Denise's Profile

Mitral valve issues run in my family. My grandfather was diagnosed with Barlow’s around 1913. My mother (his daughter) also had it. One of my sisters has it and one of my nieces. I didn’t know I had an issue until it was discovered in 2009. It certainly explained a lot of things in my childhood. Over the years I’ve had Cardiac MRIs, stress tests and 6 TEEs keeping track of the regurgitation and prolapse. Finally had an afib event over New Years and my cardiologist referred me to a surgeon, and we decided it was finally time to do something about it. I’m the only one in my family who has had an operation for it. My operation was May 9. Was supposed to be a three hour surgery with mitral valve repair or replacement and Maze procedure to correct aFib. Ended up being more then five hours because the surgeon attempted two repairs that wouldn't take so I was given a mechanical valve (which I knew ahead of time might happen.) I ended up getting a pacemaker a few days later because my heart rate wouldn't maintain any higher than in the 40's without it. So I was in the hospital ten days. Feeling pretty good at present and improving every day.