All open heart surgeries are life changing, but for me this one will have the biggest impact of them all.
When I met my surgeon a few weeks ago already knowing I was having the valve replaced rather than repaired, I was given the choice about what type of valve I would like, pigs valve or a mechanical valve, both having pros and cons.
This decision has ultimately been the hardest decision my parter and I have ever had to make!
In the end we decided that a mechanical valve would be the best choice for me but this comes with the gut renching choice that I won't be able to carry my own pregnancy.
We came to this decision given the fact that a pigs valve in a person of my age (26) would only last about 5 years, deteriorating even quicker after a pregnancy I'd be up for a 4th open heart surgery in just a short few years. If I was able to get pregnant it would be high risk and closely monitored. The pigs valve would gurantee more surgery and increased complications.
Although it breaks my heart that I won't experience carrying my own child, there are other options such a surrogacy or adoption that we can take further down the track. Maybe having children isn't in the cards for us, maybe it will be in another way, but at the end of the day it's more important that I'm here alive and well.
Having the mechanical valve fitted should mean this will be my third and final open heart surgery. It comes with a lifetime of warfarin (blood thinners) which I am very nervous about, daily tablets, weekly blood tests, and a more controlled diet but eliminating more surgeries and complications for me is worth it.
11 Days to go....
When I met my surgeon a few weeks ago already knowing I was having the valve replaced rather than repaired, I was given the choice about what type of valve I would like, pigs valve or a mechanical valve, both having pros and cons.
This decision has ultimately been the hardest decision my parter and I have ever had to make!
In the end we decided that a mechanical valve would be the best choice for me but this comes with the gut renching choice that I won't be able to carry my own pregnancy.
We came to this decision given the fact that a pigs valve in a person of my age (26) would only last about 5 years, deteriorating even quicker after a pregnancy I'd be up for a 4th open heart surgery in just a short few years. If I was able to get pregnant it would be high risk and closely monitored. The pigs valve would gurantee more surgery and increased complications.
Although it breaks my heart that I won't experience carrying my own child, there are other options such a surrogacy or adoption that we can take further down the track. Maybe having children isn't in the cards for us, maybe it will be in another way, but at the end of the day it's more important that I'm here alive and well.
Having the mechanical valve fitted should mean this will be my third and final open heart surgery. It comes with a lifetime of warfarin (blood thinners) which I am very nervous about, daily tablets, weekly blood tests, and a more controlled diet but eliminating more surgeries and complications for me is worth it.
11 Days to go....
Comments
It made me cry reading this beautiful woman. You will be a great mother irregardless as of who carries the child...
I love reading all your posts
counting down the