I know that just over a year ago, that our new family Dr discovered that my 2 DDs had heart murmurs. They had check-ups for archery a few weeks ago and they still had them, so the eldest was sent to see a cardiologist yesterday, just to make sure that all was OK.
Well, it wasn't, she has a very obvious hole between the 2 bottom chambers. I went alone with her, as even our own Dr, said it can't be that bad, otherwise something would have been done by the time she was
5, she is now 16. To say we were in shock, including the cardiologist, as she said that it has been years since anyone has presented to her at this age with this problem. Because of her age we saw the adult cardiologist, so we have been referred back to a pediatric cardio, as it is classed as a childhood illness. We were also told it was genetic, so have finally found out that my FIL has one; which he thought was just bad luck, it certainly hasn't stopped him, he'd forgotten he had it! MIL said, haven't you got one of them! So DH is now going to get himself checked and our other DD has too be checked out as well.The specialist yesterday said that DD#1 will probably have to have an umbrella put in, but we wait for further appts and then we'll know for sure. Both my DDs have led very active lives, quite sporty and outdoors doing stuff all the time, hardly ever ill, no more than anyone else - this is what confused the specialist, because the ultrasound showed a heart that needs repair and DD looks fine and lives a full life.
I have felt so angry, because in the UK, we had 2 different family Drs over the years, let alone locum Drs, A&E appts after accidents at school and all the usual pre-school check-ups, vaccination check-ups and no-one spotted it. When we heard the murmur on the machine yesterday, it was so obvious even to me, no duh-duh, just a whooshing noise. Our family Dr here, who is French, reckons that our English Drs must have pudding in their ears, to have missed this!
Sorry, just needed to get this out, can't believe it was missed, nothing was done, no-one cared, we went to every check-up we had to, all the vaccinations were up to date, they were never ill!!!!!
GGRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
On the positive side, DDs are under the care of some wonderful Drs and the clinic we went to yesterday were so kind and gentle and our family Dr has been fantastic. Thank goodness we moved here, yet another reason not to return to the UK!!!
Thanks
Janner France