My heart condition

[Spiritual Warrior]

I am 8 years old and get diagnosed with a heart condition

A leaky valve

My parents are worried sick

The doctors say that I will be fine but that I won't be able to play sports in high school 

This is a big deal in my family, lots of competing with one another

I get heart surgery my sophomore year of high school

The recovery process is painful and difficult

I don't move for 2 days straight

 

I play soccer my junior and senior year to finish off my career

 

I'm 21 years old and I go in for a second surgery

It'll be in the summer so that it doesn't take away time from college 

The surgeon removes the leaky valve and places in its place a cow's valve

Now I'm 2% cow

When I awake from surgery, I tell the nurse that I want to get up and move around 

The recovery goes much better because I learned from the pain of the first one 

 

Now out of college, I want to put some muscle on my frame

The doctors tell me that lifting weights will put too much stress on my heart 

This scares me so I don't do it; I don't want to die

 

Edited January 4, 2024 by Spiritual Warrior