About Me (In My Own Words)
Am 81 years young and have had a heart murmur since I was 9.
during the last few years I have suffered from shortness of breath, but continued working, walking, going to the fitness center 3 days a week etc. One of my major complaints was that I was very tired. My cardiologist's nurse practitioner suggested a sleep test. I had severe obstructive sleep apnea and started to use a C-Pap machine with oxygen at night. Fatigue continued. Soon thereafter I needed oxygen for exertion - at the fitness center. The next problem was that I needed hospitalization every few months due to congestive heart failure with fluid retention and, of course, difficulty breathing. During those last few years, the medication was changed many times until in January 2012, the caediologist suggested consulting with Cardiac surgeons to see if surgery would help. After more and more tests:angiograms, CT scans,TEE and a pulmonary function test I am 6 days away from open-heart surgery. Have done a lot of research, watched videos of the procedure etc. and am extremely anxious and scared about the entire concept.
More Info About Me & My Heart
More About Me
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I am from:
Chicago, Illinois