Matski
Well-known member
Hello all,
My name is Matt...where to start?
Okay, in 1972 at age 1 I was diagnosed with Aortic Stenosis, in 73 it was decided that I needed a valvotomy (there wasnt really anything else they could do for me at the time) which obviously was sucessfuly performed at Santa Rosa Medical Center.
Between 1972 and 1979 I had 7 heart cath's. Was completely asymptomatic until 1979 but started having chest pains and light headedness. Had a check up with a stress test. I spent less than 2 minutes on the treadmill before they stopped it and never left the hospital. Had emergency aortic valve replacement (Bjork Shiley) 2 days later at Brook Army Medical Center with Dr. James Peake and was started on coumadin therapy.
In 1983 my father had been stationed at Elmendorf AFB in Anchorage AK. Civilian Cardiologist noticed an abnormality in my echo but I was completely asymptomatic at the time. Without a qualified surgeon in the area I was medvac'd back to Brook Army Medical Center in San Antonio where my previous surgeons performed my 8th cath (June 17th). I had outgrown the Bjork Shiley valve and needed surgery again but there was nothing they could do for me there. I remember my mother and Dr. George Schuchmann said I had two options and his recommendation was for conference call with Dr. Albert Pacifico. They explained the situation to him and he agreed to see me. I was medvac'd (your tax dollars at work) to Birmingham, AL the next day. I was 12 and couldn't tell what the big deal was. I felt fine and honestly at 12 years old I was invincible...I was more concerned about getting home to before I lost the entire summer. Arrived at June 19th UAB met Dr. Pacifico who didnt want to talk to my parents, only me. I thought that was pretty cool at the time, anyway he agreed to do the surgery and I went under the knife June 21st. I was released from UAB on July 17th.
Had no issues except minor MVR since 1986 which has been monitored but have been completely asymptomatic since then. In 2006 had felt like my heart was beating *hard* and call my cardilogist who set me up with a heart monitor over the weekend. Dr. called me in the next week and said I had heart block and needed a pacemaker which was installed 3 days later.
Fast forward to April, Cardiologist recommends a routine nuclear stress test...finds an abnormality but says they can sometimes produce a false positive and we can follow up in May at my regular appointment. Have an echo done and it corroborates the stress test, a significant decrees in LV function. Dr. thinks I may have had a heart attack, I ask "really? wouldn't i have noticed that?" He recommended a heart cath (#9) which is done a week later, results show no blockage or heart attack but some myopathy. I asked if I can still go on our planned family vacation to Orlando? He says sure...I ask if there are any restrictions and he says no but to come back in 2 weeks for a post op appointment. I when I return for the appointment I'm blind sided by what he has to tell me. I have cardiomyopathy, (honestly I didnt know what that was and didnt want to know...ignorance is bliss!) I start to ask questions but am being careful not to freak out my wife who is 5 month pregnant with our third child. He informs me that due to the MVR which had degraded to severe, I had a significant reduction my LV capacity. I ask what do we do and he says...were doing it. He started me on Carvedilol after the cath, and now informs me that this is the treatment for heart failure, but notes I'm not in heart failure yet and...thats about it. Due to the fact that I'd already had 3 sternotomy's and the build up of scar tissue i was not a candidate for another open heart and I didn't qualify for the trials in place for less invasive procedures he had checked into. Basically, grin a bare it...when I asked about my outlook I couldnt get an answer. As we were scheduling my follow up the wife lost it, which was to be expected. I walked her to her car (we met at the Dr.) got her calmed down and sent her home. I walked back to my car and settled myself down and drove home. Two weeks later I followed up with my cardiologist who said he done some checking with his colleagues at the Heart Place and set up a surgical consult for me at Baylor Dallas. I asked why the about face regarding the surgery? He said we needed to explore if the risks outweigh the benefits. I was thrilled, now I had an option...something I could do about it. Two weeks later I met with Dr. Matter at the Heart Place at Baylor. I did some research on him and turns out he studied under Dr. Pacifico my last surgeon at UAB. He looked at the details of the cath and my history. He seemed suprised at the Konno done at UAB and had high regards for Dr. Pacifico and his skills. After a quick physical check he agreed to do the surgery saying this was by no means easy but felt my chances are very good for full recovery and asked when I wanted to schedule it. I paused a second and told him that I wanted to wait until after my son was born...you just never know, you know. Anyway, he agreed and I have my 2nd consult with him tomorrow to schedule the surgery.
Well , that's where things stand. I'm still asymptomatic and honestly ready to get this over with. I've checked with my two previous surgeons (1979 & 83) both were in agreement with the prognosis. I queried Dr. Pacifico about Dr. Matter and he told me he admired him, he was a good surgeon and I was in good hands.
I guess the reason I signed up today and started posting is...well...how do i explain this. When I was a kid, it was no problem. As i mentioned above kids are invincible, now i'm an adult with two small children and another on the way. I started stressing a few weeks ago and primary care physician prescribed me some stuff for stress, i took it for a few days but quit. Actually, I think I finally am good with. I talk to my wife about it but its not the same as talking to people who are dealing with similar problems.
Anyway, i'll be checking in regularly and look forward to meet all of you. I'll also let you know the results of my appointment tomorrow. Talk to you soon.
Matt
My name is Matt...where to start?
Okay, in 1972 at age 1 I was diagnosed with Aortic Stenosis, in 73 it was decided that I needed a valvotomy (there wasnt really anything else they could do for me at the time) which obviously was sucessfuly performed at Santa Rosa Medical Center.
Between 1972 and 1979 I had 7 heart cath's. Was completely asymptomatic until 1979 but started having chest pains and light headedness. Had a check up with a stress test. I spent less than 2 minutes on the treadmill before they stopped it and never left the hospital. Had emergency aortic valve replacement (Bjork Shiley) 2 days later at Brook Army Medical Center with Dr. James Peake and was started on coumadin therapy.
In 1983 my father had been stationed at Elmendorf AFB in Anchorage AK. Civilian Cardiologist noticed an abnormality in my echo but I was completely asymptomatic at the time. Without a qualified surgeon in the area I was medvac'd back to Brook Army Medical Center in San Antonio where my previous surgeons performed my 8th cath (June 17th). I had outgrown the Bjork Shiley valve and needed surgery again but there was nothing they could do for me there. I remember my mother and Dr. George Schuchmann said I had two options and his recommendation was for conference call with Dr. Albert Pacifico. They explained the situation to him and he agreed to see me. I was medvac'd (your tax dollars at work) to Birmingham, AL the next day. I was 12 and couldn't tell what the big deal was. I felt fine and honestly at 12 years old I was invincible...I was more concerned about getting home to before I lost the entire summer. Arrived at June 19th UAB met Dr. Pacifico who didnt want to talk to my parents, only me. I thought that was pretty cool at the time, anyway he agreed to do the surgery and I went under the knife June 21st. I was released from UAB on July 17th.
Had no issues except minor MVR since 1986 which has been monitored but have been completely asymptomatic since then. In 2006 had felt like my heart was beating *hard* and call my cardilogist who set me up with a heart monitor over the weekend. Dr. called me in the next week and said I had heart block and needed a pacemaker which was installed 3 days later.
Fast forward to April, Cardiologist recommends a routine nuclear stress test...finds an abnormality but says they can sometimes produce a false positive and we can follow up in May at my regular appointment. Have an echo done and it corroborates the stress test, a significant decrees in LV function. Dr. thinks I may have had a heart attack, I ask "really? wouldn't i have noticed that?" He recommended a heart cath (#9) which is done a week later, results show no blockage or heart attack but some myopathy. I asked if I can still go on our planned family vacation to Orlando? He says sure...I ask if there are any restrictions and he says no but to come back in 2 weeks for a post op appointment. I when I return for the appointment I'm blind sided by what he has to tell me. I have cardiomyopathy, (honestly I didnt know what that was and didnt want to know...ignorance is bliss!) I start to ask questions but am being careful not to freak out my wife who is 5 month pregnant with our third child. He informs me that due to the MVR which had degraded to severe, I had a significant reduction my LV capacity. I ask what do we do and he says...were doing it. He started me on Carvedilol after the cath, and now informs me that this is the treatment for heart failure, but notes I'm not in heart failure yet and...thats about it. Due to the fact that I'd already had 3 sternotomy's and the build up of scar tissue i was not a candidate for another open heart and I didn't qualify for the trials in place for less invasive procedures he had checked into. Basically, grin a bare it...when I asked about my outlook I couldnt get an answer. As we were scheduling my follow up the wife lost it, which was to be expected. I walked her to her car (we met at the Dr.) got her calmed down and sent her home. I walked back to my car and settled myself down and drove home. Two weeks later I followed up with my cardiologist who said he done some checking with his colleagues at the Heart Place and set up a surgical consult for me at Baylor Dallas. I asked why the about face regarding the surgery? He said we needed to explore if the risks outweigh the benefits. I was thrilled, now I had an option...something I could do about it. Two weeks later I met with Dr. Matter at the Heart Place at Baylor. I did some research on him and turns out he studied under Dr. Pacifico my last surgeon at UAB. He looked at the details of the cath and my history. He seemed suprised at the Konno done at UAB and had high regards for Dr. Pacifico and his skills. After a quick physical check he agreed to do the surgery saying this was by no means easy but felt my chances are very good for full recovery and asked when I wanted to schedule it. I paused a second and told him that I wanted to wait until after my son was born...you just never know, you know. Anyway, he agreed and I have my 2nd consult with him tomorrow to schedule the surgery.
Well , that's where things stand. I'm still asymptomatic and honestly ready to get this over with. I've checked with my two previous surgeons (1979 & 83) both were in agreement with the prognosis. I queried Dr. Pacifico about Dr. Matter and he told me he admired him, he was a good surgeon and I was in good hands.
I guess the reason I signed up today and started posting is...well...how do i explain this. When I was a kid, it was no problem. As i mentioned above kids are invincible, now i'm an adult with two small children and another on the way. I started stressing a few weeks ago and primary care physician prescribed me some stuff for stress, i took it for a few days but quit. Actually, I think I finally am good with. I talk to my wife about it but its not the same as talking to people who are dealing with similar problems.
Anyway, i'll be checking in regularly and look forward to meet all of you. I'll also let you know the results of my appointment tomorrow. Talk to you soon.
Matt
Gotta keep a sense of humor right?
