About Me (In My Own Words)
At the age of 41, I had my mitral valve replaced, a Cox-Maze ablation and my aortic valve replaced. I was told once at a physical many years ago, by a doctor, that he heard a heart murmur. Being a bullet proof man I just shrugged it off and went on with my life. Looking back, I also had periodic episodes of Afib too.
In May of 2013, I got endocarditis after a routine dental procedure. I am a teacher and being accustomed to getting sick from the students and then getting better, I kept working and treating my high fevers with ibuprofen. I did this for nearly a month. During this time, I was dating a nurse. She finally convinced / forced me to go to see a doctor because I just knew that I was going to get better. I was wrong, she was right. When I finally went to the doctor on June 23, I was in Afib and then on my way to the emergency room
At the hospital, I saw my mitral valve on the monitor of the echocardiogram, and could see that it looked like a flag blowing in the wind. On July 3rd, I had my mitral valve replaced and a Cox-maze procedure done.
I was released from the hospital on July 8th. And on August 8th took my kids to a waterpark. At the waterpark I started to get dizzy and fatigued. At a follow-up a few days later, my cardiologist heard another heart-murmur. An echocardiogram showed that my aortic valve needed to be replaced. On November 18th, I had my second open heart surgery to replace my aortic valve.
Since then I have maintained the same very active lifestyle that I have always had.
I have two Saint-Jude mechanical valves. You can hear them here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAu5zMTA3pY
More Info About Me & My Heart
More About Me
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I am from:
Tarpon Springs
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My surgery date is:
July 3, 2013
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I was diagnosed with:
Aortic Regurgitation
Mitral Regurgitation
Atrial Fibrillation
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My surgery was:
Aortic Valve Replacement
Mitral Valve Replacement
Maze Procedure
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