 |
| One of the meds I have to take before. It's cutely heart-shaped but I don't miss it. |
Heart Valve Disease could be inborn or acquired. With mine, it's quite confusing like I had it in both ways. When I was 10 years old, I started to notice that I can't keep up with my friends when we're running. And eversince, I often have nosebleeds. When my back started aching like always and terribly, that's when my mom had me checked by a doctor in Pasig City. I didn't know what kind of doctor he is. He said after listening through the stethoscope , "May butas po sya sa puso." Or "She has a hole in her heart." I didn't mean to sound dramatic, hehe. Then we went to a cardiologist who was my parents' friend and during the check-up, he said that, I have rheumatic heart disease. He recommended a monthly injection of antibiotic called Penadur for 5 years. He said it could be inborn, that I was born with it; or it could be caused by rheumatic fever when bacteria from tonsillitis or common cough and colds infect and damage one of your heart valves. But I didn't remember having that kind of fever in the past. Although I did have rheumatic fever twice in the years after I was diagnosed with Rheumatic heart disease. During the first time, my joints, ankles, knees and even knuckles got swollen. Then the second time when I was 12, I had sore throat and I had very severe nosebleed that the blood even went out of my mouth. I was discharged from the hospital after one week and was closely monitored by a cardiologist. As with other doctors who have seen me, the advise was an open-heart surgery to replace my leaking valve. I wasn't ready for that.
Life went on, I was asymptomatic. I got married and had two sons. But a cardiologist was close by everytime I have a delivery.
Life could be somewhat normal with this illness. But as with other diseases, and as our body functions as one, an illness could aggravate or affect the one that you already have. Last 2017, I had a flu. I was 37 years old then. (I'm 40 years old as of writing.) I got well but was feeling weak and my body was itching all over. I consulted my cardio and she recommended a CBC with platelet count. It was normal. She didn't give me any prescriptions or supplements.
Days after that, my hubby rushed me to the emergency room cause I can't stand up and the results came back that I lost electrolytes - potassium, calcium, othersium. After that, I started to have the symptoms of heart failure. I felt like drowning when I lay down so I had to sleep propped up on a chair or couch. I had edema in my stomach and legs. We had to go to another cardiologist coz after one month of seeing my former cardio and taking her prescriptions, I still can't function the way that I used to. I was always exhausted even from just going to the bathroom or just talking. And I could really feel my heart beat so hard like I was running long and fast when I was just sitting down doing nothing. When I consulted from another cardiologist, he didn't let me go out of the hospital and that I have to be admitted for close monitoring. 2D echo result came back and the doctors said that my heart disease is now severe and I have to undergo an open heart surgery to replace the valve.
I was still not ready for surgery and who would be?! But what I did after I was discharged from the hospital was to try my best to ready myself physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. And while that's happening, my friends and loved ones and even people I don't know helped me get the financial side ready.
I think I should park here for a while. You might want to read about What To Expect After an Open-Heart Surgery and What To Expect After an Open-Heart Surgery Part 2.
Thank you lovelies and God Bless!
Comments