About Me (In My Own Words)
Back on here! 10/27/25 :). Just had an amazing aortic valve replacement at Cedars Sinai on 10/20. Very Sci-Fi (see below).
( 08/11/23 Edit: First time back on here in at least two years! I'll try to get on here more often to see how everyone is doing! I'm still doing GREAT <3 )
Hi there! I'm a nurse, an esthetician, an author of a fitness and recipe book, a Realtor, a professional member of SAG-AFTRA, and I own SeaCliff Spa and Glowy Glow Skincare ....and I've had my aortic valve replaced five times since 1991. I'm happy to answer any questions regarding surgery or recovery. 😊❤.
Born with a congenital bicuspid aortic valve.
1991 - Age 19: 1st OHS during college, AVR with a donor cadaver valve. Dr Alfredo Trento at Cedars Sinai, Los Angeles :)
1994 - Age 22: Endocarditis and 8 weeks of 24 hour Hickman line IV antibiotic therapy followed by 2nd OHS, Ross Procedure replaced my previous donor aortic valve with my own pulmonary valve and I was given a donor pulmonary valve. Dr Alfredo Trento at Cedars Sinai, Los Angeles :)
2005 - Age 33: After both my parents and my brother and sister died between 2001-2005 I discovered I had developed an aortic aneurysm from the stress on my heart (it happens 😐) of 6cm that sent me into an emergency 3rd OHS to have the ascending aorta through the arch replaced with a dacron graft (Bentall procedure) and another aortic valve replacement (bovine tissue). Dr Alfredo Trento at Cedars Sinai, Los Angeles :)
2015 - Age 44: Stenosis of the bovine tissue valve (as expected after 10 years) and this time I qualified for TAVR (yay!) due to the previous 3 open heart surgeries. A new bovine tissue valve was placed inside the old one. Dr Raj Makkar at Cedars Sinai, Los Angeles :) He's a TAVR expert!
2022 - Cardiac Ablation for AFib with Dr Michael Shehata at Cedars Sinai, Los Angeles :)
10/20/2025: Stenosis again (my friend who won't leave me alone ha ha). A successful Valve in Valve in Valve surgery!! A TAVR inside a TAVR inside a SAVR. So I now have THREE valves stacked inside each other in the aortic root. Crazy! Only 20 or so have ever been performed yet but it's the future! Dr Raj Makkar at Cedars Sinai. He had the entire surgery filmed to "teach other surgeons around the world".
Doing great!! ❤️
😀
Happy Heart ❤
More Info About Me & My Heart
More About Me
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I am from:
Huntington Beach, Ca
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I was diagnosed with:
Aortic Regurgitation
Aortic Stenosis
Bicuspid Aortic Valve
Aortic Aneurysm
Atrial Fibrillation
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My surgery was:
Aortic Valve Replacement
Aortic Aneurysm Replacement
Ross Procedure
Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement
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My surgeon is:
Dr. Alfredo Trento and Dr Raj Makkar
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