About Me (In My Own Words)
( 08/11/23 Edit: First time back on here in at least two years! I'll try to get on here more often to see how everyone is doing! I'm still doing GREAT <3 )
Hi there! I'm a nurse, an author of a fitness and recipe book, a fitness trainer, a Realtor, a professional member of SAG-AFTRA....and I've had my aortic valve replaced four times since 1991. I'm happy to answer any questions regarding surgery or recovery. 😊❤.
1971 - Born with a congenital bicuspid aortic valve.
1991 - Age 19: 1st OHS during college, AVR with a donor cadaver valve. Dr Alfredo Trento at Cedars Sinai, Los Angeles :)
1994 - Age 22: Endocarditis and 8 weeks of 24 hour Hickman line IV antibiotic therapy followed by 2nd OHS, Ross Procedure replaced my previous donor aortic valve with my own pulmonary valve and I was given a donor pulmonary valve. Dr Alfredo Trento at Cedars Sinai, Los Angeles :)
2005 - Age 33: After both my parents and my brother and sister died between 2001-2005 I discovered I had developed an aortic aneurysm from the stress on my heart (it happens 😐) of 6cm that sent me into an emergency 3rd OHS to have the ascending aorta through the arch replaced with a dacron graft (Bentall procedure) and another aortic valve replacement (bovine tissue). Dr Alfredo Trento at Cedars Sinai, Los Angeles :)
2015 - Age 44: Stenosis of the bovine tissue valve (as expected after 10 years) and this time I qualified for TAVR (yay!) due to the previous 3 open heart surgeries. A new bovine tissue valve was placed inside the old one. Dr Raj Makkar at Cedars Sinai, Los Angeles :) He's a TAVR expert!
2022 - Cardiac Ablation for AFib with Dr Michael Shehata at Cedars Sinai, Los Angeles :)
Doing great!! ❤️
😀
Happy Heart ❤
More Info About Me & My Heart
More About Me
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I am from:
Huntington Beach, Ca
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I was diagnosed with:
Aortic Regurgitation
Aortic Stenosis
Bicuspid Aortic Valve
Aortic Aneurysm
Atrial Fibrillation
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My surgery was:
Aortic Valve Replacement
Aortic Aneurysm Replacement
Ross Procedure
Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement
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My surgeon is:
Dr. Alfredo Trento and Dr Raj Makkar
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