School..then this...

Here I am going to school again...life is going swell...I'm getting married to the love of my life...and along comes the bad luck!!

Yep...it's true. I got sick. And it isn't the ordinary sniffle cold sick. I have a hole in my heart known as patent foramen ovale (PFO). A patent foramen ovale (PFO) is a defect in the septum (wall) between the two upper (atrial) chambers of the heart. Specifically, the defect is an incomplete closure of the atrial septum that results in the creation of a flap or a valve-like opening in the atrial septal wall (see illustration). A PFO is frequent in everyone before birth but seals shut in about 80% of people.



It all started with THE WORST HEADACHE EVER!! After not going away after 4 days of taking many different drugs and a blessing from Nick, I decided to go to the doctor. He immediately suspected an aneurysm so ordered a CT scan and blood work. The CT showed I had a cyst in my sinus so I was sent off to an Ear, Nose, and Throat MD. He said I was fine. I was so upset. I asked him, "What about my headache?" He said, "Well, um...I'm not a headache doctor. I can't help you out with that one." I was furious!!

To say the least I left and went back to the original doctor. He was apologetic for sending me there. Next he ordered MRI. Now, if you haven't ever had one of these...don't try to get one. They aren't the most fun. The "contrast" made me sick and even more dizzy and lightheaded. He then sent me to a Headache Specialist (a neurologist) named Doctor Savia, my recent hero.

Dr. Savia had me get more specific blood work done-he was considering Westnile or Lime disease-and another MRI of my neck and a MRV of my brain (it is more specific to see the vessels). This is when he found the white spots on my brain. Boy...finally..something...right? He sent me to a Stroke Center (WAIT!! STROKE???) That's right...I was having micro strokes!! That's what my headaches were. So at the stroke center they did a Transcranial Doppler ultrasonography.

TCD is done with either one or two probes placed against the skin. The examiner spreads a clear gel on the areas of the head where the probe will be placed. Usually, the probes are placed on the temple, on the base of the skull at the back of the neck, and over the closed eyelid. In these places, there is the least amount of thick protective bone and the sound waves can penetrate the best. The examiner adjusts the probe position and orientation to direct the sound waves toward the blood vessels of interest. They did an IV to create bubbles in my veins. Sounds like a blast right? HA HA HA the nurse needed to go back to learn how to do an IV. I still have a bruise.


Anyway..this test determines the PFO...and my results are positive. So now...I have to get echos done in the next coming weeks. From what I've researched this is how it is fixed. A small puncture is made in the crease at the top of the thigh and a catheter is inserted into the femoral vein. A PFO closure device (which resembles two opened, square umbrellas lying against each other) is moved through the catheter into the heart, to the defect. Once in place, the device is expanded to straddle each side of the defect, becoming a permanent implant, preventing abnormal blood flow between the two heart chambers. The catheter is removed and the patient is hospitalized overnight. Within a few days, tissue begins to grow over the device, and it becomes a part of the heart wall within six months.

I don't know if this is what will happen to me, but I assume it is. I will keep you up to date.