Patricia's Profile

I got sick with a cold last year, I least that's what I thought I had. My chest hurt everytime I coughed, I was feeling sick, weeks before, I lost my voice but I didn't go to the doctor, it was just a cold or flu i told myself, but I was feeling pretty bad so I decided to call my doctor and make an appointment, when they asked me if I had chest pain I said yes, so they made me a same day appointment. I never went home that day, instead they took me in an ambulance to the hospital. apperantly I had really bad afib, my heart was racing, i remember seeing the number on the machine, it keept going from 80 to 170 in a second and I was just laying there, not even moving,,,,, sooo, after spending nine days hospitalilzed, I found out I had a really bad problem. I was diagnozed with mitral regurgitation and atrial fibrilation. I had a valve replaced, the second one repaired and I also had a maze procedure done. Even do I had the minimal invasive surgery, let me tell you, it's in no way less painful, in fact, it's more freaky, I kept looking at my chest and my skin was not torn open, but it felt like someone had just cut my chest and heart in half. The pain was excruciating ( sorry if I misspelled it). I am still recovering as of today 03/13/2012. I am feeling better, I can go up the stairs and I don't run out of breath like I used to before surgery, I also look better. I am very greatful to the Kaiser doctor who didn't let me go home and sent me to the hospital instead, I feel that he saved my life by taking action and I will be always greatful for that :)