Patient Stories
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Derrick Johns’ Aortic Stenosis Story
In 2019, 57-year-old Derrick Johns found out he had a heart murmur. After further tests, he was diagnosed with aortic stenosis with a bicuspid aortic valve. A keen cyclist, Derrick had experienced no symptoms. However, his valve disease began to deteriorate, and he required urgent intervention. Despite the pressure COVID-19 has placed on the health service and delays to his surgery, Derrick received has now recieved life-saving treatment and is now looking forward to the rest of his life. "It was a week before Christmas 2019 that my story really began. During a routine screening with an occupational doctor, I [...]
Angie Martin: my second open-heart surgery story
Angie's valve disease story started when she was a small girl after she was born with a hole in her heart. Fast forward 40 years and Angie's leaky valve began to deteriorate. After being told she needed an operation, a pandemic stopped the world in its tracks. However, despite the pressures on the health service, thanks to the brilliant work of the team at Harefield, Angie was able to receive her life-saving treatment. This is her story: “My valve disease story started when I was a child, as I actually found out it was leaking when I had open-heart surgery [...]
Jeanine Jones: My Endocarditis Story
In December 2018, 33 year old Support Worker at Autism Together, Jeanine Jones was celebrating the birth of her first daughter, Phoebe. Flash forward four months and she was being raced across Liverpool to Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital with her heart, lungs, liver, kidneys and brain starting to fail. There, she received her life saving double valve replacement. This is her extraordinary story. “I suppose the story starts in December when Phoebe was born. I had a difficult birth, she was born back to front, and in the days after I started to get really bad back pain. At [...]
Gary Russel: My preparation for Open-Heart surgery
Gary Russel is a 52-year-old Civil Servant from London. After being diagnosed with heart valve disease in his twenties at a medical to join the Police Force, his valve disease story went on for two decades before he was treated in 2013. Here is his story: "My story started in 1994 when I was at an assessment centre to join the police force. I'd passed everything, and then at the end, there was a medical. The force doctor gave me a check-over and said I had an irregular heartbeat. He thought maybe it was tension on the day, but referred [...]
Rob Turner: My Aortic Stenosis Story
Since retiring proud grandad of nine Rob Turner has been an avid explorer of the UK and an intrepid traveller of Europe. Rob had heart a heart murmur over ten years ago during a routine GP check. However, in July 2016 during a subsequent check he was referred for an echocardiogram, where it was discovered that he had aortic stenosis. Within the space of just six months, Rob’s aortic stenosis had gone from moderate to severe. Rob had never heard of heart valve disease, only remembering the ECG referral from a decade ago, which led to no further treatment. Having [...]
Alan Holmes: My Mechanical Valve Story
It was during a company health check in 2000 that Alan discovered he had a heart murmur. After being told it wasn’t serious it was left alone until 2010 when Alan started to receive an annual ECG (echocardiogram) to check on the progress of the disease. Due to his leaky valves, this resulted in Alan’s heart becoming enlarged which could only be resolved through surgery. In 2016, Alan underwent open heart surgery and received a mechanical valve for both his mitral and aortic valve. After being told in 2000 that a heart murmur was detected it wasn’t until 2010 that [...]
UK Mini Mitral Trial: Brian’s Heart Valve Disease Story
Over the next few weeks, in support of the South Tees Hospital NHS Foundation Trust UK Mini Mitral Trial, a multi-centre randomised control trial on Minimally invasive thoracoscopically-guided right minithoracotomy versus conventional sternotomy for mitral valve repair, we will be sharing a number of patients stories from patients who have been involved in the trial. The third story comes from Brian, a former soldier who was happy to be participating in the trial. Former soldier Brian was diagnosed with mitral valve disease in 2016 and was excited to be given the opportunity to take part in the UK Mini Mitral [...]
Sandra Holder’s Heart Valve Disease Story
Sandra Holder’s job in retail meant she was on her feet for much of her day, so it wasn’t a surprise when she started to experience swollen ankles and feet. It wasn’t until she was diagnosed with severe aortic stenosis and was told that she was at high risk of heart failure within two years if she was not treated, that she realised it was something she should have paid more attention to. Sandra’s story serves as a warning for others of the importance of having your heart checked regularly. Sandra Holder’s full time job as supervisor of several clothing [...]
P.J. Brien’s Heart Valve Disease Story
P.J. (Patrick) Brien, didn’t think he had anything wrong with his heart, after all, he had no red flag symptoms like tiredness, dizziness or chest pains. However with a family history of heart problems and some breathlessness that he put down to the dusty conditions at work. P.J.’s wife suspected something was wrong. Her caution was warranted and most likely saved his life as it was later determined that his aortic valve would need replacing. In 2005 at the age of 62, P.J. had no idea that there was an issue with his heart. A slight dryness in his throat [...]
Mike Addelman’s Heart Valve Disease Story
It was a chance query to his GP to see a rheumatologist that led to an eventual diagnosis of heart valve disease for 53 year old Mike Addelman of Manchester. An avid cyclist and runner, the diagnosis was certainly a surprise but Mike is grateful for a lucky visit to have his spine checked and the doctor’s keen sense that something wasn’t right. Mike, first and foremost father to son Jake and husband to wife Sarah is a university press officer and formerly a journalist and nurse. Mike’s passions are music and fitness particularly running and cycling and someone who [...]
