New "old" member from Colorado

[ChristinaColorado]

Hi - I am so glad to see some familiar names here on VR. I was here during the Ross era (miss him so much). I joined VR in 2003 when I had mitral valve repair by Dr. Cosgrove in Cleveland at the age of 44. I have had a pretty uneventful 20 years since heart-wise (high blood pressure and on medication) and now have new onset atrial fibrillation - I felt fluttering in my heart at times but didn't know my a-fib was constant - cannot really feel it but have had episodes of lightheadedness. Diagnosed just last week. Will be going for an echocardiogram (first in 7 years) in a few weeks. Here for support of others with a-fib and to reconnect. Thank you so much!

 

[ChristinaColorado]

I see that I am on here as Christina L from many years ago - with a photo of my husband and I with our newly adopted daughter from Vietnam, Emma. Emma is now almost 16 and our younger daughter, Noelle, from China is 13. Needless to say it is because of our young daughters that I am very concerned about my health after being in denial and living relatively "healthy" for 20 years since my mitral valve repair. I now face atrial fibrillation and all that entails. I am looking for advice and hope.

 

[dornole]

Welcome back! I had mitral repair also at age 34 and at that time I had kids age 5, 3, 18 mos and newborn twins. The twins are 21 now and in college and I am so grateful I got to watch them grow up, it’s like a miracle. I’m no expert in afib but it seems more common than what you’ve already been through? Glad you’re scheduled for testing and treatment plan which I hope will similarly fix you up for more years of parenting. I wish you all the best.

 

[ChristinaColorado]

Thank you! Where did you have your repair done? So happy you have had a successful repair also and have been there for your children - we are blessed and definitely our children give us a reason to keep pushing on. My husband and I adopted later in life - I was 48 when we adopted our first. People here on VR encouraged me to go ahead with the adoption - to live each day to the fullest. So I have been doing just that but sadly ignoring health problems (sleep apnea) that probably helped led to AF. It certainly helps to talk about this and put it all in perspective. Thank you for your kind words.

 

[dornole]

I had my repair at minneapolis Heart institute in Minneapolis, where I live. I was very fortunate because they were able to correct the mitral stenosis with a balloon, similar to a valvuloplasty. So no OHS. It did leave me with mod regurgitation but a good trade off.

You want to watch out for that sleep apnea, we’re dealing with the effects of noncompliance with my FIL right now unfortunately. I have it too. I get a totally different mask every 6 months when eligible and still on a quest for the perfect one but I do wear it every night. Tough because I sleep on my side, back AND front lol. glad you are regrouping and prioritizing your health.

 

[tom in MO]

There's a lot of solutions for afib. They'll find one that works for you. It could just be some new medications. That's what worked for my sister.

I have sleep apnea and resisted the CPAP. However my cardiac rehab nurse convinced me to do something about it. I now love my CPAP and I have a pavlovian response of quickly going to sleep once that machine starts to wheeze

Dornole, tell your fil that using the CPAP increases the sexual functionality of 25% of all men who use it. That may help him become a believer

 

[dornole]

Ha, that might work if the love of his life was still alive. Seriously any good vibes or prayers anyone cares to send to Bill would be helpful. We’re in the hospital now.

 

[ChristinaColorado]

I had my repair at minneapolis Heart institute in Minneapolis, where I live. I was very fortunate because they were able to correct the mitral stenosis with a balloon, similar to a valvuloplasty. So no OHS. It did leave me with mod regurgitation but a good trade off.

You want to watch out for that sleep apnea, we’re dealing with the effects of noncompliance with my FIL right now unfortunately. I have it too. I get a totally different mask every 6 months when eligible and still on a quest for the perfect one but I do wear it every night. Tough because I sleep on my side, back AND front lol. glad you are regrouping and prioritizing your health.

So glad you had a great repair. Yes, I am feeling pretty awful that Dr. Cosgrove did such a great repair on my valve and I have squandered it by being noncompliant with my CPAP - for many reasons - not wanting my kids to see me in it, discomfort, laziness, etc. Denial probably the biggest reason - I feel good so why wear it. I have had 20 years of denial since my surgery and now I am pretty nervous about everything. Will be having an echo in a few weeks - first one in 7 years. Age takes a toll on a body - the diagnosis of atrial fibrillation has really floored me.

 

[pellicle]

Hi
and welcome back

I was here during the Ross era (miss him so much)

indeed those of us who knew him do indeed miss him still

Age takes a toll on a body - the diagnosis of atrial fibrillation has really floored me.

well if I can say, its inevitable that we all die and what's usually missed by the young is that it happens in a thousand cuts. The best you can do is accept that the flesh fails you. One can do what one can to prolong things (by eating well and living a healthy life) but the Reaper comes for us all.

The only thing that you can control is how you choose to look at it. I choose to look at it from the perspective of I can still enjoy many things in life (enjoying my fresh ground coffee and made into Espresso as I have done for over 20 years now). Sure I've had to give up some things, in time I'll have to give up them all.

Push back against the shrinking of the circle of capacity and capability and don't let it stop you being happy for one second. After all you don't have infinite numbers of seconds.

My view on this is found in my signature (which you probably won't see if you're using a phone for accessing this site).

“We have two lives and the second begins when you realize you only have one.”

Best Wishes

 

[pellicle]

Oh, and as you're already on this path

denial

I should add this:
https://cjeastwd.blogspot.com/2015/09/denial-or-delusion.html
not just for you, but for the lurkers too (both now and into the future)

 

[tom in MO]

Ha, that might work if the love of his life was still alive. Seriously any good vibes or prayers anyone cares to send to Bill would be helpful. We’re in the hospital now.

I hope it works out for the best. I will include him, you and his family in my prayers.

 

[ChristinaColorado]

Tom and Dornole - love your posts - thank you so much. I will be getting an echocardiogram in a few weeks. That is something I am worried about also. A question: Can you get a Mini-maze procedure if you have had heart surgery? It seems that most of these options of ablation and such are limited more to those who have lone afib. I do think my afib is caused from a host of things - heart irregularities plus stress and lack of magnesium and potassium. But that's neither here nor there. I will try medications for sure. I am on propranolol for high blood pressure - have been on that for a few years now. I have read that medication is not the best for a-fib so will be talking to my cardiologist/electrophysiologist. Thank you all so much for your replies.

 

[dornole]

Hang in there - you’re definitely not the first person to slack on the cpap. Yeah it wasn’t a great idea but that’s all water under the bridge now. What matters is you’re doing the right thing moving forward.

 

[ChristinaColorado]

And Pellicle!! Absolutely love your posts and your insight - can't believe I forgot to put your name in there. Thank you!!!

 

[ChristinaColorado]

"Push back against the shrinking of the circle of capacity and capability and don't let it stop you being happy for one second. After all you don't have infinite numbers of seconds." - Pellicle especially love this - thankfulness right? Thanks for the reminder.

 

[pellicle]

Good Evening

Pellicle especially love this - thankfulness right?

thanks, it came as an ephinay to me in the (remainder of the) day that followed my last exam of my last semester of my (second) degree. I'd previously been working as an electronics tech in a company dealing with Nurse Call and Duress alarms. I had spent a couple of years essentially working in and around nursing homes (and private clients living at home). I'd seen this exact thing happen to them and had sworn to remember it.

I went for a motorcycle ride (rather than riding my bike home) after my last exam just to "clear my head" and I happened upon a steel tower. I thought it was beckoning me to climb it (and I'd previously done a fair bit of rock climbing and rope work) so I started climbing it. This is where it got interesting, I noted by the time I was barely 2 meters up that I was feeling anxious and concerned about my footing.

I thought about this for a while (didn't move) and decided that the last 3 years of full time study and focus on my degree (with an OHS in the middle of it for surgery #2) that I'd let my circle close in. I therefore knew that I just had to climb it.

I did

Since then I've tried to remain cognisant of the lessons life teaches me, to keep pushing the boundaries in a gentle and careful way and to be thankful for all that I have and to those who helped me to where I am.

Taken one day by one of my friends.

I'm fortunate to live in a beautiful place

We all stand on the Shoulders of Giants.