About Me (In My Own Words)
I'm on my 7th week of my journey, what a ride it’s been. Had an event on May 27, we were at a cookout at my sisters’, where I became very tired and on the way home, I became unresponsive and unconscious. My wife's quick thinking got me to a nearby hospital where I had a pulse when we arrived but did not by the time, they got me out of the car. Life saving measures were performed and I was intubated. I don't remember leaving the cookout and just remember waking up in ICU. I'm blessed my wife wanted to stay to have some of the dessert she made 😊 because if we had left 15 minutes earlier, I would have gone home and went to bed, and well, you can guess where that could have ended. Quick thinking by my wife and the Lord looking out for us, got us to a hospital less than 10 minutes away. The staff was amazing and being a holiday weekend, fortunate to get one of the best cardiologists. Had EKG and TEE which discovered my existing mitral valve prolapse went from a non-issue to a severe leaflet damage and regurgitation of the valve. Further consultations with Dr. Malik (Cardiologist) and advocacy by my myself and my wife, led us to Dr Eric Weiss. Dr. Weiss is 95% sure repair of my MVR is possible and using a non-invasive operation that will reduce my recovery from 3 months to 6 weeks. I am blessed my cardiac catheterization did not show any issues with my ‘plumbing’, no damage to the heart and my arteries are 99.9% clear.
Some may be wondering what caused my valve to deteriorate, this is my opinion, not the doctors. I exercise regularly and otherwise very healthy. I started a new job on January 1, 2023, after working for a company for 35 years. On top of that, I had hip resurfacing surgery in October 2022. With the new job, I was working 70 hours a week and trying to rehabilitate my hip. I didn’t display typical symptoms (chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, swollen legs/ankles). As I look back there had been several ‘events’ that should have caught my attention, fatigue and so tired, I was literally falling asleep at the dinner table. In hindsight, I did have shortness of breath and light headed, but being the warrior I am, I just attributed the fatigue to the new job and working 70 hours a week.
My wife and the Lord are my guardian angels and the Lord decided it wasn’t my time, I am very blessed. My repair is set for July 26, I anxiously await and keep my stress, activity and heart rate levels low. I am grateful I am here with my family and friends, and very thankful for all the prayers and well wishes. That is my story and it has made me realize how quickly your life can change and where my priorities should be; life is short, but the Lord has got my attention and he has plans for me as I continue my journey of life!
More Info About Me & My Heart
More About Me
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I am from:
Richfield, Wisconsin
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My surgery date is:
July 26, 2023
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I was diagnosed with:
Mitral Regurgitation
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My surgery was:
Mitral Valve Repair
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My surgeon is:
Dr. Eric Weiss
