Ellen's Profile

I was diagnosed with AFib in 2014, at the age of 53, just as I was starting my second year of graduate school. It came on me late at night, suddenly, and I found my way to the ER. It was frightening to have my heart racing out of control and not know what was happening. My AFib was manageable with medication, and I grew comfortable with the regimen. When I moved to Jacksonville, FL, in 2015, I met with a cardiologist for management of the AFib, and he told me that the "heart murmur" that I had been told about for many years was actually a bicuspid valve; he explained the implications and predicted that around age 65 I would be looking at a valve replacement. I now have reached that age, and my valve is ready for replacement. I've had several preliminary exams this summer, including a cardiac cath, a TEE and a CT scan. I've met with both a cardiothoracic surgeon and an interventional cardiologist. I've learned more about the language of the heart, in medical terms, than I ever imagined. Because of the bicuspid valve, and because the the potential for a MAZE ablation, I am convinced that the SAVR procedure is going to be my choice. I am afraid of many of the risks, both during and after surgery, but it feels right for my long-term health and wellness to have the more complex procedure and recovery now, when I am stronger physically, and (hopefully) mentally and emotionally. That's where I find myself now, just waiting for an appointment with the surgeon to put things in place.