Coarctation Of The Aorta

I was born with coarctation of the aorta. Aortic coarctation is a narrowing of part of the aorta (the major artery leading out of the heart). It is a type of birth defect. When I was born I wasn't breathing so immediately they gave me medicine and got me stabilized. I had surgery the same day I was born, my parents didn't get to see me. They opened the narrowed part of my aorta, and did other things I don't remember. I was in the hospital for 3 months after I was born, I was born weighting a little over 4 pounds, prematurely. If I were born around my due date my birthday would be in late April, instead of mid March.
Even though they cured my heart problem, I am still at risk that it might come back but so far it hasn't. I have had high blood pressure all my life because of it.
I saw a cardiologist all of my life to keep a regular check up on my heart. My first 2 years I was seeing my surgeon once a week then it got to about every 6 weeks and then every 6 months, then 1 a year. And ever since junior high I have being a cardiologist for 1 a year. I have an MRI on my heart every 3 months. So far everything is stable. Seriously, I was born with so many problems. I wasn't expected to live.
I had a seizure in the first 3 weeks of life which made recovery from my heart surgery harder and it prolonged my hospital stay. They diagnosed with with epilepsy after a week of having seizures and it not stopping so I was prescribed medicine to control it. My epilepsy was well controlled up until I started school and I would have a seizure maybe 3 or 4 times a month.
These past couple years I have been having seizures constantly and the doctor has suggested brain surgery which I am not going to do. I am also type 1 diabetic, my pancreas does not make any of it's own insulin so I have been on insulin all my life, I learned to give myself shots when I was in Kindergarten. So far, my diabetes is well controlled. I am not having any bad flare ups.
So yeah, there's my health history.
Unfortunately because of my health problems, smoking affects me faster and harder than a normal person so therefore, lung cancer at a young age. I wasn't ever supposed to be allowed to smoke but I do it anyway.
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8 Responses Feb 13, 2013

have you ever tried medical pot?

I think it would work for you. Do you live in a state that is agreeable to the selling of medical pot?

If you need help I can walk you through the steps on how to get you medical card.

why don't you? Do you have kids at home?

I think switching from tobacco to marijuana might well be going from the frying pan to the fire.

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Please get the book The Mood Cure by Julia Ross. It has information on safe, non-drug therapies that could really hope you shed the craving for tobacco.

Am sorry but all you have is one life enjoy as much as you can.

Damn u been.thru.alot that sucks sweetie

i hope you will be ok lol

i had an e c g last week and blood tests i was told i had some thing in my blood and today they did some more tests i have had cancer most of my life and bowl problems my lungs are as good as they can be now but this problem with the heart is more frighting

May I suggest using a nicotine patch or gum to try and quit smoking? You have your babies to think about.. they would be devastated if you developed lung cancer from smoking. =(

Wow, that's a lot to happen to one person, however it looks like you got through it. Now you just have to beat the cancer and stop smoking.