Judy Briault

        Hi, My Name is Judy Briault. I am 37 years old.  I have been married for nearly 19 years    and have 4 children.  My oldest daughter just graduated from high school.  I have a son 16 years old and twin daughters aged 13.  I am very thankful, I found this site.  I sometimes feel nobody really understands what I have gone thru. Until now!

        I grew in Alberta, Canada.  Never knowing I was born with a congenital heart defect in my valves.  Years went on and I grew up normally. In August of 1999, I had a toothed pulled.  It healed fine, so I thought.

      In September, I had been painting the house.  One day I woke up not feeling well.  I continued on with my days as normal.  One of the girls had been home sick.  I went to bed that night early.  I had a very severe case of the chills. The next morning I woke feeling worse and thought it was the flu. My husband phoned work for me and said I was sick.  I remained in bed all day no energy to get up.  Thought it would pass. The next day I was still in bed, still thinking I had the flu. Stayed in bed all day. The next day my Husband stopped at home and I don’t remember much from then on.  As told to me by my family, I had no Idea where I was, what day it was and every muscle in my body ached.  My Husband called the ambulance.  I was taken to emergency then to ICU. I started to come around the next day in the ICU.  My Doctor sent me by ambulance to the U of A, in Edmonton.  I was sent to see an infectious disease Specialist.  They determined I had streptococcus infection.  I started showing symptoms of Jane way lesions, hemorrhage under fingernails, High fever, Very low platelet count, swollen ankles and a Heart murmur. The doctors kept asking if I always had a heart murmur.  I said no, not knowing that I did.  I had to have transfusions of platelets the next day.  From there, I met  another doctor, who was not giving up on me and kept digging to find out what was wrong.  I had x-rays, CAT scan, and blood test. They then did an Eltrocardiograph. They found I had Endocarditis.  The disease had attacked my mitral valve.  There was a piece ready to break off and I needed heart surgery As soon as possible. My husband came home to pick up our kids. The next day I was sent for another cat scan to make sure my brain was clear of the disease.

      The following morning I was taken in for surgery.  I had my mitral valve replaced.  I spent three days in CCU.  I was so weak when I went into surgery that it was taking longer for me to regain my strength.  I remained in Edmonton another week, then was ambulanced back to my hospital where I stayed on Medicated IV for another 5 weeks.  Got home and was feeling well until I ended up with bad pelvic pains.  Again two days later I was rushed back to our hospital Where I had 6 units of blood and was told I had an ovarian cyst rupture because of my friend “coumadin”,  I hemorrhaged.  Again I was sent to Edmonton by ambulance to see a Gynecologist, who knew what my problem was right, a way.  Women my age on coumadin should not ovulate because of the chance of cysts. Now I take contraceptives.  Once I got home I started get my strength back and thought I was well on my way to a Normal healthy life. I lost partial hearing in my right ear, either from surgery or the high doses of antibiotics.  I also spent three months in physio  therapy for frozen shoulder on my left side. I saw my cardiologist that spring, he informed me that my aortic valve had a mild to moderate regurgitation.  I had an echo done. Told to  come back in a year.  I went back the spring of 2001.  It had gone from moderate to severe.  My symptoms were not causing any major complications with my life.  So now I take calcium blockers and will return in the fall to see my Cardiologist who will probably then schedule my next surgery date.  The  hot days of summer seem to be wearing me out quick and I have cut back on my hours of work.  I still feel pretty good but I know what is in store for me this next year.  I thank God each and every day for my family and friends.  I never spent a day alone in my 2&1/2 month of Hospitalization.  I now take time in my life for me and stop to smell the flowers!

REMEMBER TO GET ANTIBIOTICS BEFORE DENTAL WORK!!

Take Care Everyone!

Judy Briault