INTRO

My name is Andi. I live with a heart condition called AVNRT (AV Node Re-entrant Tachycardia). We are not sure how long I've truly had this, but my family believes I was born with it even though I was barely diagnosed in 2011.


So I will start with a quick intro, I've never written a blog so I apologize ahead of time if it sounds weird, I think it's weird to talk about myself HAHA!

I had a few fainting episodes growing up which seemed random, but now in retrospect, I had the same exact feeling and warning signs/symptoms as my most recent syncope episode which led to a series of events leading to a diagnosis. I know now that they were all caused by tachycardia and not dehydration like previously believed.

I had a cardiac cryoablation on November 19th, 2011 at Lucille Packard Children's Hospital, a branch of Stanford Univ. Hospital that considered the AVNRT "cured" (a cessation of declined quality of life). I was 19.

Now I am age 22, going on 23.

I am one of the few 2% that regressed after the ablation, and now have had to resume cardiac care.

I'm here to share my story.

I started a bucket list in 2008 and one of the items needing to be checked off of my list is to create my own blog. So here goes nothing!

Thursday, February 6, 2014

That Moment You Realize...You're NOT Invincible

Today should actually be a happy day for me. My twin is expecting a baby boy, we found out yesterday, and today we designed the baby shower invitations. I should be excited that I'm getting another nephew and I'll be an aunty again...

But reality has hit me pretty hard today.

I'm not married, but I do have a terrific boyfriend that has given me the world and somehow puts up with me and all my medical issues.

But when is it MY turn to start a family? My oldest sister has 2 kids, my other older sister has stepped into the step-mother role and the kids adore her! And now, my twin is pregnant.

When is it my turn to have kids? Possibly after I have maybe another ablation? Will I end up needing a defibrillator/pacemaker because we cant keep my heart under control? If I do need a defibrillator/pacemaker, what are the consenquences of having one of those while I'm pregnant? Will I have to wear a heart monitor throughout my whole entire pregnancy when I do decide to have kids? Will I have to quit my job as a nurse while I'm pregnant and have my partner pick up the slack not only on household chores, but to put bread on the table as well? How much of this nonsense can not only I tolerate, but how much of this can my boyfriend tolerate also? Will I end up burning him out? How will I take care of my kid when they're crying at 3 in the morning and I dont have the energy/strength to get up and feed?

....is it possible to pass AVNRT to my kid if I do decide to start a family???

This normally isn't something a 22 year old should be thinking about. I should be thinking about having fun and traveling and  just living life being young....




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