Patient Stories
CATEGORIES:
Katharine Greenland: My Mitral Repair Story
Katharine Greenland, 71, has always been relatively fit and active so when she was diagnosed with mitral valve regurgitation it wasn’t what she was expecting. However after her treatment her life has quickly gone back to normal, except for the fact that six months later her twin sister would also be treated for mitral valve disease! Katharine Greenland lives a calm and quiet life in Norfolk with her twin sister Christine and their dog. She keeps herself active and busy by getting out and meeting new people, exploring the outdoors and getting involved in the local village activities. Her heart [...]
Christine Greenland: My Mitral Repair Story
Christine Greenland, aged 71, had never been in hospital before and didn’t know that anything was wrong with her heart. Six years ago, after a heart murmur was picked up during a visit to a gastroenterologist, she was eventually referred to a cardiologist where she was diagnosed with a mitral valve prolapse. Only four months prior, Christine’s twin sister Katharine had been through a similar experience! Christine, a retired library manager, lives a quiet and active life in Norfolk along with her twin sister Katharine and their dog. She keeps herself busy out in her garden and enjoys getting out [...]
Geoffrey Pritchard: My Mitral Repair Story
In 2013, Geoffrey Pritchard of North London was admitted to Watford General Hospital after experiencing an episode of atrial fibrillation and was diagnosed with pericarditis. Geoffrey received a pericardiectomy, and through the associated testing they found another issue lurking, mitral regurgitation. Geoffrey Pritchard, a former Engineer in the Royal Airforce who subsequently worked as a consultant in the Cabinet Office, had never experienced any previous issues with his heart. A keen golfer and gardener, Geoffrey has always kept himself active. In 2013, after an episode of atrial fibrillation, he was admitted to Watford General Hospital and after several visits and [...]
Howard Lockett: My Aortic Stenosis Story
Howard Lockett has lived a full life, but has experienced some ups and downs when has come to his health. Having been diagnosed with Hodgkins Disease (lymphatic cancer) thirty years ago, Howard was surprised when he found out that he was up against another life threatening disease later in his life at the age of 63. This time around it was heart valve disease, aortic stenosis to be exact, and treatment would be needed as soon as possible. Despite his cancer and ill health, Howard has lived a very fulfilling life as a teacher of science and maths, a gymnastics [...]
Brenda Walker’s Heart Valve Disease Story
In 2010, Brenda Walker, now 84, was suffering from all of the red flag symptoms of valve disease, breathlessness, tiredness and swollen ankles. After a visit to her doctor did not result in a stethoscope exam, she took matters into her own hands and sought out a second opinion from a cardiologist. It was a good decision, Brenda was told she had aortic stenosis and that it needed to be treated. Brenda has lived a very active life full of creative pursuits, enjoying a career divided between the arts and education. She always loved teaching and still encourages others to [...]
Anne Waters’ Heart Valve Disease Story
After a successful triple bypass operation at Blackpool’s Victoria Hospital fifteen years ago, Anne Waters thought her heart problems were over. However, a nasty bout of sickness while on holiday in Turkey eighteen months ago led a doctor to pick up a heart murmur and Anne was soon back in Blackpool’s renowned cardiology unit where she was diagnosed with heart valve disease. Anne has always kept herself busy even after her bypass surgery. The retired OFSTED Inspector can often be found immersed in her charity work, playing bridge, running around after her family or off travelling to new places. She [...]
Breda Sullivan: Preparing for My Second Surgery
Breda Sullivan struggled for years to convince clinicians that something was wrong until a simple stethoscope check led to a life-saving diagnosis. Born with congenital heart disease yet totally unaware of the condition or its symptoms, Breda could have died within six months without treatment. For former mental health social worker, Breda Sullivan, 68, “not feeling right” was a frustrating fact of life until she was given a simple stethoscope check. Many visits to one primary care practice then another and multiple ECG examinations all failed to detect a problem with Breda’s heart. Yet she knew something was wrong and [...]
Terri Richmond: My Pre-Treatment Story
Terri Richmond, 66, never realised she had anything wrong with her heart as she has always led an active lifestyle, as a ballroom and latin dancer, her most recent passion, and also as someone who loved to ski, climb, run, go to the gym, swim and scuba dive all while working part-time as a hypnotherapist. However, after suffering a stroke on 26 September 2017 and undergoing a number of checks and tests, Terri was told she also suffered from mitral valve stenosis, something, it was assumed, she had from a young age presumably after suffering from rheumatic fever as a [...]
Norman Thorpe’s Heart Valve Disease Story
At the age of 92 Norman Thorpe has led a long and active life. While he has inevitably slowed down in his nineties, he has never let anything stop him from remaining independent and doing the activities he enjoys. It wasn’t until a trip to visit his daughter in Germany that he noticed he wasn’t feeling quite right and not long after his return he was diagnosed with heart valve disease. Norman was born on the 27 November, 1924 and has lived a very fit and active life ever since. His favourite activity is long distance walking and he has [...]
Marina McGrath’s Heart Valve Story
Having lived with a heart murmur that was the result of rheumatic fever as a child, Marina never noticed it having an effect on her life until she reached her 50s. It wasn’t until a visit to her GP with high blood pressure that she found out she had aortic stenosis (AS). Marina has since had treatment for her AS and is now back to work at her busy job as a Midwife. This is her story. Marina had always been conscious that she had a heart murmur after being diagnosed when she was a young child, but she never [...]
