About Me (In My Own Words)
I'm 36 years old and was recently diagnosed with Bicuspid Aortic Valve Disease and severe Aortic Regurgitation. I've battled with HBP for many years along with anxiety.
Last year was a challenging year with a lot of things going on in my personal and professional life. I would experience what I called "spells" in which I felt like my blood was boiling, my heart was racing so fast that I thought it was going to come out of my chest...and because this was not my normal anxiety attack feelings...I freaked out to the point where it put me in the hospital for 3 days. This is when I found out about the potential of heart disease because of a pretty apparent heart murmur.
I knew I had a heart murmur and have had it for a long time and none of my doctors seemed to be too concerned about it at the time...and shame on me for not asking questions and also following up on it...but hey I was 24 at the time and invincible right?
After my gig in the hospital, I was referred to a cardiologist that ordered some more tests. I underwent a TEE and that is what confirmed my diagnosis.
At first the cardiologist said that it would just be monitored, and we may have to do surgery in the next couple years when I started having symptoms...and of course the worrier that I am wasn't too comfortable with that and I got a second opinion.
I'm glad I did! Met with the surgeon and my new cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic in November and agreed that surgery was the way to go sooner rather than later. Because I wasn't having any symptoms at the time, I decided to wait until my little brother got married this summer.
In January I started to have some minor symptoms and just didn't feel well, so we decided to do the surgery April 20th.
I'm definitely scared and nervous as I have never had any type of surgery before let alone a major surgery such as this one.
I have 2 small boys and I plan to get through this and be stronger than ever for them!
More Info About Me & My Heart
More About Me
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I am from:
Minerva, Ohio
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My surgery date is:
April 20, 2016
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I was diagnosed with:
Aortic Regurgitation
Bicuspid Aortic Valve
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My surgery was:
Aortic Valve Replacement
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My hospital is:
Cleveland Clinic
