Jesse's Profile

I had a pacemaker installed in November 2014. We had already been keeping an eye on aortic valve, knowing there were several issues there being bicuspid, and over the years the stenosis and regurgitation have gotten worse. Recently April 2021 I had gotten to the point where I had zero energy and literally had to stop for a breath with any activity whatsoever. My wife finally convinced me to get checked out and turned out my hemoglobin count was at 4.7. After several units of blood transfusions they did an EGD and burnt several AVM veins so they would stop loosing blood. With that and I believe one more unit of blood i went home to prep for a colonoscopy the next week where they would do the same. It seemed as if my hemoglobin count was rising at that point slowly approximately 8.3. We retested in late July 2021 and my hemoglobin count was back down to 7.1. We then performed a blood smear test which my doctors believe points to my valve destroying blood cells and I have almost non existing iron count. Since then we have done another blood transfusion, another EGD and colonoscopy and two iron infusions which my body and stomach DO NOT like! Hoping to buy some time to make best decision on valve and be strong enough when we do the surgery.