About Me (In My Own Words)
I had mitral valve repair surgery on 11/12/13. I am now 6 months post surgery and doing great! I was diagnosed with mitral valve prolapse with mild MR at age 19. I was followed by yearly echos and eventually was told I had severe MR at the age of 34. I was feeling so awful at this point that I could not walk from my flat parking lot at work from my car to the building without sitting to take a rest. I was falling asleep at my computer daily due to fatigue. When told by my treating cardiologist of 15 years that I could wait 4-5 years for surgery; I decided to self advocate and do some research. I read numerous stories about mitral valve repair and especially the success rate for younger patients. I met an amazing cardiothoracic surgeon at St Francis Hospital in Hartford, CT. His name is Dr. William Martinez and he put all my worries at ease. I had the surgery 6 months ago and feel like I am 18 years old again! Recovery was challenging, but I had a great cardiac rehab team, great support from family and friends, and a wonderful new cardiologist that I feel so comfortable with. My goal is to encourage other patients to self advocate and search for other options because you are the only one that understands your own heart and your symptoms!
More Info About Me & My Heart
More About Me
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I am from:
West Hartford, Connecticut
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My surgery date is:
November 12, 2013
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I was diagnosed with:
Mitral Regurgitation
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My surgery was:
Mitral Valve Repair
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My surgeon is:
Dr. William Martinez
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My hospital is:
St. Francis Hospital