Lesslie's Profile

I was born with congenital heart defects. I had open heart surgery to correct avsd and possibly minimal mitral valve repair, right after my fifth birthday, in December 1963. I have not been limited in what I can do, nor have I taken medication until 20 years ago when I began taking a calcium channel blocker for some tachycardia. About a year ago, I started having symptoms and was diagnosed earlier this year with a severely leaking tricuspid valve, a moderately to severely leaking pulmonary valve and a minimally leaking mitral valve, along with type 2 pulmonary hypertension and congestive heart failure. The valve issues are all considered to be congenital. I will be having open heart surgery before the end of the year to replace the pulmonary valve, and to repair or replace the tricuspid valve. I am going to The University of Michigan Adults with Congenital Heart Disease Department. My cardiologist has in mind the team he wants for me, but is still working out the details.