I've had a lot of people ask me what is the name of my congenital condition. I tell them it's Tetralogy of Fallot and they give me that, "I've never heard of that disease," look to me. I hope to clear it up a little for you today. There are two main parts of TOF. First, there is the Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD) which is the hole between the bottom chambers of the heart.
The second significant problem has to do with the narrowing or stenosis of the pulmonic valve and artery. This artery provides unoxygenated blood to the lungs. Often children with this condition are called, "Blue Babies". Mine wasn't diagnosed until I was one and a half years old and the repair technique was less than ideal since the surgery happened nearly 35 years ago.
Currently, most children that receive a full repair go on to do very well in their lives. However, I have developed Congestive Heart Failure because my repair was not adequate. That being said, the techniques and technology 35 years ago cannot be compared with the today's medical advances. If you have any more questions, please don't hesitate to leave a comment or email me. I've also pulled a youtube video that provides an indepth explanation about my condition. You can also go to the American Heart Association for more information too.
1 comment:
Thank you for the education, man. I had no idea you had a heart problem. I hope the surgery goes well.
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