Jan
9
Posted by:
CaptainCardio
1/9/2013 8:57 AM
I am a 52 year old man with congenitally-corrected transposition of the great vessels. I did not know I had this condition until I was 31 years old. I played both football and baseball in college and had always been very active. My condition was discovered by accident when I underwent a routine EKG. It was determined that I had 3rd degree heart block and a pacemaker was implanted.
Since then I have had 2 other pacemaker surgeries and had an ICD implanted in 2003 because of A-fib. I have not had any other surgeries. I am currently divorced and am providing for my 2 daughters and my granddaughter (ages 21,19, and 2). I work full time and am still active (although I had to give up skiing) and I am relatively asymptomatic. My condition is stable and I take the full regimen of heart failure drugs. My ejection fraction is about 40% and I have mild to moderate leakage in my tricuspid valve as well as a small VSD.
I live in a small town of about 5,000 people in a rural state. I have never met or spoken to anyone with CC-TGA, however, I am told that it’s a rare defect so that may not be surprising. I’m not sure why I’m writing this story other than I’m curious if there are others out there like me. I was told 20 years ago that most people with CC-TGA don’t live past 40 so I guess I’m doing alright. Thank you for providing me this opportunity to vent and reach out. If I can be of assistance to anyone I stand willing to do what I can. God bless and live each day to the fullest.