Almost a Year After CHF Diagnosis

In July, it will be a year since I was diagnosed with congestive heart failure (CHF), and I thought it would be a good idea to do a sort of check in on it all. The day I was diganoised, I will say I thought my world was over. My father died of CHF, and I knew it was a death sentence. I mean, it has the word right there in it: failure. That means my heart is going to fail and give out. Well, yes and no to that. Heart failure actually means your heart can’t pump enough blood into your body. For me, it is left-sided, which means only the left side of my heart is affected. I was scared and uncertain about my future.

My CHF doesn’t have a reason like many other patients. I didn’t have a heart attack. I don’t have high cholesterol or valve issues. None of the normal things. I do have high blood pressure and am overweight, both of which can contribute to it. I also have some scarring on my chest that they are unsure of. There is damage, and while it could be from the rheumatic fever I had as a child, they just don’t know. However, if heart issues are heritary, then I was most definitely predisposed to get it because of my father. He was 48 years old when he died, and he literally worked his heart to death. There is no other way to put it. By the time he was in his thirties, he had to have open heart surgery to replace a valve.

I am almost 46 years old and haven’t had any heart surgery. In fact, my catheterization I had on the 8th was the first heart procedure beyond testing (like ECG, stress, etc.) that I had ever had. I want to say that is a good thing. My doctor believes I have an electrical issue with my heart. Since I am actually writing this article before the event, I will definitely let y’all know when I do. Hopefully, we can figure out what is wrong and how to take care of it.

As far as my CHF goes, most other things are looking good. My ejection fraction, which is how well the blood pumps, is higher this year than it was last year. It is up to 65%, which is very good. I asked if that meant no more CHF and, sadly, that is not the case.

Heart failure is a chronic, progressive condition, which means it gets worse with time. But even though it doesn’t necessarily get better, managing heart failure the right way can help reduce symptoms and slow down the progression of the condition.

https://www.everydayhealth.com/heart-failure/living-with/congestive-heart-failure-life-expectancy/

So that means my improvements are simply slowing down the progression. I am certain I have told you all before, but if not, when they diagnose you with CHF, the best time they can give you is five years. Five years from the day you are diagnosed Now, that doesn’t mean you are going to die in five years because everyone is different.

The down side is that only about 10% of people with CHF survive 10 years. I mean, talk about biting the big one! I kept thinking that I wasn’t ready to die, not even in ten years. The truth is, I am dying. There is no way around that. While things are improving, the damage is done, and all I can do is continue to improve the aspects that I can. I have every intention of beating that ten-year mark. 

Stage C: What Does It Mean?

I am in Stage C of CHF, which means that I have been diagnosed and have had or currently have symptoms such as shortness of breath, inability to exercise, and swelling in my legs and feet. All of those are being managed. I am at the point where if we manage everything well, I can have a good quality of life. It all sounds great until you realize there are only four stages, and I am in stage three. What does that mean for me?

It means medicating every day for the rest of my life. It also means no more salt on anything and being careful about what I drink. I can no longer just grab some water when I am thirsty. I have to measure and count every ounce I take in because too much fluid intake can lead to swelling, which will lead to a hospital stay. They have to give me Lasix in an iv then, and it is more than uncomfortable to have to sit on the toilet for a whole weekend. That is how it feels. The moment that Lasix hits your system, your bladder fills, and you’re not sure if you can make it to the bathroom. I mean, they offered me the portable toilet thing that goes next to the bed since I would be up so much. I didn’t take it because it was gross! It was a close thing, though. 

It also means that I have to watch what I eat so I can lose weight. That is something that I have been struggling with more than anything. I have to exercise more because I need to try and build up the strength of my heart. That’s been a little more difficult lately because my shortness of breath has gotten much worse. It is something that we are looking at, and the doctors are trying to get things working better.

All in all, having CHF has been a rollercoaster of a ride. A ride that I refuse to get off and an one that I have every intention of conquering. I will make it beyond that ten-year mark. It may take everything I have in me, but I plan on getting there. I am going to have the biggest party ever once I hit that mark.