ski girl on the news!

[ski girl]

The runners out there will have a giggle at my shocking technique - but until I had my AVR I wasn't allowed to run so I didn't know how - here's a story from our local news in Perth about me running in the 2011 City to Surf:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1GNx9bMO24

During the race I felt awful and woke up with a fever after a nap - three days later I was so sick I was in hospital, two days after that I was diagnosed with acute endocarditis, and a day and a half later, exactly one week after my race, I was having emergency OHS to replace the bovine valve that I had destroyed with a shiny new mechanical valve!

 

[clumsydancer]

Thank you for sharing, Ski Girl. I hope your mechanical valve lasts forever! What kind did you get?

 

[pellicle]

Well done

And I didn't snigger ... not once

 

[mwd100]

Ski Girl, Thanks for the post. Why do you think your tissue valve lasted less than a year?

 

[ski girl]

Clumsydancer - I think I have a St Jude valve?? Or whatever typeis the noisiest, IMO.

mwd - the bovine valve was eaten by bacteria, in my case the endocarditis was caused by a standard mouth bacteria so probably when I was brushing or flossing I poked some through and it set up shop on my valve. It's fairly common that people poke bacteria through their gums and it gets into their blood streams, but us valvers are more prone to getting an infection in the heart from that.

Pellicle - you did so snigger! I cringe . . .

 

[Rachel]

Ski Girl -

For never have run before, I think you're a natural runner!

LOVE this running story, very inspirational - but so sorry about the endocarditis!!!

I remember your story that you posted a couple months back, thinking that you've been through so much in the past couple years - but you still keep going!!!
Rachel

 

[ski girl]

The Rachel! Although I refer to my running technique as 'newborn giraffe'.

 

[chaconne]

Interesting story. Hopefully the mechanical valve will last you a lifetime.

Living in Perth, I assume the "ski" in your username means "water ski". I think the only place you get snow in Australia is the Snowy Mountains between Canberra and Melbourne.

 

[ski girl]

Chaconne, the ski is surf ski. Like a kayak but skinnier , longer, faster, tippier, lighter and perfect for catching waves up the coast. Correct about a sad lack of snow here

 

[TheGymGuy]

Great video. We should add it to archives here of successes/improvements that OHS can bring to your life.
BTW, Ski Girl looking great!

 

[Roberta]

Great video. We should add it to archives here of successes/improvements that OHS can bring to your life.
BTW, Ski Girl looking great![/QUOTE

What an inspiration, you are! I agree with GG that your story should be 'bookmarked' to demonstrate that despite all the challenges you faced with an unexpected re-op, you never gave up and never gave in.

Way to go :thumbup:

 

[Jason2012]

So happy you are doing well Ski Girl. Neat news clip, thanks.

 

[ski girl]

Aww, thanks guys! I'm training for this year's City to Surf now (23rd August) and hope to smash my 'running with endocarditis' time by at least four minutes. That shouldn't be too difficult!!

 

[dpalz]

Ski Girl, you are amazing. I am thankful to have read your posts while I went through this and wish you all the best. Good luck in August and I look forward to hearing your results. BTW, who won the 30MM lotto? JK

 

[canon4me]

Ski Girl, just curious...was the possibility there that you could have received another bovine valve and if not, why?

 

[ski girl]

Canon- the bacteria had caused a lot of damage to my heart and it was going to be a tricky fix. I could have got another tissue valve but at some point I would have needed a reop and my surgeon said it would have been extremely tricky if not impossible, so I didn't really have a choice.

I also didn't have time to research the choice, and was too sick to really care. Mechanical was never what I wanted but that was mainly due to the impact of warfare on my life. Now I know that being on warfarin has had virtually no impact on my life, I'm quite happy with my ticking time bomb Although I do wish it was quieter!

 

[ski girl]

And thanks dpalz! I have no idea who won the 30.mil but it certainly wasn't me!

 

[The mail man]

Wow. Heck of a story ski girl. Glad you came through ok. I too have the St Judes aortic valve and yes it is noisy. After two months I don't know if its a bit quieter or maybe I'm just getting used to it. Probably the latter. Handy thing is you dont have to find your pulse to check your heart rate. Just time one minute on your watch and count the clicks. . See? It's not all bad!

 

[tprice54]

Very, very nice story! And so happy you are back at it...