About Me (In My Own Words)
I had open heart surgery at Virginia Commonwealth University when I was 5. I had artial ventricular septal defect. I had a lot wrong with my poor little heart. My open heart surgery was very difficult and traumatizing for me. I have been very sick for many years and was told it was just asthma. I have been short of breath so much. I have recently found out that I have severe mitral valve regurgitation, a cleft mitral leaflet, and aortic stenosis. I found out this April and have been out of work since then. I am a middle school special education and English teacher. My entire life has been turned upside down and all this has been so traumatizing and terrifying. Having echos are awful for me and I cannot even touch my own scar. My current cardiologist has said I will need another open surgery. I also have pulmonary hypertension because of my heart issues, making it even more difficult to breathe. I have one more test next week (CPET) and then hopefully they will schedule my differential. I have requested to be a part of the differential. My cardiologist was not thrilled about that, and respectfully I don't care. I do not want to have traditional open heart surgery. I cannot bear the thought of it. I am hoping and praying for a non-invasive/robotic procedure somewhere. I have heard though, that many surgeons and locations will not perform this surgery on a previous traditional thoracic patient and I have been so down trodden and sad about this, as well as worried.
More Info About Me & My Heart
More About Me
-
I am from:
Mechanicsville, VA
-
I was diagnosed with:
Aortic Stenosis
Mitral Regurgitation
