A Journey To A Heart Healthy Lifestyle

So, I know I have been vague about my heart problems and that was more because I wasn't fully understanding what was going on with my own heart to really answer too many questions.  After today, I have a full understanding and am excited to get heart healthy and to stay that way!  So, what I have is Mitral Valve Prolapse (MVP) and regurgitation.  MVP is a heart disease that when the valve is closed, the leaflets bulge abnormally up, into the atrium. Sometimes mitral valve prolapse causes mitral valve regurgitation. If the prolapse is severe, the valve leaflets can become disconnected from tendons that stretch between the leaflets and the heart muscle. This can cause the valve to malfunction.  The regurgitation is when the valve doesn’t close completely and allows blood to leak back. 

The MVP is the main reason for my dizziness, fainting, lack of energy, heart palpitations, and anxiety.

This is a condition I will have for the rest of my life and I don't mind putting this information about myself out there because I want to be an ambassador for this type of heart disease.  I want to get better and do all that I can to stay heart healthy.  I know with God on my side that I can and WILL live a "normal" life.  It will be a slight change in lifestyle but nothing that I can't handle and nothing that isn't good for me to do any way!  I can't play singles tennis, no biggie, I sucked at tennis any way.  I have to give up caffeine, oh well, needed to do that any way.  I MIGHT not be able to run that marathon that I wanted to run but that's ok, I don't have to have surgery and that's AMAZING!  I can't drink alcohol, oh well, I'm not a big drinker any way.  I'll have to see my heart specialist at least once a year for the rest of my life, that's ok, he's a nice guy.

Am I nervous, a little.  Anything that has to do with the heart can be a scary feeling but I have my faith and I can be an example of fighting through this.  It's not the end of the world and in time I will feel better and live better.  Sure, I might always have certain symptoms but at least I know how to live with it better.  I'm excited to start this next chapter in life and to learn how to live with this condition that I have had for a while and had NO idea why I felt some of the symptoms I was feeling.  Knowledge is POWER and I'm excited start this journey of becoming HEART HEALTHY and to really start spreading the word and helping others who live with heart conditions!!!!!