Coping With Endocarditis

I had Bacterial Endocarditus 27 years ago when I was 15, it is apparently very few people who contract it and don’t know where they’ve got it from. I had Staphlycocal Septecemia which resulted in Bacterial Endocarditus. I’ve always said I must be very lucky to be picked out in a crowd!

Unfortunately for me my Mitral valve was badly damaged and at 17 I had to have a replacement valve. I was given a mechanical valve and took Warfarin for over 20 years. I had a lovely tick that was very voluble, and very soothing. And a constant reminder that I was alive and very lucky.

I have one daughter, who is now 8 years old, but it wasn’t easy being pregnant. This was mainly due to the Warfarin I think. I lost a baby before my daughter at 14 weeks. And during the pregnancy I had another infection, Bacterial Endocarditus, and had a Hickman Line (Central Line) through which I had heparin and antibiotics. I became allergic to penicillin and latex which was quite inconvenient!

My baby was delivered by c/section at 35 weeks and thankfully she was very healthy if a little small.

Following her birth I had another six pregnancies, one ended in stillbirth at 24 weeks and the last ended in 2003 when I was in heart failure.

My valve had clots in and around it and the low molecular herparin I had injected every day hadn’t worked quite effectively enough. By the time I arrived at hospital I was in serious heart failure and coughing up blood the baby was fine at that point. He was 28 weeks old.

I had emergency heart surgery to replace the valve but my son died and had to be delivered surgically. Complications meant I had a hysterectomy as well.

From what I understand I had once again suffered Bacterial Endocarditus but this time it hadn’t been picked up before my heart started failing.

On the plus side I am 42 years old this summer, I have a gorgeous daughter, I’m active, fit and healthy. I have lived 27 years longer than my parents were told I would live. I no longer have to take warfarin, just aspirin, thanks to a new type bio-mechanical valve, and I am so, so lucky to be hear.

Thank you for reading my story.