| Extremely rare congenital heart defect |
[Nov. 7th, 2025|08:07 pm]
Amorette
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| [ | mood |
| |  worried | ] |
Why do doctors always sound so pleased when they announce to a patient they have a really rare problem? My cardiologist sounded delighted to tell me about a membrane that partially blocks blood from getting to my aortic value and is causing the heart murmur I have had my whole life.
To back up, I have had a heart murmur for years. I didn't have it as a kid but have had it for at least the last 25 years. Went for my check-up and the healthcare professional mentioned it again. I asked if I should worry about it since she kept mentioning it. So, about a year ago, I got an echocardiogram. Then I got a call from the cardiologist's office. I would have to make a 300 miles round trip to see her since she was pregnant and not traveling. I said, don't bother. Call me when she can come here.
So, last week, I finally saw the very young female cardiologist.
I told her about the congenital heart defects that run in my maternal line. My first cousin was the youngest child ever to have open heart surgery back in the early sixties when the hole in her heart was repaired. Two first cousins once removed died from heart defects. One was born and promptly died because he had a two-chamber heart back in the days before ultrasound. One died at age 11 on the way to have scheduled heart surgery.
I thought I was in the clear. Nope. I have a weird little membrane that is an extremely rare congenital condition (yay?) and it is getting bigger, hence my heart murmur getting whooshier. And I need OPEN HEART SURGERY to correct it.
And to think I was worried about my husband's cataract surgery scheduled in January when roads in Montana are usually terrible.
Since I am asymptomatic (no chest pains, no shortness of breath, no fainting) I can put it off until next summer.
This isn't the kind of thing they can slip a wire up a vein and fix. Nope. Crack open the breastbone, put me on a heart lung machine and open up the ol' ticker to clip the piece out.
The actual removal is nothing. It's getting to the piece to remove that is the issue.
You can imagine how happy I am about the LONG recovery time after having the sternum split like a chicken. I suppose it beats having to have emergency surgery but I am still not thrilled.
Old age is not for sissies. |
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