For those of you who don't know, I have a heart condition; two actually. I was born with a congenital heart defect called Tricuspid Atresia. This means the tricuspid heart valve is missing or abnormally developed. The defect blocks blood flow from the right atrium to the right ventricle. A couple surgeries, when I was a few months old and again at two years, "fixed" the problem. I was on medicaid until I was about thirteen, or maybe a little younger. I was living with a guardian who felt it wasn't worth it to pursue my medicaid. My God bless his special heart. That's a southern insult/curse.
At around 16 I moved back with my mother, who had remarried (my father died from cancer when I was about eleven). I got my G.E.D. and mostly did physical labor to earn enough for what I wanted. Went to college, the second time I got degrees in networking and web design. This was a community college and it was almost a decade ago. Then, around early 2017 I noticed my heart didn't feel right.
It felt like someone squeezing my heart. I was out of breath, tingly everywhere, lightheaded, and I felt pressure in my chest. After a week or two of this, I went to the doctor. The EKG machine look about as old as me, but the doctor was skilled and nice. She diagnosed me with Atrial Flutter, a type of abnormal heart rhythm. Atrial Flutter is similar to AFib, but the beats are more regular. Basically, the top chambers of the heart beats 2-3x faster than the bottom chambers. I was originally prescribed aspirin and metoprolol.Later I was taken off aspirin and put on xarelto, another blood thinner.
Let's put this into stark relief for those that don't quite get it. I naturally have a fast heart rate and low blood pressure. The Atrial Flutter is triggered by an increase in my heart rate. The medicines I take lower blood pressure and thin my blood. Even standing can trigger my Atrial Flutter if I don't take my medicine. Most physical activity reduces the effect of my medicine.
I live in the United States.
It is a shame that I need disability to get medicaid. I just want proper medical treatment for my heart, without being slaughtered by debt. This could have been fixed years ago, but the government is dragging this out, hoping I'll die or get discouraged. Thus, I'll be trying to do what I can to get support, but nobody seems to care. Attempted negligent homicide, and I'm not allowed to properly defend myself..
The symptoms are getting worse. Stress now causes near-debilitating chest pains, and my left arm has gone numb twice in two months. My new years resolution is to remove the threats to my health and well-being; permanently.
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