Maintaining a Career, Hobbies, and a Lifestyle With Aortic Stenosis

[fanciance]

Looking at my future, I am struggling to only align myself with things that I can either continue through the onset of serious symptoms and surgeries or leave at a moments notice without regret.

With regards to career plans, I would love to work very hard to get a great job. But... I will never put myself into a "work up the corporate ladder" job situation or a job that requires many years of prerequisite work because I know that my physical health will not be able to support the demands and stress for the duration of a career as my condition worsens and the I feel the work would be for nothing if I ever can't continue with the job. With years of symptoms, surgery and recovery time in my future, I don't know if I will be able to create such a comfortable job situation that, with worsening heart problems, I can function as efficiently as when I started or if not, be cut slack by my superiors, or if I will be able to procure the time off for surgery in a competitive work environment. Also, after a serious surgery, I don't know that I will be able to regain what career motivation I had before it.

With regards to hobbies and lifestyle, I carefully select these things to be ones that I can continue for the rest of my life, regardless of my heart situation. For example, playing a musical instrument. Unfortunately, as much as I love instruments, this plan leaves out most of the things that I really want to do with my life. I'm sure many of you are in the same situation. For example, I'd love more than anything to be able to weight lift and do many active things for the rest of my life, but I know this is not a possibility.

I'm just sharing my thought process with this post and would would really love to hear if any of you have thought the same thoughts, have had similar life experiences, or have solutions to this neurotic pattern of thinking.

 

[pellicle]

Hi

Looking at my future ...regards to hobbies and lifestyle, I carefully select these things to be ones that I can continue for the rest of my life, regardless of my heart situation. For example, playing a musical instrument. Unfortunately, as much as I love instruments, this plan leaves out most of the things that I really want to do with my life.

well I guess that it depends on many other health aspects, but if the only problem is aortic stenosis ... the good news is there is very little bad news.

I've had 3 OHS (9yo, 28 and 48), 2 VR's (homograft and recently a mechanical) and to be honest I'm fitter now than I was at 20

Not being one to take "no" lightly I have gently and continuously pressed the barriers. I enjoy cross country skiing (not the down hill stuff, no brakes there) and motorcycling and other "dangerous" pursuits.

live the life you want, learn about your body and train within your limits. You'll do well.

a selfie out on the lake last Christmas in Finland...

my friends and I also enjoy some more "unorthodox" sports:

and we still enjoy hunting (moose)

and no, thats not sand its just real cold snow...


and yes I'm on Warfarin too ... but as I self test its totally no big deal.


I'm an Australian but I've lived in Japan, Korea, India and Finland ... the limits you impose on yourself are probably greater than the ones imposed by your body.

 

[fanciance]

pellicle, thank you so much. You have no idea how much that inspired me!

 

[AZ Don]

Arnold Schwarzenegger had a valve replacement procedure due to Bicuspid Aortic valve and the Celtics Jeff Green had a huge season after coming back from surgery for an Aortic Aneurysm. So I suppose if you plan on a career more challenging than an action hero actor, Governor of California, or NBA basketball player, then you might need to consider setting your sights a little lower. Otherwise I think you can do pretty much whatever you want. (If you get a mechanical valve military or similar work may be an issue). Generally symptoms are an indicator that it is time for surgery, so you should not live with symptoms long. As for time off, in the US the Family and Medical Leave Act requires most employers with more than 50 employees to allow employees who have been with the company for more than a year to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid (job protected) leave for a serious medical condition (such as heart surgery). Many large employers will provide such leave paid. I was swimming less than 3 months after surgery. I wouldn't rule out the things that you want to do in life. Aortic Stenosis can be fixed.

 

[Paleowoman]

Looking at my future, I am struggling to only align myself with things that I can either continue through the onset of serious symptoms and surgeries or leave at a moments notice without regret…..<snip>….But... I will never put myself into a "work up the corporate ladder" job situation or a job that requires many years of prerequisite work because I know that my physical health will not be able to support the demands and stress for the duration of a career as my condition worsens and the I feel the work would be for nothing if I ever can't continue with the job. With years of symptoms, surgery and recovery time in my future,.

I'm wondering what you mean. You won't have years of symptoms etc. You actually shouldn't have any symptoms at all as surgery should be done BEFORE symptoms develop or else your heart can sustain irreversible damage. That's why we all have repeat echocardiograms so that the cardiologist will know when it's just the right time to refer you for surgery. And you will recover from surgery. My bicuspid aortic valve was first heard when I was 25 - the murmur of it was heard becasue it was "stenotic' or narrowed, but it wasn't causing any symptoms at all. I could do everything. Fast forward to age 53 and the murmur was worse as the stenosis was getting worse. Still no symptoms, it was only what the docs heard. I then started to have yearly echoes to keep an eye on the stenosis so that when the time was right I could have surgery. Just over a year ago the cardiologist said it was time for surgery. I still had NO symtpoms ! I was doing weight lifting and there were no restrictions to my life. I had surgery - and that took a time to recover from yes. Heart surgery is major surgery, but now, nearly a year on I am practicually recovered and am back to weight lifting and all the exercise I want to do. No restrictions, and now no symptoms other than some slight soreness along the incision scar when I overdo it - that is a soft tissue soreness and no big deal.

I think you must have been misled by someone or something you have read as aortic stensosi will not affect you as you fear - it will be fixed before it affects you !

 

[Agian]

Fanciance, big fraternal hug from me.

Pellicle, looking at the first photo you posted, I concluded you would make a scary Santa Claus.

 

[epstns]

Fanciance - Methinks it may be time for some "tough love." You can, in all likelihood, live the life of your dreams, regardless of your heart condition. If you have been diagnosed with aortic stenosis - so what? It can be fixed, and fixed in such a way as to not heavily affect your life after surgery. Just look at all of the members here who have gone on with their lives, as if their valve issue never happened. If they can do it, why can't you?

I never had the "luxury" of knowing that I had a bicuspid valve and progressive stenosis until I was in my early 50's. Had I known, I doubt that it would have changed a thing in my life. I worked through a very demanding professional career, from being a financial executive in a Fortune 500 company, through becoming a successful management consultant at mid-life, finally becoming a financial/management executive in a mid-sized company where I continue to work, well past the "typical" retirement age.

When we call valve surgery a "life changing" event, we do not mean a "life ending" event. Valve surgery generally corrects the problem, allowing us to live our lives to the fullest.

If you were in Chicago, I'd invite you to meet me at the gym, where I work out 5 days a week - after working 10 hour days at my office. Heart surgery, with prosthetic valve, pacemaker and bypass definitely have not held back my life style, and I'll bet money that your experience (especially at your age) will be even better. Don't give up before you try.

 

[tom in MO]

Your BAV should not change your life at all. I had no symptoms that were noticeable until the last two months. Like many on this board, my BAV did not affect my life until the 4 months between needing and getting surgery. It took 8 weeks of recovery. You cannot predict your future. Live life to the fullest.

The only two thing you need to do because of your BAV is to make sure you keep health insurance and use it to get the maintenance echos needed to watch your heart. Other than that, live life to the fullest.

 

[fanciance]

Thank you all so much for the very thoughtful and very informative replays! As you can probably tell, I am not very informed about my condition and how it will affect my life, so I thank you for sharing you superior knowledge and experience. I posted the OP in a bout of depression and your responses have given me great motivation!

 

[skeptic49]

Let me echo what others have said: I've been as active as I want continuing to scuba dive, for example. This past year I want diving in the Caribbean, Malta (see photo below), Ibiza and Catalina Island. I walk 5 to 6 miles a day. OK, so I can't run anymore but hello, I'll be 66 in January and that's the only concession I've made to my valveular disease. As for symptoms, I've had only mild symptoms up until this last year and my heart attack/stroke earlier this month. So I had a dramatic onset of symptoms even though my numbers are borderline. I'll get the surgery and then go diving again...at least that's the plan!

Scuba diving in Malta, August 2014.. a lot of the entries are from the rocky shore.

Scuba diving in St. Barthelemy in 2013.

 

[river-wear]

I don't have cool hobbies like pellicle and skeptic49, but I'll echo the message here: there is no reason to scale back any plans for your life as long as you don't plan to be a pro weightlifter.

IF you start to have serious symptoms, you can get your heart fixed. (I never had any.)
IF you need surgery, odds are very high (98%+) it will be a short bump in the road. I missed 7 weeks of work, and even though I'm a contractor, I didn't lose my job over it. When I returned it was almost like they hardly missed me. ;-) You're probably even "safer" with a very high level job, so go for it! (Did you see the story of the Denver Bronco's coach who had his valve replaced DURING THE SEASON last year? http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_24454479/broncos-coach-john-fox-has-successful-heart-surgery )

 

[Paleowoman]

but I'll echo the message here: there is no reason to scale back any plans for your life as long as you don't plan to be a pro weightlifter.

Arnold Swarzegger was a pro weight lifter and had BAV - didn't stop him !

 

[river-wear]

Well, Anne, I don't know if the OP has an aneurysm to go with his stenosis so I hedged a bit. I remember a doctor giving me the example of an American football player too, so he moved a lot of weight as well. I don't remember who that was though because I don't care about football.

 

[big_L]

Wow, I feel so boring now after reading the other posts! Seriously, I can tell you that this is just a speed bump in your life. Many of us struggle with similar feelings at some point in the diagnosis process. Gee - my life is over. Well, it's not. Yes - you will have some tough and challenging days, but you'll come out on the other side and live a full life.

I'm not rock climbing or whatever, as that's not me. But, I'm back to doing my workouts, dancing with my wife, doing odd jobs around the house and working as hard as ever at my job.

This shouldn't hold you back or force you to change your career/life plans. You'll have to work through your feeling now, as most of us did. There's a light at the end of the tunnel. Hang in there, you'll make it, we all did.

 

[Saebjorn]

Fanciance,

I was diagnosed in the last year with a bicuspid valve and aortic stenosis (47) and as was said earlier until then I never knew I had any restrictions. I served in the military in special operations, went to jump school, have done all sorts of activities to adventure sailing and kayaking to rock climbing. The night before I was diagnosed I was in the gym lifting. I had not noticed the symptoms, I went in for a physical and got the question "how long have you had this heart murmur".

​At the advice of my doc I have changed my exercise plan to put less strain on my heart (lower weights but higher repetitions mainly) but other than that my plan is to live my life until the symptoms trigger the surgery and valve replacement.

Some doors will be closed to you because of your condition, don't worry so much about those. Look for doors you can open and you will find more things you can do than things you can't.