Post
by Brisingr » Mon Jan 23, 2012 1:07 pm
I don't have anything long lasting now but I've had several things that could, if not should, have killed me if they were never discovered. I don't know about everything (never really asked my parents) but here is what I do know:
I was born with Tetralogy of of Fallot, which includes Ventricular septal defect (a hole between the right and left ventricles), Narrowing of the pulmonary outflow tract (the valve and artery that connect the heart with the lungs), Overriding aorta (the artery that carries oxygen-rich blood to the body) that is shifted over the right ventricle and ventricular septal defect, instead of coming out only from the left ventricle, and a thickened muscular wall of the right ventricle (right ventricular hypertrophy). External symptoms include clubbed fingers or toes (toes in my case), Difficulty feeding as a baby, (as part of this, I was diagnosed with "Lack of will to live" soon after birth, meaning that I never wanted to eat and anything I did eat, I would vomit out. I required a feeding tube first through my nose to my stomach and later a feeding tube surgically inserted directly to my stomach. The second tube was removed I think around 7 and I still have the scar.) Failure to gain weight, ( I have always been small but genetics also come into account here), Passing out (don't know if I ever did), and squatting during a tet spell (again, no clue if I did). Soon after birth, my cardiologist noticed an irregularity in my heartbeat which lead to an x-ray. The irregularity was blood flowing through the hole between the left and right ventricles. My parents decided to have it repaired when I reached 7 months to help build up my strength and because of this, I no longer need to worry about my heart excluding checkups with my cardiologist. The only real side-effect I have noticed over the years is that I don't have as much endurance as other people and for example, can't run as far as others. I am still physically capable of anything a normal person my age can do, just not for as long. Even with my heart after the repairs, I'm still likely to have a shorter lifespan compared to somebody without the condition in the first place. I have heard that the average lifespan for a person without the repairs is 20-22 years. I'm 20 at the moment and will likely make it past 65 but all bets are off after that.
I was also born with an improperly developed skull. I know less about this but from what I do know, this would have caused my skull to improperly fuse together and limit space for proper brain growth between adolescent to adult. This could have meant anything between mental retardation to death. This one was actually noticed by chance as I understand it. A doctor passing by my room while I was in the hospital for my heart noticed my skull looked a little different. My parents decided to put me through some tests and it was determined that my skull had been improperly developing while in the womb. To repair it, the doctors had to remove a section of my forehead, re-shape my skull, and temporarily bind them together with 16 metal plates, each smaller than my pinky fingernail. I still have the scar from the surgery, a long line traveling over the top of my skull ear to ear and because of this, I tend keep my hair just long enough so nobody will notice it simply because I don't want people to ask all the time. I'm not sensitive about it but every person I meet asking about it would get annoying. I still have the metal plates binding my skull together and while redundant now that my skull is properly fused together, I have no reason to have them removed and they will likely follow me to the grave. While I was growing up between the surgery to fix my skull and I think 3, I was required to wear a protective helmet that I apparently hated because I would cry when It was put on. I have no actual memory of any of what I have written thus far and is entirely based on what my parents tolled me and my own research.
I am not aware of anything else of such major severity with my well being (assuming there is anything else) but these two things alone that if untreated, would have sent me to the grave before 3 or 4 as I understand it. I have/had a few other things but nothing life-threatening such as frequent ear infections around 8 or bunions on my feet. I have never felt resentment toward my conditions as I have survived all of them and limit me in only the smallest facets of my life so I have no reason to. I am now perfectly healthy and baring a slightly shorter lifespan and reduced physical endurance, I am likely to live a full and happy life.
