About Me (In My Own Words)
About a year and a half ago, I started to notice occasionally that my heart would suddenly feel like it was slowing down. I could feel it pounding slower and slower. I would take a deep breath and that seemed to make that feeling go away. Since I’m a labor and delivery nurse, I asked my friends at work if anyone ever felt this way and ofcourse they all said yeah yeah you’re fine, it’s normal.
In April of 2020, something changed. My heart had runs of irregular beats speeding up, then slowing down. I felt it in my throat, my chest, and could hear it in my ears. After about a week of this, I was walking through my house getting ready to head out for a 5 mile hike with my dog and friend. Suddenly I had crushing chest pain for about a minute. I couldn’t move. Then, when it went away I thought, “boy that’s weird!” I got my shoes on and went about my day. After that, my symptoms started to get more frequent. I decided to listen to my heart with my stethoscope, and I was so dismayed when I heard no heart beat. Just a loud sloshing sound.
That’s when I got the ball rolling to see a cardiologist. Long story short, I was diagnosed with mitral valve regurgitation due to a torn mitral valve. They said it was stage 4, and I would need to have open heart surgery to correct the problem. I was very shocked, scared, and upset that I would have to be the patient. I’ve always been healthy and very active. I have never been diagnosed with any heart condition in all my life. So May 1st began a very busy month of all kinds of pre op testing and procedures. All I can say is thank goodness for drugs like versed and fentanyl for certain diagnostic procedures; You either forget or don’t care what’s being done to you!
Anyway, my surgery was May 28th. I had the best surgeon, and Dr. Vial was able to do my surgery at the hospital where I worked. I was able to pick my anesthesiologist as well. It was reassuring to know that I was in good hands. When I first woke up from the surgery, I noticed right away that I couldn’t see. Everything was so bright, blurry, and covered in a veil of white. It’s the best way I can describe it. After several hours my vision was better, however the next day gave way to many ocular migraines, sensitivity to bright light, odd animated visual disturbances, and a couple really bad migraines complete with numb hands, arms, and the pounding headache. I was told that people with a history of migraine can sometimes have issues with migraines for up to 6 months after surgery.
Fast forward four and a half months later, the bad migraines are only a couple times a month. The ocular migraines have seemed to ease from 2-4 times a week to now about once a week or so. This is a new and very welcomed development. However, stress brings them on, so I avoid the news and talking with people about things that make me stressed out.
I returned to work back in the end of August working night shift. The other issue that I have which hasn’t gotten better is light sensitivity. At work the fluorescent lighting and computer screens are really horrible. I’ve been to the eye doctor for an exam, which show healthy eyes. So, I’m having special dark shaded glasses made for work that are anti glare with a blue light light blocking lenses to help manage the light sensitivity.
I’m giving it till the end of six months before I go to a neurologist for the migraines and issues with my eyes. For now, I’m just so pleased with my fixed heart. If this was something I was diagnosed with 100 years ago, I would have died within a couple years. I would have been someone’s sickly aunt who died young. I’m so thankful for modern medicine and gifted surgeons and doctors.
More Info About Me & My Heart
More About Me
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I am from:
San Jose
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My surgery date is:
May 28, 2020
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I was diagnosed with:
Mitral Regurgitation
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My surgery was:
Mitral Valve Repair
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My surgeon is:
Dr. Conrad Vial
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My hospital is:
El Camino Hospital
