About Me (In My Own Words)
I'm a competitive athlete, ski mountaineer and ophthalmologist. I had NO significant symptoms, only a murmur. I was diagnosed 3/15/23 by TTE only because I tagged along with my wife to the cardiologist (I was told before I had a murmur, but being male and invincible, I ignored the referral). I got a TEE and coronary angiography 3/20 and CT-A 3/21. I found heartvalvesurgery.com on the way to my studies and was already convinced the Ross procedure was what I needed. My cardiologist said "no one does that anymore, it's too complicated. You're making this too complicated" and walked out. I knew this to be untrue. I saw one of the top Ross surgeons at one of the top heart surgery hospitals who said "no." He recommended getting me by 5-12 years with an artificial tissue valve, then another 10 years with a TAVR. I was still hoping to be competing cross country ski racing in 15 years, so I said "no." And became more proactive. I scheduled 3 more telemedicine visits with 3 more top Ross surgeons within weeks. I was most impressed with Dr. El-Hamamsy. He was the first to have bothered to read my short 6 sentence introduction and all the other stuff i provided and through stuff in from my history over the next few weeks. He knew me!!!! During the visit I realized I didn't understand his explanations perfectly (I asked questions for which I didn’t have the full knowledge to understand the answers) and did hours more studying. I had watched or read all from heartvalvesurgery.com, but I went to general heart anatomy sites and journal articles. I read about the full jacketed procedures and also how Dr. Stelzer and El-Hamamsy support the root. I then went into even more detailed discussion with another top Ross surgeon. I wouldn't recommend this depth for most people. But I'm 5 hours from the closest airport, so I have to travel anyway, I'm super compulsive about studying all the options and incredibly motivated to keep racing, climbing and backcountry skiing with my kids over the next 20 years and hopefully skiing, hiking, and playing with grandkids for another 20 years, like my father who is 90.
I met Dr. El-Hamamsy 5/1. Had surgery 5/2. He talked to my wife after. Surgery went perfect! Took less than 5 hours. I don't remember anything until the next wee hours (having pain trying to sleep on my side). Thought I was gonna die the next day. Then all getting better. I couldn't sleep in the hospital and no sleep can contribute to labile HTN so I checked out 5/6. Had mild problems that day controlling BP. Had to use 50% more BP meds than recommended. Better 5/7 but still up in the 140s. Took almost twice the BP meds recommended. Over did it by walking 3 miles around Central park. 5/8 got to 130, contacted PA who called in hydralazine. Since then easy to control. I do have my portable BP cuff. Id even use it going up stairs to make sure BP okay. Over did it again 5/8, 3-4 miles, took a tour of the Tenement Museum, then to Wall Street, then subway back to a mile from hotel. Pretty tired when back.
5/10 got my xray to clear me to fly, echo from PA, saw Dr. El-Hamamsy again. He is a super hero! Never in a hurry, willing to answer all questions, just radiates confidence and expertise!
5/11 camped in desert outside of Vegas, went shopping, feel great! BP has been doing great!
5/13 Worked today! Saw 10 patients and did one LASER procedure.
Off the hydralazine and amlodipine and am cutting down the nighttime BP meds. Systolic rarely over 110.
It is amazing! They can saw open my chest. Put me on cardiac bipass, chill me to 70F, stop my heart, use my own pulmonary valve for my aortic, rebuild my aortic root out of combo of parts, use a frozen cadaver valve for my pulmonary and polyester for my aorta. Sew me up with wire. And a week later I feel great with my new Frankenstein heart!
I'm an eye surgeon and am constantly amazed I can mess around in someone's eye, while they are awake, then usually they can see 20/20 distance and near the next day! But this Ross+aneurysm is even more amazing!!! I'm so thankful that there are a handful of surgeons and OR/ICU teams who specialize in this very sofisticated surgery.
If anyone has a 5+ cm aneurysm and bad aortic valve and want someone to talk to about the whole process, I am happy to. I'm incredibly thankful to Adam and the heartvalvesurgery.com website and plethora of information without which I would have a tissue valve (what was recommended by my cardiologist and for 2 cardio-thoracic surgeons) and looking at 3 more lifetime heart surgeries instead of the Ross and possibly making the next 40+ years without another heart surgery.
More Info About Me & My Heart
More About Me
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I am from:
Bishop
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My surgery date is:
May 2, 2023
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I was diagnosed with:
Bicuspid Aortic Valve
Aortic Aneurysm
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My surgery was:
Aortic Aneurysm Replacement
Ross Procedure
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