M
mipagan
Perhaps I?m getting stupid, or making myself stupid (I tend to try to ignore that which I don?t like). I feel like I know nothing about my surgery which is a week from today (May 12th!!!) Isn?t that insane? I?ve asked my cardio a gazillion questions, I?ve read stuff on the internet, and yet I still feel like I don?t know things I should know, yet I am not sure WHAT I should know. As you can tell, I?m in the panic stage.
I have Pulmonary Atresia with Ventricular Septal Defect ? a form of Tetralogy of Fallot, I believe. I know I?m having my valve replaced, but I was also under the impression (perhaps mistakenly) that they were going to do something with the left pulmonary artery. They never called it PVR (perhaps there?s no PV to begin with, see I don?t even know that) though?I?m getting a valved conduit (homograft, my cardio told me, but she said it?s up to the surgeon ? does he make the decision when I?m on the table??) ? I know what a valve is, and I understand what ?conduit? means, but does this mean it?s more serious than just a plain valve? Is there a name for this procedure?
I, too, am another one who is worried about things like having kids later and scars on my chest, as I?m pretty young (26). But most of all, I?m just afraid of dying, or being worse off than before. I mean, I?ve made it this far without ever having surgery, when I was born in heart failure and was told I?d need surgery before 5. I was on 3 sports teams in HS, and basically my only problems every were that I got out of breath easily, have clubbed fingers/toes, and am cyanotic. So I?d just sit down and catch my breath and then continue on with things in the past. I?m not on ANY medication for my heart ? the most I have to do is take antibiotics before the dentist. I feel like I?m not doing as well as I used to, but part of me wonders if it?s in my head, or because I?m older, or I?m more out of shape, or I?ve gained some weight. It?s the chicken and the egg syndrome ? I?m I feeling worse because I?m out of shape, or am I getting out of shape because I?m feeling worse and can?t exercise as much?
I just don?t want to make a mistake. And here it is, about a week before and I?m just freaking out. I feel I?m doing this as a preventative measure, because what if I get worse and then I?m older and it?s more dangerous then?
Thanks for letting me get this all out. It sounds pretty whiny. I just don?t know what to do.
I have Pulmonary Atresia with Ventricular Septal Defect ? a form of Tetralogy of Fallot, I believe. I know I?m having my valve replaced, but I was also under the impression (perhaps mistakenly) that they were going to do something with the left pulmonary artery. They never called it PVR (perhaps there?s no PV to begin with, see I don?t even know that) though?I?m getting a valved conduit (homograft, my cardio told me, but she said it?s up to the surgeon ? does he make the decision when I?m on the table??) ? I know what a valve is, and I understand what ?conduit? means, but does this mean it?s more serious than just a plain valve? Is there a name for this procedure?
I, too, am another one who is worried about things like having kids later and scars on my chest, as I?m pretty young (26). But most of all, I?m just afraid of dying, or being worse off than before. I mean, I?ve made it this far without ever having surgery, when I was born in heart failure and was told I?d need surgery before 5. I was on 3 sports teams in HS, and basically my only problems every were that I got out of breath easily, have clubbed fingers/toes, and am cyanotic. So I?d just sit down and catch my breath and then continue on with things in the past. I?m not on ANY medication for my heart ? the most I have to do is take antibiotics before the dentist. I feel like I?m not doing as well as I used to, but part of me wonders if it?s in my head, or because I?m older, or I?m more out of shape, or I?ve gained some weight. It?s the chicken and the egg syndrome ? I?m I feeling worse because I?m out of shape, or am I getting out of shape because I?m feeling worse and can?t exercise as much?
I just don?t want to make a mistake. And here it is, about a week before and I?m just freaking out. I feel I?m doing this as a preventative measure, because what if I get worse and then I?m older and it?s more dangerous then?
Thanks for letting me get this all out. It sounds pretty whiny. I just don?t know what to do.
