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My Thoughts & Prayers Are With Natalie!

By Adam Pick on June 27, 2013

There is nothing better than hearing from the patients and caregivers within our community.

A few minutes ago… Mark Uebelacker sent me this smiling picture of Natalie Uebelacker, his wife, who had aortic valve repair surgery earlier today at Northeast Georgia Medical Center. So you know, Natalie had a leaking bicuspid aortic valve. Like many BAV patients, Natalie also needed her ascending aorta replaced with a Dacron Graft due to an aortic aneurysm.

Natalie Uebelacker – Bicuspid Aortic Valve Patient

Natalie has been updating her Heart Valve Journal in the Patient Community section of the website. You can learn more about Natalie and get all of her updates by clicking here.

For example, Mark just posted the following update:

“The Doctor said the surgery resulted in the best possible scenario. He was able to repair the valve instead of replace. This makes him cautiously optimistic that Natalie will not require another surgery later in life. Natalie has opened her eyes and held my hand with her finger.” — Mark Uebelacker

My thoughts and prayers are with Natalie, Mark and all the people around them!!!
Adam

Written by Adam Pick
- Patient & Website Founder

Written by Adam Pick - Patient & Website Founder

Adam Pick is a heart valve patient and author of The Patient's Guide To Heart Valve Surgery. In 2006, Adam founded HeartValveSurgery.com to educate and empower patients. This award-winning website has helped over 10 million people fight heart valve disease. Adam has been featured by the American Heart Association and Medical News Today.

Saleem says on June 28th, 2013 at 8:54 am

I really really appreciate how you encourage patients of heart valve surgery.
I am 24 years old and did my mitral valve replacement surgery in 2009. I always very tensed about my condition. I am fit physically but I becme very sad when i saw myself among other friends. recently i did engagement and very upset about my fiance that what would she think about me. I often think that may be she think that she is unlucky to have such a defective husband. i have broken down by these type of thought what should i do.? i am sick of my life
and another question is what is the life expectancy after mitral valve surgery?

Aida says on July 5th, 2013 at 1:11 pm

Thank you for posting this Adam! It always encourages me to see such remarkable milestones in heart patient’s lives. To Natalie, I hope your recovery journey is just the beginning of a bright future ahead 🙂

If I can also mention, I wanted to leave a word or two to Saleem. First of all, thank you for sharing your thoughts and fears. It’s perfectly normal to have these feelings. However, you are not alone in this journey and you have found a great place to meet people who are experiencing similiar emotions and concerns. Have you created a Journal?

With that said, I married someone who had heart valve disease also but we were not aware of it when we got married. Fast forward 12 years and he is diagnosed with it and 5 months ago he underwent mitral valve replacement as well. Saleem, it is very important to talk to your finance or someone you trust about your concerns because the more you work through your feelings and the more you understand about your condition the more you will begin to see that you can have a long fulfilling life as well.

Medical research will always give us the stats on life expectancy for all sorts of conditions but we have chosen to leave our lives in God’s hands. However, we also are mindful that taking care of oneself, taking medications, and following MD’s instructions help create positive outcomes as does talking to others in the same situations.

Once again, you are not alone. You are with a very special group of people that care about you and understand you. If you would like to follow up my email is aidaforwellness@gmail.com