About Me (In My Own Words)
In 2017, four days before my 45th birthday, I was running a HIIT workout on a treadmill, tuning up for a baseball tournament the coming Friday. Upon slowing the machine for a cooldown period, my heart rate kept climbing, eventually hitting over 200 BPM. I collapsed in a heap of cold sweat and gasped for someone to please call 911.
The next five days were spent both waiting for my heart rhythm to naturally revert to normal and undergoing extensive tests. It was here that I learned that my overdoing it on the HIIT workout ironically saved my life. I was diagnosed with a 5 cm Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm and severe aortic regurgitation. Another five years undetected, and it's likely I'm not telling this story - or any other.
After establishing the aneurysm was stable, I have been in a "watchful waiting" period. I received scans every six months that check three major markers: whether or not the aneurysm has grown, how well my aortic valve is functioning, and the overall size of my heart.
After reviewing my latest data, my cardiologist did not see any significant change in the aneurysm's size - a good thing. However, he suggested we err on the side of caution and update a cardiac surgeon with the latest data. That’s where the concern started. After a second scan, the surgeon determined that the aneurysm is “pulling” on my aortic valve, causing it to further leak and prevent my heart from efficiently pumping oxygenated blood into my body. My heart has tolerated this for some time, but they are beginning to see signs of mitral valve distress and my heart enlarging. Enter Dr. Bavaria, one of the world's experts on this condition, who recommended that the time to operate is now.
I was always told that I would need open heart surgery “someday” – that has now been edited to April 2nd. The plan: fit my aorta with a Dacron graft, attempt to repair the aortic valve, and if repair fails replace it with a bovine valve.
Emotionally, I am... processing. It's like the guy who runs the roller coaster just locked the safety bars on your seat. It's also unreal for the fact that for years, I have been mostly asymptomatic, save for the beta blockers keeping down my heart rate and the restrictions on my weight lifting capacity (I have been a dedicated gym rat for over 25 years). I've taken great pride (maybe too much pride) in being fit. I'm still doing pull-ups. I ran three miles the other day. I have no idea what I can bench press (since it isn't an exercise I do anymore), but I can breeze through 20 push-ups.
My biggest concern isn't the actual surgery; Dr Bavaria is a rock star. The WORST outcome to me is maybe having a bovine valve and a need for a future operation. That's fine. What worries me most: at 52, how well can I rebuild? Will I rejoin my baseball club next year? Will someone tell me that there's a "new normal" to which I have to adjust, and will I be able to accept that without becoming a depressed pain in the ass to my family, who needs me to be a productive, active person?
Will I get back to being me?
More Info About Me & My Heart
More About Me
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My surgery date is:
April 2, 2024
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I was diagnosed with:
Aortic Regurgitation
Aortic Aneurysm
Atrial Fibrillation
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My surgery was:
Aortic Valve Replacement
Aortic Valve Repair
Aortic Aneurysm Replacement
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My hospital is:
Lehigh Valley Medical Center
