Thursday, July 26, 2012

My body is sore

My body is sore but I'm very motivated. I am getting into my marathon training and running four times a week. Long runs on Saturday. I plan to run nine miles this Saturday. I'm still not sure how the body gets to 26.2 miles in one day! Five miles used to be a huge challenge for me, but now it is my "easy" run, so I guess it gets easier. (hahaha!!! Easier!?!?)

I am excited to be on Team Ritter for many reasons. The primary reason that I will talk about today is that I get to raise awareness of aortic aneurysm and dissection. I think awareness is the first step in saving lives from aortic dissection. Awareness for the person and for the first responders and ER doctors. I sometimes think about what would have happened if my aneurysm hadn't been diagnosed and began to dissect. What if I, a young, healthy, fit woman, presented at an ER with severe chest pains? I certainly don't fit the profile of someone with heart or aortic disease. Would the doctors consider aortic dissection? Would they think I was having a panic attack or maybe pulled a muscle while working out?

The Ritter Rules (johnritterfoundation.org/ritter-rules)
Ritter Rules are life-saving reminders to recognize, treat and prevent thoracic aortic dissection, a deadly tear in the large artery that carries blood away from the heart. Named for actor John Ritter, who died of a thoracic aortic dissection, Ritter Rules combine knowledge with action. Know the urgency, symptoms, who is most at-risk and which imaging tests are required to diagnose this medical emergency.
Did you know that the death rate for an aortic dissection increases one percent every hour the diagnosis and surgical repair are delayed? The Ritter Rules state that aortic dissection can mimic heart attack. Heart attacks are far more common than aortic dissection, but if a heart attack or other diagnosis is not clearly and quickly established, then aortic dissection should be quickly considered and ruled out. This is especially important if a patient has a family history of thoracic aortic aneurysm/dissection or features of a genetic syndrome that predisposes the patient to an aortic aneurysm or dissection.

In my case, I was born with a bicuspid aortic valve (two leaflets instead of the typical three). I didn't know that I had this condition until June 12, 2009. This is the date I received the diagnosis of bicuspid aortic valve along with the serious condition of an ascending aortic aneurysm of 5.2 cm. Two weeks later on June 26th, I had open chest surgery to repair the aorta.

Bicuspid aortic valve disease puts you at risk. If you have a bicuspid aortic valve, or have had a bicuspid aortic valve replaced, you need to be monitored for thoracic aortic disease. Only three types of imaging studies can identify aortic aneurysms and dissections: CT, MRI and transesophageal echocardiogram.

With all that said, I'm healthy and feeling well enough to train for the NY Marathon. I'm running in memory of all who have died of aortic dissection, including the beloved actor John Ritter. I'm running for myself. I have been given a wonderful gift. A gift of facing my mortality and looking at my little children and wondering what it would be like for them if I wasn't around. The gift of wondering what would have happened if I had died. The gift of imagining a different, stronger, better life for myself. I'm running for my family and friends who love me and are so happy that I'm alive and well. I'm running for myself. For my health, for my strong heart, for my strong legs and my healthy body.

My body is sore. But I get to live to feel the soreness, to feel myself push through that last mile of a training run. I'm excited and I'm motivated to see what the next days, weeks and months hold for me.
http://www.crowdrise.com/TeamRitterNYCMarathon2012/fundraiser/amyderksen

Monday, July 2, 2012

Amy's Marathon-Heart Blog

It's been a few years since I blogged. I figured that after my surgery and recovery, my life was back to normal. Who wants to read about normal? But, I have some exciting news. I have been selected to a team to run the NYC Marathon on Nov. 4, 2012. I'm going to be running with Team Ritter to raise funds and awareness for the John Ritter Foundation for Aortic Health (JRF). I have never run a marathon. My longest race was 10k. I am committed, though, to raising $3000 for the JRF, finishing the race in a respectable time, and getting back into training. The John Ritter Foundation for Aortic Health provides support for individuals and families affected by aortic disease, works to increase awareness of aortic disease among the general public and the medical professionals, and raises funds to support education and research. This new chapter of Amy's Heart Blog will chronicle my training, thoughts about training, and any other thing I feel like talking about.