Jeanette, Bessie, and Suzanne
Hi there everyone. My name is Bessie Venter and I am 38 years old. I am married to a wonderful husband, Johnny, and have two beautiful little girls — Jeanette (left) who is four years now, and Suzanne (right) who turns two in June. I was born in Johannesburg and we now live in Pretoria, South Africa. Until before my op, I worked as a publications consultant for a financial company, doing a bit of writing, editing and lay-out. I studied languages and psychology at the University of Pretoria, did a teaching diploma and some courses in journalism, photography and lay-out. I love traveling (backpacked through Europe for a year and worked as an air hostess for an African airline for another year), gardening and dogs (we have four four-legged sons — all unwanted pavement specials). I have always enjoyed exercising and love ballet, yoga, gym and jogging.
A Walking, and Now Even Running, Miracle
26 April 2006
About seven years ago, when I started a new job, I had to go for a medical check-up in order to join the company's medical aid. The GP said that he heard a slight murmur in my heart and referred me to a cardiologist. It was then discovered that I had an aorta valve that leaked slightly. I was put on blood pressure medication and was advised to visit my cardiologist annually.
Four years ago, I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. Everything went well and on June 2004, I gave birth to another beautiful girl. I had uncomplicated pregnancies and completely normal births. During both my pregnancies I visited the cardiologist regularly. In January 2005, I went for my annual check-up. When the cardiologist told me that he has seen something that does not look too good and sent me for a CT scan, I knew that something was wrong. I had an ascending aortic aneurysm of 5.2 cm.
As I have never even had an op or an anesthetic before, I was very scared. I was also very scared that things might go wrong as I had two young children (my youngest was only nine months at the time of my op and my eldest three years). But, I also considered myself being very fortunate that the aneurysm was discovered in time. I have also always been very healthy and also knew that my age (37) counted in my favour. So, I immediately started searching for the best cardio thoracic surgeon with the most experience in this field in South Africa. We were also very fortunate that we could pick and choose as we were on a good medical aid — most South Africans don't even have medical aids!
When I met Prof. Kinsley, I knew that I wanted him to perform the operation. I immediately felt at ease. Not only several cardiologists, but also my minister at church, whose little son had open heart surgery, referred me to him. So, on 6 April 2005, I was operated at the Cardiac Institute of Africa, situated at Johannesburg's Sunninghill Clinic. The morning before my op I went into the hospital's prayer room and a wonderful sense of peace filled me — I knew then that I would be fine.
Dr Kinsley and his team performed a valve sparing procedure (modified Sir Magdi Yacoub procedure) and used a 22mm dacron graft to replace the aorta. All went well and I returned to the ICU in a perfectly stable condition.
After about an hour in the ICU, things started going wrong. My heart stopped, I was shocked several times and then the nurse started with heart massage. Luckily one of the cardio thoracic surgeons (Dr Colsen) who was part of the team, was in the ICU at that time. He continued with the heart massage and I was rushed back to theatre for an emergency operation.
My chest was rapidly opened and the massage continued. It was then discovered that a very small piece of 'muck' from the aorta came loose and blocked my LAD (the heart's artery which causes the 'sudden death' heart attacks). My surgeon described it as a 'freak' development in his report. An artery was taken from my upper left leg and an emergency bypass was done.
When I woke up ('miraculously' as stated in the surgeon's report) after two days, I realized that something must have happened. Everyone was so happy to see me. And even happier when they realized that I had no brain damage. At times I felt that I wanted to die and then my little girls pulled me back to life. Everybody prayed for me and during all the time I spent in the ICU, I thought that the edge of the light above my head had praying hands around it!
I spent a week in the ICU and another week in hospital. Everyone was so good to me and I was very privileged to have had such good surgeons, such an experienced team, as well as such caring staff taking such good care of me. When I thanked Dr Colsen for saving my life, he said that I must not thank him, but that it was an act of God.
Nobody is sure what caused the aneurysm. I am young and healthy, with no major heart problems in the family — although there had been some cholesterol problems and heart attacks way back then on my dad's side of the family. They suspect it must be a genetic problem, most probably some sort of a connective tissue disorder. The Department of Genetics at the University of the Witwatersrand is trying to find the cause. I have had some tests done for some of the connective tissue disorders such as Marfans, Ehlers Danlos and PXE. As I do not have the typical characteristics of a Marfan's patient, I am now being tested for familial aortic aneurysm syndrome or Loez-Dietz, which is caused by a mutation in a certain gene.
Although I am not too worried about myself, I hope that the cause will be found, so that I can take preventative measures and also test my children. Although I am very worried that my children could also have some sort of connective tissue disorder that might cause aneurysms in future, I am hopeful that there might be a cure (non surgical) for aneurysms at that time! (Research has already been done on mice with Marfan's where blood pressure medication already on the market (losartan/cosar) prevented the fatal weakening of arteries in these mice. See the National Marfan Foundation's website).
It is now a year after my op and I feel wonderful. I take very good care of myself — make time for my family, for exercise every day, eat very healthy, work in the garden, make time for things I really enjoy, and just lead a better lifestyle all together.
Things that used to be important to me are not any more — and vice versa. I consider my family as very important and try to spend most time with them. I work a lot less than I used to and am a lot more grateful for everything one often just takes for granted. In short, life is so beautiful and we so often waste time and energy on senseless things.
A friend sent me this text:
"You have never lived until you have almost died and to those who fight for it life has a special flavour the protected will never know."
Discussion, comments, or questions: Bessie Venter
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