Patty's Profile

On Thursday, Feb. 17th, I will be receiving a new aortic valve. My original valve has 2 leaflets instead of 3. It is a congenital heart defect. The week after Christmas 2005, I was suffereing from a sinus infection. Fresh Christmas trees don't agree with me, although I love the smell of them! So, on the way to a movie with the family, I went to the doctor's office to get some meds for the sinus infection. Dr. Chun checked me over, since my regular doctor was on vacation. He mentioned that I had a severe heart murmer---was I aware? I told him no. He was very reluctant to let me leave the office, and wanted me to stay and have a chest xray and an EKG. My family was waiting in the car so I declined his invitation, and promised to return the following week. That was the beginning of 6 years of EKGs, chest xrays, ultrasounds, carotid artery ultrasounds, angiograms, cardiac catheters, transesophageal echocardiograms, and blood tests by the dozens. Before I had my first angiogram, my first cardiologist thought that my arteries must be completely blocked. But, the final diagnosis was aortic stenosis (translation: my aortic valve had calcified to the point where the opening was very tiny.) Happily, my arteries have no blockages! Last December 2010, I ended up in the hospital with a systemic e coli infection that finally settled in my heart. Endocarditis is the official diagnosis. I was so very sick, but happily, after a month of IV antiobiotics, I was able to kick that infection. But, it caused major trauma to my already compromised heart valve. Time to replace the valve, said my new cardiologist Dr. Dipti Itchhaporia. I love this doctor; she is like a good friend and I feel very comfortable around her. I found Dr. Itchhaporia after leaving my first cardiologist (who wasn't happy to answer my many questions). I was sitting in the ER with my mother who had pneumonia. I began to ask the nurses...."If you could go to any cardiologist who practices at Hoag Hospital, who would you go to?" 8 out of 10 told me Dr. Itchhaporia. Besides being smart and very good at her trade, she reportedly has the best relationships with her patients. That is what I was looking for! The nurses were right! She is my friend. So, here I am now, waiting for surgery. It is this Thursday, Feb. 17th. I wish it was tomorrow as I am anxious to get on with life. Having this hanging over me is difficult. I want the surgeon to replace my aortic valve with a porcine valve, close me up, and I want to heal and get back to my life! And that's just what I am going to do!