. They said yes so I told them that my chest felt a tiny bit tight and I was straining to breath normally, but this is what I have felt most of my adult life.. I just mentioned it because they wanted to know everything as I experienced it.. They took me off the treadmill straight away, laid me down and performed another echo... that's when they found my problem.
I was born with a bicuspid aortic valve which means I only have two chambers to my aortic valve instead of the normal 3 chambers.
These days if you are born with a bicuspid valve it would be carefully watched and sometimes repaired at an early age.
Because I didn't know about my faulty valve and didn't recognise the seriousness of the restriction in my breathing all these years, my heart is now overworked and my valve has almost seized up...
I was advised to go and have a dental check up and fix any teeth that needed fixing and take a course of antibiotics to clear any infections I may have, to prepare myself for open heart surgery.
I also have had a CT scan done and will be having an angiogram performed on the 23rd October, from there I will be meeting the surgeon.
I will be making random updates of my diary right up until my surgery and then let you know how recovery goes day by day.
So until my next post, if you have any doubt that something is just not right... please go and see your local GP and get things checked out.
More Info About Me & My Heart
More About Me
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I am from:
Coffs Harbour, Australia