About Me (In My Own Words)
7 years ago, I was diagnosed with a heart murmur that wasn't fully explained to me At the time, I was leading a pretty sedentary lifestyle (non-compliant with diet, exercise, and medication) and wasn't really given a lot of education other than to try and improve my compliance. A little over 4 years ago, I made a wholesale change in my life and started CrossFit, cycling, and triathlon. All my biometrics improved and I saw steady improvement in my stamina and conditioning. Until a year ago.
I started noticing I couldn't keep up with workouts like I could in the past and got concerned. At 51 years old, I wasn't ready to chalk it up to "old age."
I was due for a physical and my primary care physician recommended a repeat echocardiogram. From that, I got the surprising news that I was probably going to need open heart surgery. Shortly after that, I went on a 60 mile bike ride and nearly passed out at the end. This expedited things and I started meeting with surgeons in September and got a second opinion when it was unclear the significance of my problem. Dr. McCarthy clarified that I needed my aortic valve replaced (probably due to rheumatic fever as a baby) and that I should have it done within the next 6 months.
More Info About Me & My Heart
More About Me
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I am from:
Monticello, Illinois
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My surgery date is:
November 14, 2017
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I was diagnosed with:
Aortic Stenosis
Bicuspid Aortic Valve
Mitral Stenosis
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My surgery was:
Aortic Valve Replacement
Mitral Valve Repair
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