Missy's Profile

I was diagnosed with mitral valve prolapse at 8 years old. I don't recall if the regurg was present at that time, or developed later. The regurg was mild for years so I was just monitored with a yearly echo for many years. In November 2019, I had an episode at work where I became dizzy, lightheaded, and felt like I was going to pass out. I was tachycardic & hypertensive. I happen to be a cardiac cath lab RN so no better place for something like that to happen, right? I saw my cardiologist the next day. After listening to my heart, he felt my murmur sounded worse than it had in June at my annual check-up. A repeat echo showed that the leaking had worsened and the regurg was now moderate/severe. I always had transient symptoms - palpitations, shortness of breath, chest pain over the years. I guess I had just gotten so use to it, I just didn't really notice that they were actually getting worse. After completing a stress test to try to "trigger" another episode, my cardiologist felt I should have fared better than I did given my age, fitness level, etc. He felt it was time to start thinking about surgical intervention. I began the long and what felt like the arduous consultation and work-up process. Because of my age, 41 at the time, and my work, I wanted a minimally invasive approach in order to minimize recovery time. I did not originally consult the Cleveland Clinic, which proved to be a mistake. The coronavirus complicated things further. I consulted CC in late April and was contacted and offered a June surgery date in May. My symptoms, including arrhythmias, continued to worsen while I waited. The original plan was for a robot assist mitral valve repair contingent on results from pre-op testing at CC. At my consultation with Dr. Burns the day before my scheduled surgery, he informed me I was not a candidate for robot assist or minimally invasive, and my surgery would be a full sternotomy. It was not the news I wanted, but my main priority was the safest best possible outcome. I prepared myself for the possibility of traditional open heart surgery while I waited during the work-up phase. By that time I didn't care, I just wanted my life & activity level back. So, on June 18, 2020, 7 months to the date from that initial "episode", I had my mitral valve repair. I was so grateful and relieved Dr. Burns was able to repair my valve. The road to get there took longer than I wanted and was quite stressful & frustrating at times, but I know I ended up just where I needed to be! I can't thank Dr. Burns and his team, and all the staff at CC for the care they gave me!