About Me (In My Own Words)
Shortly after my birth in 1962, my parents were told I had a pronounced heart murmur. Eventually, I underwent Open Heart Surgery at Mayo Clinic in Rochester at age 14. The surgeon (Danielson) removed a band of tissue beneath my aortic valve (Subaortic Stenosis). The repair has worked well for 49 years! I have been followed by cardiologists throughout my life about every five years, and as I approached 60 years of age I asked for another round of examinations to assess where things stood as I aged.
Echocardiograms, a Cardiac MRI and TEE revealed part of the tissue band remains, which is impacting the aortic and mitral valve. For the first time, I was told I have an aneurysm of the aortic root and ascending aorta (which hovered around 4.8 cm - 5.0 cm for several years). My cardiologist in Montana advised we watch things and pursue means to reduce pressures in the heart (Beta Blockers).
My cardiologist retired, and I initiated a relationship with Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, as we are now snowbirds living in the West Valley of Phoenix. The testing has added a few new wrinkles and suggests some progression of concerns. My aortic aneurysm has been measured at 5.3 cm and 5.7 cm in the ascending aorta and aortic root, respectively. Both aortic and mitral valves are in the moderate-severe range of regurgitation. I am completely asymptomatic, and walk several miles a day and swim several times a week.
The cardiologists says its time to get things repaired. We have been told we should schedule surgery sometime in the next six months. We've decided to schedule the surgery in September.
More Info About Me & My Heart
More About Me
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I am from:
Goodyear, Arizona
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I was diagnosed with:
Aortic Regurgitation
Mitral Regurgitation
Aortic Aneurysm
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