Heather's Profile

Diagnosed in 2001 with aortic regurgitation and stenosis (bicuspid aortic valve). Fatigue became my main symptom about 6 months ago, although, looking back, I see it started much earlier. I've also had chest pains on exertion. I've become a swimmer and look forward to a lot of improvement post surgery. My MRI in October showed my regurgitation had progressed to severe. My cardiologist said surgery was not yet urgent and I could wait til after the holidays if I wanted to. However, I am so exhausted all the time that my quality of life has really gone downhill. I elected to move forward with surgery on Dec. 7, 2023. UPDATE: Surgery is done and I am out of the hospital. WakeMed is 5-star patient care. I can't recommend them enough. From the lady in booth 2 who saw how scared I was and wished me well to the young lady who wheeled me out to the curb and dealt with some very nasty people in the elevator. Needless to say, the nurses and aids and PAs and PTs were all excellent. Patient education before and after was very thorough. I can say that pain-wise that the first day was bad but hurt a little less than a 12-hour Pitocin drip after a C-section. The second day's pain exceeded that. With that said, everyone is different. I am happy to answer any specific questions about pre-hab, the hospital stay, or how it's going so far. But I can say that being in good shape with good balance will make your life a lot easier. You don't have to be an athlete, just be in good shape for yourself. Also, know what you will be expected to do after surgery and why. It's hard but you MUST push yourself! 1-year update: I simply cannot believe what a difference one little valve makes. My quality of life, pre-surgery, was practically non-existent compared to how I feel now, both physically and mentally. OHS is rough, but the benefits are definitely worth it.