A Heart Forever Changed
My Story of Domestic Abuse, Serious Illness and Open Heart Surgery
by
Book Cover & Preview Text
CHAPTER ONE
No one was planning on telling me what really happened. No one was going to tell me that my heart stopped beating on the operating table, and that my family had been told I wasn’t going to make it. I had been weaned from the heart/lung machine without difficulty, but while the surgeons were trying to control the considerable amount of bleeding, I began to sag, and my heart rate dropped abruptly followed by RV failure. As the surgeons were attempting to put me back on the heart/lung machine I went into cardiac arrest causing them to perform CPR to get my heart started again. They let me rest for 30 minutes before attempting to wean me again from the machine. The surgeons were able to save me, but they didn’t tell me that the surgery had been difficult and tedious. Those were the exact words used in my medical report. I only knew, once I became more aware of my surroundings after surgery, something wasn’t right. Something happened that everyone knew about, but no one was letting me in on it.
It wasn’t that I didn’t know my condition was serious. I’d been seriously ill now for 3 months. I was now waking up from my second emergency open heart surgery. In the beginning, I’d suffered from mysterious flu-like symptoms. The cause of it was bacterial endocarditis, an infection that affects the inner lining of the heart, most often the heart valves. A couple of months after my first emergency open heart surgery I had congestive heart failure, which sent me back to the hospital. I was also suffering from an unloving and verbally abusive husband, but going through all of the medical issues allowed me to find the strength to stand up for myself and end my 8-year marriage. It also brought my family closer together.
It’s not completely clear how I contracted bacterial endocarditis, but the doctors think that I may have contracted it by going to the dentist. I believe that the stress I was under during my marriage was also a factor.
Around 1995, it was discovered that I had a mitral valve prolapse. It’s a pretty common condition, and not something that causes problems, unless bacteria enter the bloodstream. The mitral valve, one of 4 valves in the heart, prevents the back flow of blood as it is pumped from the left atrium to the left ventricle. If the blood flows back to the area it came from, and bacteria are present, the bacteria isn’t being flushed out. So the bacteria are able to lodge there in the valve and start growing like weeds in a garden. Therefore, having a mitral valve prolapse made me susceptible to bacterial infection. There are a lot of bacteria in the human mouth and most people aren’t even aware that the bacteria gets into their bloodstream from dental appointments and everyday brushing and flossing, because they don’t have any issues with their heart.
After the mitral valve was discovered I was told I would have to take antibiotics before any dental appointment, or any other surgery or invasive procedure. The antibiotics were a precautionary measure in case bacteria entered my bloodstream. I have done this consistently since I found out I had the condition.
I believe it was May of 2007 when I went to the dentist, because I had an exposed root that needed to be covered. I took my antibiotics an hour before the procedure as usual. Everything was fine until early June, when I started having flu-like symptoms. I don’t really know exactly how I got the infection, but I do know that I became deathly ill.
Formats
Book Details
About the Book
Between the 1940’s and the 1960’s, rheumatic fever was a leading cause of death in children. If they survived, there would most likely be some lasting damage, particularly to the heart. This is Etta LaVinya’s story of being one of those children who, at age 5, was diagnosed with scarlet fever. Scarlet fever is contracted first by a germ called group A streptococcus, or strep throat. If scarlet fever isn’t completely cured, then rheumatic fever develops. In the 1990’s, Etta found out, while getting a checkup, that she had a mitral valve prolapse (a heart valve that doesn’t close properly) most likely caused by rheumatic fever. In 1965, Etta’s parents weren’t aware that she wasn’t cured from the scarlet fever and had developed rheumatic fever. Her doctor informed her that the mitral valve prolapse wasn’t anything to worry about, but she would need to take antibiotics before any dental procedures, or any other invasive procedures she underwent in the future to prevent her from contracting bacterial endocarditis. She followed those instructions for years, and had no problems until 2007. In the year 2000, Etta was married for the first time. The marriage was a rocky and confusing union for her, and after 5 years she realized she was married to an abusive man. During those years of verbal, mental and emotional abuse the stress it caused is what Etta believes landed her in the hospital in 2007 fighting for her life. This is Etta LaVinya’s story of surviving a very serious illness, two open heart surgeries and more, brought on by extreme stress. She has written her story with the hope that it will bring strength and courage to those who may be experiencing serious illness, open heart surgery or domestic violence.
About the Author
This is the first book that Etta LaVinya has written. During her time in the hospital, one of the physician’s assistants told Etta that she should write a book about her experience. After some thought, Etta decided to give it a try, and this is the finished product. Etta is an avid reader, enjoys crafting and loves animals. She and her husband live in Florida with their 2 pets.