About Me (In My Own Words)
I was born with a heart defect which was initially repaired with open heart surgery in 1971, at the age of seven. During this surgery a hole between the chambers of my heart was closed and my pulmonary valve and artery were widened to help with blood flow to my lungs.
See my 1st grade picture.
Over the last several years my cardiologists have been monitoring the valve, noting that after 46 years it now has a significant leak, causing pulmonary regurgitation. This is causing a decrease in my resting oxygen levels and an enlarged heart. Last Fall after additional testing by a specialist I was told that it is time for the valve to be replaced.
Initial CT scans of my heart identified another small hole between my heart chambers and they were able to measure me for a heart valve, sort of like getting measured for a fine suit...except this one will be a bit more expensive. The bad news is my heart valves are big, and so they can not simply slip in a new valve through a catheter, but I will require open heart surgery.
The good news is that additional testing in preparation for surgery has identified that my coronary arteries are in good shape and I will not require any bypass surgery in conjunction with the valve surgery, and that they can easily stitch shut the small hole between my chambers
I will be admitted to THe University of Colorado Hospital in Denver on March 14, for surgery. If all goes well I anticipate being discharged in about 5 days. I am currently planning to take 6 weeks off of work to recuperate.
While the risks related with this surgery are low I ask for your thoughts prayers for both myself and Lauren during this time. We will keep you posted.
Frequently asked questions:
What type of valve are you getting?
For pulmonic valve replacement they do not use mechanical valves and I will be receiving a bioprosthetic valve made of bovine pericardial tissue.
While the risks related with this surgery are low I ask for your thoughts prayers for both myself and Lauren during this time. We will keep you posted.
More Info About Me & My Heart
More About Me
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I am from:
Colorado Springs, Colorado
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My surgery date is:
March 14, 2017
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I was diagnosed with:
Pulmonary Regurgitation
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My surgery was:
Pulmonary Valve Replacement
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My surgeon is:
Dr. James Jaggers
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My hospital is:
University of Colorado
