About Me (In My Own Words)
My name is Mike, and I am 51 years young. I used to run 5K's and 10K's but that is all in the past. About 3 years ago at my PCP's office, I had the pleasure of seeing an FNP for a routine checkup. She took more time than most when listening to my heart and asked, "have you ever been told that you have a heart murmur?" I said yes - it was first found at age 18 and I have had several ECGs through the years and have always been told it's "just me". She told me that she was a former cardiac nurse and suggested strongly that I meet with a cardiologist. I believe I owe her my life, because that cardiologist very quickly diagnosed me with aortic stenosis and suggested annual follow-up visits to check its progression and that eventually, it would require surgical replacement. I've had problems for several years with presyncope when bending over or squatting then standing, roller coasters, and many other things that just occur in life and now I knew what was causing it all. This of course was both a relief and a bit scary as I knew nothing about this issue at this point. So, I immersed myself in information and learned that this is actually quite common, and my prognosis is very good. Then two years ago, I had the opportunity to meet with cardiologist Dr. William Freeman at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona and boy, what a great place and wonderful staff! At my most recent visit with him this past June and after many tests, it became clear that the time had come to replace the valve. In fact, my CT scan also showed an aortic aneurysm - a condition of which I was previously unaware. All of this is to be addressed in late October by my surgeon, Dr. Kristen Sell-Dottin. She will be installing a new On-X mechanical aortic valve and will also replace the ascending aorta with a synthetic graft. I have increased my exercise as much as I can. Essentially, that means walking the dog about 1.5 miles each morning, but we all do the best we can. My family is very supportive and will no longer let me do anything that involves heavy lifting, pushing, squatting, etc. and I love them for it. But I'm really looking forward to the day that I can again do these things for myself and my family - and maybe even begin running again!
More Info About Me & My Heart
More About Me
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I am from:
Queen Creek, Arizona
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My surgery date is:
October 23, 2023
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I was diagnosed with:
Aortic Stenosis
Bicuspid Aortic Valve
Aortic Aneurysm
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My surgery was:
Aortic Valve Replacement
Aortic Aneurysm Replacement
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