About Me (In My Own Words)
My story started in early 2020 when an anesthesiologist canceled a shoulder surgery that was about to begin. He told me I had an irregular heart beat and needed to go see a cardiologist to get some testing. I had lived 55 years without any mention of my heart or any issues. I had played sports all of my life and played football in college and always healthy. I went to see a cardiologist and had several tests and was diagnosed with moderate aortic regurgitation and a mildly dilated aorta. I was put on a watch basis and decided to transfer care to Cleveland Clinic and have seen Dr. Venu Menon since early 2021. The regurgitation has gotten worse and is 3+ now and there have been several changes in my heart. I have an eccentric jet which has made it very difficult to diagnose severity and mechanism for the regurgitation. Last echo was done in February and we decided to put off another 9 months, but I have been symptomatic with frequent PVC's, fatigue and SOB. I contacted CC and we collectively decided to move on this now. I did get another opinion and the diagnosis and conclusions were the same. We scheduled surgery on July 11th and Dr. Michael Tong will be doing my surgery. I have found this site to be exceptional. Not just because the amount of information available, but the personal experience's that are shared. It gives me great confidence in making the decision to move forward. I am confident the outcome will be a good one.
July 21, 2025
I was discharged on day 4 after surgery and stayed in Cleveland for another 4 days for follow up. Had a little hiccup with a blood test and did have to stay one additional day, but that was really the only complication. Dr. Tong inserted an Abbott Epic Max 25mm porcine valve with pledgets via a 6" incision. The OR was busy with a lot of people. There were additional surgeons for the opening and closing. The anesthesiologists were fantastic and asked what music I wanted to listen to. I figured I would only hear one song so chose Pearl Jam's Yellow Ledbetter. I only remember hearing about half of it. My biggest concern was waking up as is most I believe. I remained calm and definitely remember the breathing tube and concentrating on not panicking. It all went very smoothly. My anesthesiologist showed up at my bedside on Saturday morning. I was shocked that he chose to come in to the hospital on the weekend. Just an absolute class act. Most of my 4 day stay was uneventful. I don't miss getting my fingers pricked for blood sugar though!! The best part of the surgery was walking in my front door Saturday afternoon. I won't lie, it was an emotional moment. The many months of waiting were now over. To all going through this....It's o.k. to be nervous. I found it to be an easier experience than what I thought it was going to be. Everyone is different but take the time to not only do research, but get your mind ready for what you're about to encounter. It was extremely helpful for me. Good luck to all!
More Info About Me & My Heart
More About Me
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I am from:
Terre Haute, IN
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My surgery date is:
July 11, 2025
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I was diagnosed with:
Aortic Regurgitation
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My surgery was:
Aortic Valve Replacement
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My hospital is:
Cleveland Clinic
