Mona's Profile

in September 2014, I went to my local ER for what I thought was bronchitis. Test and a chest x-Ray showed Congested Heart Failure. I felt like the bottom dropped on me. I had no insurance and a bad diagnosis. I was able to get on a local Indigent Health Service, and went to the doctor. From there, a Cardiologist. Doing an Echocardiogram, the tech found that my Mitral Valve was shot. Rhematic Mitral Stenosis. A childhood illness coming back to haunt me all these years later. My Cardiologist wanted to try a Balloon Valveostomy first, to see if they could save the Valve. I had that on January 30, 2015 at UT Southwestern in Dallas, Tx. But, an inch away from my Valve, they finally got a good look at it and stopped the procedure. The Valve had to be replaced. So, on March 11, my husband's 51st birthday, I had my Mitral Valve replaced with a St.Jude Mechanical Valve. I was lucky that I didn't have to go to Dallas for my surgery. I was able to have it done at home at my local hospital, surrounded by family and friends. I am 3 weeks out today. Yes, I'm in pain. But I'm still here!