I am scheduled to have aortic valve replacement on Fri Nov 20.
I have severe AR and moderate/severe AS and mild mitral regurgitation. Had rheumatic fever at age 8 (back in the Leave-it-to-Beaver days), and bacterial endocarditis in 1987. RF left me with a heart murmur, and have been fairly normal most of my life, and was told that endocarditis did little, if any, additional damage to aortic and mitral valves. I was sick for 3 months before I was correctly diagnosed; doctors kept telling me I had the flu, and brushing me off when I mentioned my concern about endocardiditis.
About two-and-a-half years ago, the fatigue I was feeling made me discontinue a lot of things, and my life feels like it's been getting smaller and smaller ever since. Around this time last year I started noticing I get short-of-breath way too easy, climbing stairs, light housework, putting on socks.
PCP referred me to a cardiologist. Had an echo and cardiac cath and that brings me to where I am now, with surgery scheduled for Nov 20.
Big relief is that surgeon plans to do a minimally invasive incision, which I am relieved about and hope means that I will recover quicker, though I am still having quite a bit of anxiety about the whole thing. I hate the idea of even stepping foot in a hospital, much less being in one for several days.
My other relief is that at least this time I have not had to beg and plead with doctors about how bad I feel. It's been a fairly quick and straightforward process to get me to where I am now.
It's been good to read about all the success stories here and I want to be able to add mine, too.
Other than that, I'm fine and I'm scared!
Luana
I have severe AR and moderate/severe AS and mild mitral regurgitation. Had rheumatic fever at age 8 (back in the Leave-it-to-Beaver days), and bacterial endocarditis in 1987. RF left me with a heart murmur, and have been fairly normal most of my life, and was told that endocarditis did little, if any, additional damage to aortic and mitral valves. I was sick for 3 months before I was correctly diagnosed; doctors kept telling me I had the flu, and brushing me off when I mentioned my concern about endocardiditis.
About two-and-a-half years ago, the fatigue I was feeling made me discontinue a lot of things, and my life feels like it's been getting smaller and smaller ever since. Around this time last year I started noticing I get short-of-breath way too easy, climbing stairs, light housework, putting on socks.
PCP referred me to a cardiologist. Had an echo and cardiac cath and that brings me to where I am now, with surgery scheduled for Nov 20.
Big relief is that surgeon plans to do a minimally invasive incision, which I am relieved about and hope means that I will recover quicker, though I am still having quite a bit of anxiety about the whole thing. I hate the idea of even stepping foot in a hospital, much less being in one for several days.
My other relief is that at least this time I have not had to beg and plead with doctors about how bad I feel. It's been a fairly quick and straightforward process to get me to where I am now.
It's been good to read about all the success stories here and I want to be able to add mine, too.
Other than that, I'm fine and I'm scared!
Luana
(You know, if the power went out or if other things in the room were thrown against the opening. . . ) 
