HOW CAN YOU MEND A BROKEN HEART ( VALVE ) PART 4

HOW CAN YOU MEND A BROKEN HEART (VALVE) PART 4

MORE TWISTS AND TURNS

Since learning that I had a heart disease problem and I was diagnosed with a leaking heart valve, my mind has been in turmoil. And so I thought I would write a blog so my family and friends could hopefully understand just what I was going through.

Since my angiogram last October and Dr Martos gave me the news that I would need my aortic heart valve replaced, my mind has been all over the place.

I have spent time on the internet finding out just what the operation entails, and I have been trawling through different web pages reading about other people that have had the same operation. I can tell you it is scary stuff! Do you know that they actually break your rib cage to get to your heart! And take your heart out to perform the operation! And keep you alive with a machine until the heart is replaced! Scary stuff indeed. But the scariest thing for me is actually trying to come to terms with missing the last few weeks of the football season !!!!!

Ever since Dr Martos told me I would need the operation and he was going to recommend six months when he meets with the surgeons. I have been worrying myself sick knowing I will miss the last few games of the football season,especially as my team Leicester City have made a promising start to the season, but it is something I will have to come to terms with. I am also finding it hard to sleep. I keep waking up with the thought of my condition and the reality and the serious nature of my aortic valve disease, after all it is a life threatening condition.

I continue to play walking football and occasionally I struggle to get my breath, especially now the days are getting colder, but apart from that I feel OK. I have to keep telling myself to get on with my life, but always the impending operation is in the back of my mind! I Have also joined another walking football group in Swadlincote. This one is played indoors and it is fast, but I cope OK and will carry on playing twice a week as long as I can. Despite my heart valve problem life is good.

Christmas and the New Year have come and gone and we are now entering 2016 and the thought is my operation is getting closer! I still haven’t heard anything from the hospital. They said that I would probably get called to have a check up to make sure that I am doing OK. No news is good news I suppose. Theresa wants me to chase them up, but I'm thinking the longer it takes then the more chance I have of seeing the end of the season, especially now Leicester are top of the league and are looking good.

I am carrying on with my life and then February arrives and I have a letter from Burton Hospital informing me to attend a pre operation appointment on 15^th February. My mind goes into overdrive until I think something isn’t right. They wouldn’t be doing my operation at Burton! I realise then that the pre operation is because I am to be fitted with a heart loop monitor! It doesn’t make sense to me .

On the 15^th February I attend Burton Hospital and the nurse explains about the heart loop recording device. I said that It didn’t make sense to me especially as I am waiting to have a heart valve replacement operation! After the pre operation procedure the nurse says she will contact Dr Martos and inform him of my concerns and get him to contact me.

I had just returned home and was telling Theresa about my pre operation as the telephone rang. It was Dr Martos. He explained that I was to be fitted with the heart loop recording device because of the dizzy spells and black outs I have been having. I explained that I haven’t blacked out since last June and I haven't had a dizzy spell for months. He also couldn't believe that I was playing walking football twice a week! He also asked if I can walk 20 meters without getting out of breath! Dr Martos then explained that I wouldn't be having an operation, he said that the surgeons said my heart valve was a moderate condition and not bad enough to operate on and I was to be monitored every six months to make sure I was OK. He also explained that I could go 10 to 15 years and not need an operation but I could also deteriorate quickly. He also said from what you have told me, forget about the heart loop recording device and forget about the operation. Get on with your life and I will see you at the end of May for your ECG. To say I was overjoyed is an understatement and I will now get to see out the football season and hopefully my team Leicester win the premier league title. Happy days.

Just a week later I was playing Walking Football at Swadlincote and I struggled to get my breath. That night as I lay in bed my chest was tight and my heart was pounding fast. The next morning I was in the doctors surgery at Measham and the nurse practitioner sent me for an ECG. After the ECG I went straight back to see her with the results and she told me to wait in the waiting room as I was to see a doctor right away! I saw doctor Charles and he arranged for me to wear a 24 hour recording device to monitor my heart. I went back to see him after the device was removed to get the results. Dr Charles explained what had happened to my heart and said I have a condition called Atrial Fibrillation and I will probably have to take Warfarin or an equivalent drug for the rest of my life and I was to see him again the following day to decide which drug is best for me. After receiving good news last week my mind is now in turmoil once again!

On the Friday morning I went back to see Dr Charles and he explained that I wouldn’t be prescribed any drugs after all. He said he had studied my case carefully and using a scoring process I came out as a low risk for having a stroke and so I would just carry on as normal, if I feel out of breath I just have to relax or pace myself but if I feel ill or have any concerns I have to go straight to the surgery. Once again Happy days !!!!

My Birthday on March 21^st has passed and I am now an official OAP. My team Leicester City are sitting at the top of the Premier League. I am still playing walking football twice a week and I am looking forward to the summer. At the moment life is good. Happy Days    

HOW CAN YOU MEND A BROKEN HEART VALVE ( PART 3 ) THE REALISATION

HOW CAN YOU MEND A BROKEN HEART ( VALVE ) PART 3

THE REALISATION

Since I found out that I had a heart condition my mind has been in overdrive and I have to admit that I have found it difficult to cope with the news. I have read up on my condition and although everyone keeps telling me I will be fine, I cant help but feel that my life is going to change forever.

I decided to write this blog to help myself come to terms with my condition. And for friends and family to hopefully understand my thoughts as I try and come to terms with it.

On 1^st September I was back at Burton hospital for my check up appointment with Dr Martinez, and my good lady Theresa insisted on going in with me to see him! I don’t think that she trusted me to tell Dr Martinez about me passing out last June.

After the consultation Dr Martinez informed me that he was going to arrange for me to have an angiogram to see just how bad the situation was with my heart valve. He explained what the procedure entailed and now I just had to wait until an appointment came through.

Life carried on as normal and we went away for a week to West Wales and I was feeling great. I had experienced no bad symptoms for weeks now and I had convinced myself that everything was ok and the angiogram would show that. On returning home from holiday there was an appointment waiting for me to attend the cardiology department at Burton hospital on 16^th September. This was for some breathing tests! I had to perform several different ways of breathing into a machine that recorded how good my breathing was. The person doing the tests said that my breathing was good. And so I thought. I know everything' s fine and these tests are going to prove it.

I carried on as normal, playing walking football ( walking Ha Ha! ) and going to watch my beloved Leicester City and I tried to put things regarding hospitals and heart problems to the back of my mind. But I had to attend Burton hospital again on Wednesday 30^th September, this time for a pre-op consultation. At the prep-op I chatted to the two nurses and I had to choose a date that was convenient for the angiogram! Tuesday 13^th October was the day chosen, simply because I had to have 48 hours of not moving my right arm or getting excited after the procedure. I was traveling to Southampton to watch Leicester on the Saturday,so Tuesday 13^th it was

.

THE CARDIAC CATHETERISATION

On Monday 12^th October I was getting myself psyched up for tomorrow's angiogram and was just settling down to have dinner, which I was intending to enjoy as I couldn’t have anything to eat after midnight!. When I received a telephone call from the hospital. Basically they were telling me that there were no beds available for me at the moment and so they would call me in the morning if a bed became available! Brilliant, as per usual nothing goes straight forward for the fox !!!

I did receive the phone call after 08.00 a.m. On the Tuesday morning saying there was a bed free and so it was a quick bath and off we set to the hospital. Theresa dropped me off at the catheter laboratory and I was then taken to a ward with three beds, two were already occupied! I had to strip off and put on the flattering gown that fastens at the back! I think! And was then left in the bed with daytime TV on the wall mounted television that was directly hanging in front of my bed. I did ask the nurse if sky sports was available but unfortunately it was Homes under the hammer and the Repo men!!

The guy in the bed on my left had come in for a pacemaker to be fitted and the guy on my right was an old guy in his eighties who had suffered a heart attack some years ago and had a funny turn recently and so he also was having an angiogram.

When it was time for me to go to the theatre I wasn't sure what to expect but to cut a long story short I had a catheter inserted into my artery on my right wrist and it was moved up through the artery to the opening of the coronary arteries to my heart and then a dye was injected into the catheter and x rays were taken of my heart. The procedure was uncomfortable but not to bad, the worst part was removing the catheter. I was then taken back to the ward on my bed, and the consultant Dr Martinez passed me in the corridor and said the angiogram was good. I knew everything was going to be ok!!!!

I was back on the ward and Dr Martinez came walking in with a nurse in tow and he was carrying a model of a heart. He proceeded to tell me that I needed an operation to replace my aortic heart valve! I said “ you said the angiogram was good “ “It was” he replied but you need this operation and I am going to recommend 6 months when I have a meeting with colleagues on Friday morning.

I was trying to process this information,and 6 months that will be April, I asked couldn’t it wait until the football season is over and he just looked at me!! The nurse explained that I have tickets for the football. Dr Martinez just said “ you know you have to have this done” I was still trying to take it in and I asked would I still be able to play walking football. He said “ Of course, you will be flying” In that case I will be the fastest 65 year old on the pitch !!!! Anyway I can now look forward to a week in hospital and having my heart taken out and a new mechanical valve replacing the one that is giving up on me !!!!!!!

In my life I have survived pneumonia, whooping cough,T.B. A failed marriage and some car thieves trying to run me down when I worked at the Belfry hotel. And so am I going to let my broken heart beat me NO --- I just hope that I get to see the end of the football season !!!!!!!!!!

HOW CAN YOU MEND A BROKEN HEART (VALVE) PART 2

HOW CAN YOU MEND A BROKEN HEART( VALVE ) PART 2

Since I was informed that I had a heart condition by my doctor in October 2014 I decided to write a blog to help myself come to terms with the condition and to understand what effects it will have on my life. Also family and friends will hopefully understand how it is affecting me and my thoughts.

I actually stopped working for Tamworth Borough Council on November 27 the day my official notice period was due to start! A bit naughty but in my 17 years working for the council I had a good attendance record, but because I was now having to attend the occasional hospital or doctors appointment they were being awkward and so this was my way of getting a little something back!

My head was all over the place now that I realised my working life was virtually over and also trying to come to terms with my suspected heart problem was putting a lot of strain on me, and I have to admit it was causing me a lot of stress. I was spending so much time at Measham medical unit that I was on first name terms with the staff and was getting invites to staff functions! Only joking!!

It is hard to explain just what was going around in my head but slowly I began to see things a little clearer, also two very good friends of mine and my wife Theresa,bless her,helped me through what was a very difficult period for me. I will always be indebted to Wayne and especially Lee. Thank you my friends.

Throughout December and January I was attending hospital and doctors appointments and also trying to establish some pattern to my life now that I wasn't working. The dizzy spells kept coming and the doctor was telling me that I was probably suffering with vertigo, and all of the stress I had been under hadn't helped.

Wednesday 18^th February was the official day that I finished work and my employment was terminated. I have to admit that in some ways it was a relief. But in another it was a little scary knowing that after years of working it was probably now over.

I was settling down more and was enjoying spending time with Theresa and our two dogs Lincoln and Richmond. They thought it was great that I was spending more time taking them for walks. It was also a bonus that I wouldn’t have to miss any more football because of shift work! For those that know me I am a dedicated follower ( not of fashion ) but of Leicester City Football Club.

The days and weeks were passing bye and although I was still getting the occasional dizzy spell I was learning to accept them! They couldn't be that serious as they only lasted seconds, and I hadn't seen the doctor since the first week in March. And then on April 7^th I had an appointment at Burton hospital for an ultrasound scan. Following the appointment I saw the consultant and he explained to me about the condition of my heart. He told me that there were three stages to the condition, a moderate stage, a moderate to severe stage and a severe stage. He said that my condition was bordering on the moderate to severe stage and that they were happy to monitor my condition and he would see me again in a few months.

I left the hospital and I still wasn't that worried. It can't be a serious problem as they are only going to monitor me and see me in a few months! Carry on as normal Alan

I was now walking 10 or 12 miles every week as it is now officially walking season for me,so despite the dizzy spells, I was getting on with my life. Football, cinema, walking, the occasional meal out at lunch time, life was good and I was sorting myself out. And then on Thursday 11^th June I went to the toilet during the early hours of the morning and collapsed! I don't remember what happened, I just remember Theresa trying to bring me around. After a few minutes I got back into bed. Theresa said she heard a bang and found me on the floor! I suppose I should have let Theresa phone for an ambulance but I was OK now and I would see the doctor in the morning. Stubborn until the end!

I saw doctor Charles on the afternoon and he was now convinced that my dizzy spells were connected to my heart problem and not vertigo. You don't say! More blood tests carried out, I was now in serious danger of springing a leak with all the holes in my arm.

It was now June and I wasn’t due to see the consultant until September. But because my blood test results had shown all clear I was to wait until I saw the consultant and if I had any more bad dizzy spells or if I was to collapse again! then I was to see the doctor right away!

Life settled down again and luckily I experienced no dizzy spells and no passing out experiences! In July we went on our annual excursion to West Wales and I felt OK and as the weeks sauntered along I slowly went back into the mode where I was thinking there is nothing seriously wrong with me. Everything was going to be fine and so I carried on with my life. Everything was fine!

At the end of July I joined a walking football group at Whitwick Leisure Centre. At the age of 64 it was great to be able to play football again. Although the term walking was misleading! It was no leisurely stroll but it was competitive with some decent players. It was good to play football again.

All was going well until during the second half, and I had a slight dizzy spell! Obviously the exertion and exercise I was doing was something I hadn't put my body through for a long time and it was telling me to slow down. After a short rest I carried on and thoroughly enjoyed this new venture, walking football!.

Throughout August I carried on with life. Walking, playing football, the football season had started and so I was able to follow Leicester again and add it to my busy social calendar. Life was indeed good. But the appointment with Dr Martos Martinez was approaching !!! But I wasn’t worried. I was feeling fine and everything was going to be OK !!!!!!!!!!!