About Me (In My Own Words)
In 2014, I found myself rather breathless at the gym & since I hadn't been in a gym with a PT for a couple of years I put it down to being 'really out of shape'. I pulled back a little on my regime but would walk out of the gym thinking something isn't right, mostly because previous to this I'd considered myself healthy & fit. I walked the beach every day, sometimes ran it, climbed our local mountain fortnightly so I wasn't a couch potato & decided to err on the side of caution & get a check up. On presenting to the Doctor I was referred for lung X-rays, had some blood tests & agreed to have a series of heart tests. Discovered lungs were clear but my right heart valve was leaking. Further tests were done and before I knew it I was sitting opposite a cardiologist and hearing him say with a moderate leak I would be referred to a cardiac surgeon. What!!! Are you sure? Those are two statements/questions that have continued to be with me - I think it's called disbelief :) ... I'm sure there are many of you that have had a similar journey & that there's many that have had quite a different journey but all of us are here & it's my hope that for those of you who are reading this that we can encourage each other along the way. Like you, my heart valve journey has caused me to ask lots of questions, ask them again as it's all been new to me & do further research. I've never been unwell in my life & have always enjoyed good health and being active. As I write I don't have any real significant health issues, except that I get tired more easily, I do get breathless with exerted exercise, my feet do swell at times and I have flutters in my heart and I have results that show that my heart muscle has been enlarging so it's time for surgery. My life is full so whilst I joined this community a couple of weeks ago it is only now that I have found time to share my story. With surgery pending I won't get a lot of time to be more detailed but I am looking forward to getting this surgery behind me. I like my surgeon having developed trust in him over the past 18mths, as together we have tracked the results. I already know that he has a great team around him, since I was admitted last week to hospital. I had an angiogram through the wrist to check the health of my arteries & thankfully these are all clear. My surgery was to be last Wednesday 20th, but I developed a cough so we have rescheduled for this week. Some of my friends have asked if having this little prelude to cardiac ward made it easier or more confronting. For me, I know what the ward is like, I could see the theatre rooms and know where ICU is and for some reason this little familiarity has made it easier for me. I've met most of the team & found every single nursing staff & surgical team to be kind & caring, considerate & helpful, skilled & proficient in the areas they worked in. Naturally I have to re- present but I'm confident I will be in good hands.
More Info About Me & My Heart
More About Me
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I am from:
Coolum, Australia
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My surgery date is:
April 26, 2016
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I was diagnosed with:
Tricuspid Regurgitation
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My surgery was:
Tricuspid Valve Replacement
Tricuspid Valve Repair
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My hospital is:
Prince Charles Hospital, Chermside Qld Australia
