Jamie's Profile

In 1993, when I was 17 years old I went to my family doctor with symptoms of what I and my parents thought was Asthma. I left the office with the information that I had a heart valve problem. Over the next several weeks I met with doctors who did tests to determine that at some point when I was younger I had contracted Rheumatic Fever and now I had developed severe Mitral Stenosis. I went in to surgery for an angioplasty to try to stretch open the valve and it tore. I had to have emergency open heart surgery. At that time I choose to have a pig valve put in so that I could have children one day. My doctors told me that the pig valve would probably only last 7 to 10 years because I was so young. I knew that eventually I would have to have that pig valve replaced. And here I am, with 3 beautiful children and 18 years later making the decision to have open heart surgery once again and replace my pig valve. I have lived the last 18 years very much normal not really even thinking about my pig valve. I have had limitations but nothing to severe. I am anxious and nervous to have heart surgery again, But after so many years of knowing that I would need to do it again I am ready to get it behind me.