After Ross Procedure, David Teaches Dr. El-Hamamsy the Harmonica
Written By: Adam Pick, Patient Advocate, Author & Website Founder
Published: May 14, 2025
What happened after David Herzhaft, an aortic valve patient from Idaho, had a successful Ross Procedure performed by Dr. Ismail El-Hamamsy at Mount Sinai in New York City?
To answer that question, here is a really fun patient success story as told by David.
David Says…
Here is the email I received from David about his journey to a healthy heart:
Hi Adam, Thank you for everything you do regarding spreading information about heart disease. Before my operation, I was totally asymptomatic even though I had severe aortic stenosis and moderate-to-severe regurgitation.
That said, I wanted to share with other patients who are asymptomatic that they shouldn’t wait too long for surgery. I was exercising pretty good before surgery: running 3.8 miles in 35 minutes, 400 weight lift reps, 20-minute jump rope workouts and with… No symptoms! I was also intermittent fasting with a very healthy diet.
My cardiologist and Dr. El-Hamamsy told me we could keep monitoring the disease but that there was really no benefit to wait. I then watched a 2-hour video where a cardiac surgeon talks about the guidelines for surgery and how they should be revised so that patients should not wait for severe aortic stenosis but operate earlier since the outcomes are better. This was also Dr. El-Hamamsy’s opinion.
I have 3 kids at home in Idaho. The youngest is only 2 years old. I flew into New York City with my wife for a 10-day stay. After the operation, I spent 15 hours in the intensive care unit and have been moved to a nice room with a great view of Central Park! The icing on the cake for me is that the three surgeons on Dr. El-Hamamsy’s team speak French. I was born and raised in France.
My Bicuspid Valve and The Ross Procedure
I learned about my bicuspid aortic valve when I was 32 years old. One of the first cardiologists who followed me told me about a procedure where they could use the pulmonary valve to replace my bicuspid valve. Fifteen years later, when my cardiologist from Idaho told me that I was going to need surgery, he only mentioned mechanical or bioprosthetic valve replacement options.
When I actually realized I was going to have surgery, it forced me to read as much as possible about heart issues.
I finally found studies about the Ross Procedure and had a mental flashback from when I met with my first cardiologist. I put two and two together and found your videos about the Ross Procedure on YouTube. Then, I went to HeartValveSurgery.com, put in a request for Dr. El-Hamamsy, and then I was on track for my surgery.
A Harmonica Lesson for Dr. El-Hamamsy
So you know, I’m an entrepreneur in the harmonica business! I run Harmonicaland.com, a harmonica superstore, and Harmo my own harmonica brand.
During our first meeting, Dr El-Hamamsy asked me a lot of questions about my work. I felt some interest there, so I made Dr. El-Hamamsy a custom harmonica that I gave him on my last day in New York City after being cleared to return home.
As you can see in the video below, I even managed to squeeze in a short lesson for Dr. El-Hamamsy.
David Returns to Idaho
In a follow-up note to me, David wrote:
I’m now back home in Idaho and reunited with my kids. I’m sleeping on a recliner and walking 2 hours per day. The chest pain is still there but each day is better.
If there’s anything I can do to help spread information about bicuspid aortic valve or asymptomatic patients, please let me know!
Related Links:
Thank you,
David Herzhaft
Written by Adam Pick
- Patient & Website Founder
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