Hello Everyone. My Name is Bev Cattell and I live on the Isle of
Wight, South of England,U.K. I'm 49 and am 5ft 4" tall and weigh
8 stone. I'm new to this exclusive club and my valve
replacement was done on 28th April 2003.
When I was 19 years old - I was pregnant and during a routine
medical my G.P. told me I had a sytsolic heart murmur.
After my son was born, in 1974 I was sent to see a cardiologist
who told me my aortic valve didn't close and leaked and that I
was probably born with it. There was a history of sudden death
on my father's side of the family.
I managed to cope well and lived a fairly 'normal' life, I met
my husband Les, who had three sons and we did lots of walking
and cycling and we also had a dog. I worked continuously as a
shorthand typist and I worked in a Betting Shop and at one time
I had two jobs. I always had lots of hobbies, did embroidery,
knitting and kept rabbits and parrots as pets and enjoyed the
hard work of cleaning them out. My husband taught me to drive.
With four boys I was always active and busy.
I had regular appointments with a cardiologist at Southampton
General Hospital. I went every two years. I always kept myself
informed of the latest heart valve operation techniques.
Over the last two years I noticed I was getting more and more
tired and irritable and unable to cope. I went for my regular
check-ups, ecg's echocardiograms, xrays, etc.
In September 2002 the cardiologist said my valve had
deteriorated and would need doing within the next twelve months.
My husband and I went on holiday to Malta. I developed a heavy
cold and a cough. I struggled round and was tearful and
exhausted all the time.
When we got home I was sure I had a chest infection, but my G.P.
said I didn't but would put me on antibiotics to protect my
heart, he thought I might have had a virus but was sure it was
my valve causing problems.
By January 2003, I was incapable of going to work at our library
and couldn't drive I was too dizzy all the time and my legs felt
as if I had heavy boots on. My blood pressure was so low. Our
G.P. arranged an emergency angiogram, at Southampton General
Hospital where it was found that all my coronary arteries were
in pristine condition, but my valve was now severely calcified.
I gradually deteriorated over the next few months.
One Sunday morning, Les couldn't wake me up - when I finally
woke up I was in agony, I felt I had a balloon in my chest
getting bigger and bigger and I was sweating and gasping.
Les called the ambulance. I told the paramedics I would walk
out but I couldn't stand up, they popped me in a chair and
carried me out, I was put on oxygen and taken to our local
coronary unit.
I was kept at our local hospital for two days, but they said I
was asymptomatic and unstable and transferred me to Southampton
General in an ambulance, on the car ferry, on oxygen. I was kept
in the High Dependency Unit where I kept setting alarms off on
the equipment, especially during the night, when my heart and
respiration slowed right down. After two weeks I was given a
date for my operation. They said because the rest of my body was
so fit and I was expected to recover really fast, they would'
fast track' me ( I would avoid ICU).
I thought I knew exactly what to expect.
When I came round I knew immediately that I'd had a stroke. I
was numb down my left side, my brain was racing at 90 miles an
hour and I was desperately trying to tell everyone that I'd had
a stroke. My husband said afterwards he rhought I was telling
him that my shoulder hurt. I couldn't speak but no-one seemed to
be listening. I couldn't swallow and my speech seemed to me to
be so slow just 40 miles an hour.
Once everyone realised what had happened - all hell broke loose.
The doctors kept asking if I knew who I was and where I was and
why I was there. I was put on 'nil by mouth' for four days until
they checked out my swallow, luckily that came back.
I've now been home 3 weeks and my operation was 4 weeks ago. My
speech is coming back and I'm having physio, once a week on my
left hand and retraining my brain to bend my thumb and fingers -
I still can't do up my buttons and struggle a bit with a fork
and can't pick up my rabbits, but I can stroke them and feel
their fur. I'm doing very well and am expected to make a
complete recovery. My speech and my shout have come back! My
chest wound has healed well and my Carbomedics valve is working
brilliantly - I tick a bit - Les says at least he knows I'm
still alive. My Warfarin is stable. Les has been wonderul and I
didn't know how many friends I had. I'm joining our local Heart
Care Club and have to spend 16 weeks at the gymn and have a
fitness program designed for me.
I'm glad it's all over - I waited a long time for my new valve
(30 years) and am waiting to find out my full potential.
I didn't expect to get any complications, but I'm sure I'm
getting there and life must be on the UP. I discovered your site
by accident and find it incredibly interesting - being so
desperately ill was a bit like a dream and it's nice to know
other people know exactly what you're talking about, My email
address is funnybunny @wight365.net