About Me (In My Own Words)
I am a firefighter and I was on shift having pain in my right kidney area. I thought I had a kidney infection. I was having an ultrasound in my kidney, scheduled prior to any pain. After the ultrasound, they told my wife to take me to the hospital right away.
The hospital was across the street. By the time I got there, I didn't know what day it was. After some tests, they confirmed what the ultrasound people suspected...I had sepsis. They had told my family they really didn't know what to do...most people at this stage were dead.
Obviously antibiotic were intravenously administered and they did tests to see what damage the infection had done. The infection grew on my aortic valve and it needed to be replaced. As well, the found an aortic anyuerism.
My case was complicated, they needed to find a surgeon who could do the surgery. Once one agreed to do it, he cancelled surgeries to do mine. It was supposed to be a 7 hour surgery.
Once the surgeon opened my heart, he found it was much worse than they thought. He told me puss came out of my heart. The infection had done way mere damage to my heart. The surgery would take 13 hours.
Once the surgery was completed I was not doing to well, so they kept me asleep for 3 days. Eventually I was awakened and the long process of recovery would begin.
They brought a walker to me to get me up moving. I walked to the next room and was exhausted, at that point I wished I had died. I thought that this was my life now...walking with a walker and being a burden on my family.
Things got better. I would walk a quater of the way around the hospital floor...then half...Eventually getting rid of the walker and walking around the floor many times.
I had 8 weeks of cardiac rehab, exercising and learning. I still didn't know if I would work as a firefighter again.
After 6 months I was cleared to go back on modified duties. Eventually I went back to the trucks. I play hockey 2 to 3 time a week. I have been able to see my son get married. Aside from the scars, physical and emotional...I am back to "normal".
More Info About Me & My Heart
More About Me
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I am from:
Toronto, Canada
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My surgery date is:
September 11, 2019
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I was diagnosed with:
Bicuspid Aortic Valve
Aortic Aneurysm
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My surgery was:
Aortic Valve Replacement
Aortic Aneurysm Replacement
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My hospital is:
Trillium Mississauga
