About Me (In My Own Words)
My aortic valve was scarred by rheumatic fever in 1959 when I was 7 years old! I was able to attend West Point and graduate, serve 20 years in the Army, then serve as an college administrator for 20 years with no physical problems at all with normal exercise. Then one day in June 2013, after running on a treadmill I got really dizzy and almost passed out. My doctor, who always knew I had a murmur, said that day it sounded more pronounced than normal and that I was having bouts of orthostatic hypertension and sent me to cardiologist. The cardiologist referred me for more advanced outpatient testing but the following week my condition worsened and I was admitted to the hospital for four days of testing at Hershey Med. They diagnosed me as having moderate aortic valve stenosis but with some severe dimensions, with a prognosis of having replacement surgery in 5-7 years. I returned once per year to an assigned cardiologist for an echocardiogram and a consult. Each year for the first three years there was no change in the echo cardiogram and I was able to lead a fairly normal life and even do some light exercise with no problem. The fourth and fifth year showed a slightly more significant change in the valve and greater blood velocity across the valve but I was still not exhibiting symptoms. In the sixth year, I started feeling more tired and I asked for my exam to be performed early because my youngest daughter was to be married in April in St Lucia. This was the first time that all of the dimensions of the echocardiogram came back as severe, but my cardiologist thought I was safe to travel since I still had no major symptoms. My wife and I had prayed hard to get us through this wedding without incident as it was such a special time. The wedding was great and although my activity was limited, my old valve stood the test and a good time was had by all. About two weeks after we returned however, symptoms of lightheadness, weakness, and extreme fatigue started to dominate my life until on June 8, I became so weak and lightheaded with blurred vision and chest pains that an ambulance took me to Hershey Medical Center where my aortic valve was replaced, thankfully, four days later. Despite all of the pain and emotion involved before during and after, I can now look forward to rebuilding the remainder of my senior life with a new outlook and better quality of life. I only found and read Adam Pick’s book two days ago but it has given me great insight about how to conquer the remainder of my healing and rehabilitation!
More Info About Me & My Heart
More About Me
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I am from:
Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania
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My surgery date is:
June 12, 2019
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I was diagnosed with:
Aortic Stenosis
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My surgery was:
Aortic Valve Replacement
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My surgeon is:
Dr. Kentaro Yamane
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My hospital is:
Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, PA
