Introduction Before My Heart Stops is the memoir of Paul Cardall who was born with a congenital heart defect and his life, faith, disappoint, sorrow, heart transplant, and the new chance of life. Cardall was born with a double inlet left ventricle (DILV) and had his first surgery in less of 24 hours of birth and parents were given the news that their infant son life expectancy was short. Cardall, at the age of 36 was the longest living person with congenital heart defect/disease in the state of Utah to survive and become a recipient of a new heart (Cardall, 2010). During those 36 years, there was time when the chance of survival was poor during illness, procedures, and complications; however, he was given the gift of life.
Pathophysiology
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Ventricle heart defect may consist of a single ventricle or as for Cardall a double-inlet ventricle defect. A single ventricle heart defect is the most common and the left ventricle heart defect is affects the right ventricular anatomy (Porth & Matfin, 2009). With the tricuspid valve not opening and closing properly is a common cause for the left ventricle defect (Porth & Matfin, 2009). The DILV defect is where the left ventricle has two inlets, the pulmonary and systemic venous return mixes, and finally puts pressures on the right ventricle (Porth & Matfin. 2009). Cardall (2010) defined his DILV as the left and right atria empting into the same