About Me (In My Own Words)
I was diagnosed with bicuspid Aortic valve and mild to moderate Aortic regurgitation during 2011 between training for a duathlon and in preparation to commence with triathlon training. All tests were coming back with good results all while maintaining same levels of regurgitation. At the time of been diagnosed, I was ordered to stop competitive training and stick to cycling rather than running as a form of cardio workout. The formula was easy since I could control and monitor my heart rate very easily.
Side note: I am a director of technical sales and cover all of North America. I am usually traveling Monday through Thursday night and some weekends on occasion. My travel schedule is approximately 80-90% of our Southern California or out of state for that matter.
Through the years all results were similar and I thought all was under control as of August 2017 which was the date of my penultimate TEE that showed that the regurgitation was at the same levels. Then March of 2018 I got a severe tooth infection that required a couple of weeks of antibiotics and also no traveling before treatment. I had treatment for a bad trot canal, which caused the infection and was put back on antibiotics and let ordered to not travel. Then somewhere around late July or early August while on travel I suffered a mild heart attack, which I thought was muscle ache around my left wing muscles that went away after I took a break and went for walk to “clear” my mind. I thought that it was related to stress, but brought up to my cardiologist during my annual appointment. Dr. Pai, my cardiologist, put me on a holter monitor for two weeks.
On my second week, November 17, 2018, with the holter I was on my weekend 38 mile bike ride, when on mile 33 on my way back home and on break I got the same chest pain, but this time it was severe enough to cause pain to go up to my head and have tears come out from my left eye. To which I said holy moly this hurts! I could not take a breath and my heart rate shot up to 175 bpm, this was around 955am. I was off my bike and got my phone with my right arm and was getting ready to call my wife when I got my breathing back under control and heart rate was also under control. I rested for a couple of minutes and got back on my bike (felt a little dazed), but eventually got back home, this was around 1030am. I let my wife know about the pain, but thought it was a cramp. The pain did not subside and it started to make me feel as if I was under water from my left side. At 530 pm we decided to go to urgent care, emergency room, where they ran blood work and found my troponin levels high. I was checked in for observation, after they diagnosed me with a mild heart attack. I was released Monday, November 19, after my stress test showed that all was normal, so we thought. Of course, Dr. Pai was on vacation and would not be back until the first week of December.
When he got back from vacation, he called me back to his office where he told me that my regurgitation was worse and that he would like to do a TEE followed by an angiogram to see the severity of my regurgitation and also look at my blood flow. Results came back and that’s when he advised me to undergo Aortic Valve Replacement, since the valve showed one of my leaflets was “flailing”. This was very scary, i remember feeling scared, yet relieved to know what was slowing me down. He recommended me to Cedars Sinai, minimally invasive unit, which I was not a good candidate, since my valve was also showing signs of dilation.
I set up an appointment with Alfredo Trento where he explained what open heart surgery to replace my heart valve would be like and what the next steps would be. Of all angst, the worst was having to avoid people with the flu, since we were in the middle flu season. This meant that I had to stay indoors for about three weeks. At this point, it's great to mention the support I got from all of my family and friends. I think that God works in mysterious ways and has ways for allowing us to feel his everlasting support and love and one he shows it is by reminding us through those around us showing their support and offering of prayers.
The final days before the surgery were probably the toughest, especially the night before. Had it not been for my kids and wife being there to picking up my spirit and morale, which felt like the weight of the world was on top of me, I would have probably sank to a deep hole. Again, thank God for my kids and wife. They are the light that keep me going.
The day of the surgery:
I woke up and did my second antibacterial body wash got dressed and drove over to the hospital at 430 am for our 5am check in with my son and wife. The staff was great during check in and in pre-op. They started letting know what the next steps while preparing me for the IV lines and before my family was brought up to spend time with me before the surgery. This is also when my surgeon and anesthesiologist came to see how I was doing and also letting me know what the next steps were.
OR/Surgery:
All I remember was several nurses around me and one nurse letting me know that she was going to be keeping my family apprised of my progress.
Post Surgery:
I remember a blur of what I thought was my wife and sister and telling myself that I did not want them to see me intubated. I start moving around and next thing you know I heard voices around me and people trying to calm me down and letting me know that they are going to remove the breathing tubes, which was a little painful. I remember them saying that I was only out of surgery two hours before, then I went back to sleep. I then remember waking up with lots of pain and I could know recognize my wife, but I could not talk yet.
More Info About Me & My Heart
More About Me
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I am from:
DOWNEY, CALIFORNIA
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My surgery date is:
February 22, 2019
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I was diagnosed with:
Aortic Regurgitation
Bicuspid Aortic Valve
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My surgery was:
Aortic Valve Replacement
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