Patient Story of Crystal Whaley

My Story

About Me (In My Own Words)

I went to my pcp with bronchitis in December 2016. She listened to my heart and noticed my murmur. I said "Yes, I know. I've had it my whole life. It's an innocent one". I'd had no noticeable symptoms at that time. I now know women rationalize and men ignore their health symptoms. She said,"You need to go see your cardiologist,"I said," I don't have one". I was diagnosed in Feb. 2017 with bicuspid aortic valve stenosis. We have determined it may have been inherited from my deceased father. I prayed I was the only one with this issue, not my brother, sister or any of my two children. God granted that to me,to us. They have all been tested and determined they don't have any issues.After having an echocardiogram they called me the very next day to come to the office the following day to get the results. I asked my husband to go with me, I told him,"this may not be good. I've seen this in the movies". We went in and the cardiologist informed me of my results. They were severe to acute aortic valve stenosis. Up to that point I didn't recognize my symptoms I had been having for a few months. I rationalized them by saying to self, I'm 20 lbs overweight, I'm a smoker, and it's wintertime so I hadn't worked outside much hauling rocks, trimming trees and working the one acre property we have. Well, after talking with my cardiologist, I recognized and identified the symptoms. My husband had noticed I was extremely tired and falling asleep on the couch often for the last 6 months. My heart was working so hard everyday all day that I was very tired at the end of my work day.
I had many required test before having the valve replacement. I was probably one of the healthiest heart patients they had dealt with since I had no cholesterol , diabetes, or stroke or had a heart attack. I was a go getter and saw no limits prior to my diagnosis.
I had a St Jude mechanical heart valve implanted. A tissue valve meant a second open heart surgery in 10-15 yrs later. I am 48 yrs old, I was not going through this again. So mechanical it was. Coumadin it is and a new normal, I'm looking for.