About Me (In My Own Words)
actually it was 2 valve surgies: 05/25/2022 and 11/25/2023
Somewhere in April 2022 I got sick like I had the flu, but kept getting worse..sweating every night so bad I slept on towels, fevers, couldn't move neck..took my Dr a month to finally do a blood culture and determine I had a blood infection. She called and said for me to get to the ER-not in hours but now..I ended up in hospital for 26 days with blood infection that had went to my neck and heart. 2 spinal taps, many MRI's, colonoscopy, endoscopy, echos and TEE and..the infection had eaten the flaps on my Aortic and Mitral valve. SO 26 days in hospital, open heart surgery to replace both valves-one month before Insurance kicked in so 1/2 million dollar bill and medical bankruptcy ..but alive
but wait..there's more..
At first after the recuperation I really started feeling better, like my younger self..this lasted a few months until I noticed that my energy was getting worse..and worse..go back to cardiologist and..he thinks its sounds funny..another echo and TEE and .."Dehissence of the mitral valve"-it had come loose inside there causing severe regurgitation and lucky me, I get to have open heart surgery again.
This time only 7 days in the hospital but even though I thought I was an expert at this point and would be easier..the recovery has been about twice much longer and still ongoing..and the feeling in my head +like I am in the twilight zone most of the time..been reading about Post perfusion syndrome, watched a video called Pumphead and that explains so much of the things the doctors don't talk about..Sew you up and out the door-
I do wish I had an ultrasound machine at home-then every time I feel lightheaded, or tired I could just scan myself and make sure everything's thump thumping away like its supposed too..
instead: I just wonder all the time if everything is ok in there....
More Info About Me & My Heart
More About Me
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I am from:
Medford
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My surgery date is:
November 25, 2023
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I was diagnosed with:
Mitral Regurgitation
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My surgery was:
Aortic Valve Replacement
Mitral Valve Replacement
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My surgeon is:
Dr. Charles Carmeci
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My hospital is:
Asante Rogue Regional
