About Me (In My Own Words)
I was originally diagnosed in 2012 with mitral regurgitation. I had a murmur that was so loud, medical students used to come and listen to it as part of their training! In late 2014, I was told that I must have the valve replaced, but that I was a high-risk patient because I was also on dialysis for chronic renal failure. By the time the original surgery date came around in December 2014, I had been talked out of it by the same people who were saying I had to have it.
I was put through no less than 4 full sternotomies in 32 days, between 26 April and 28 May 2016. First, Mr Riordan tried to repair my mitral valve, which was unsuccessful. Then he replaced it with a mechanical valve, which the team had wanted to do all along. A few days later, they went in again to clean out some clots. Then, after I was readmitted to hospital with pericardial effusion, Mr Riordan went back in for a fourth time to remove the excess fluid from the pericardium.
I was in hospital for 7 weeks altogether, including my third bout of pneumonia in 2 years, as well as a staph infection, fevers and so forth. I sometimes wonder: if I had known how complicated everything would turn out, would I have consented to any of it in the first place?
More Info About Me & My Heart
More About Me
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I am from:
Wellington, New Zealand
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My surgery date is:
April 26, 2016
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I was diagnosed with:
Mitral Regurgitation
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My surgery was:
Mitral Valve Replacement
Mitral Valve Repair
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My surgeon is:
Dr. John Riordan
