About Me (In My Own Words)
I was born with a congenital aortic stenosis/bicvspid valve and diagnosed at a young age by my pediatrician.
I spent most of my life with yearly 2D trans-thoracic echocardiograms without really much change. Unfortunately, I enjoyed playing hockey and rowed crew when I was younger, but my cardiologist at the time felt uncomfortable with these so he asked me to stop. Otherwise, I had lived a normal life and went into medicine due to my pre-existing condition.
After finishing my training in medicine, my numbers jumped up rather dramatically when I was 32 and I was told I would need surgery in the short-term. I was really upset because I was on the earlier side of the bell-curve for my valve worsening. However, I was blessed to meet the incredible Dr Paul Stelzer, who not only put me at complete ease when I needed surgery, but re-evaluated my case and felt we could continue with watchful waiting since I was asymptomatic.
Fast forward 3 more uneventful years and despite being relatively asymptomatic, my stress echocardiogram showed lack of LV augmentation with exercise, which left no other need for proof.
I had chosen the Ross Procedure 3 years earlier and stuck with it based on it's excellent outcomes in expert hands like Dr Stelzer and Dr El-Hamamsy. I also did not envision my lifestyle being conducive to being on a blood thinner with the concern for bleeding and infectious complications. My valve replacement and ascending aortic repair (not replacement) on 8/19/2020 and hospital stay were uneventful except my valve turned out to be a uni-cuspid valve which explained my earlier than normal deterioration!
I cannot say enough about Dr Stelzer and Dr El-Hamamsy and the entire MS Heart team! I am forever grateful!
More Info About Me & My Heart
More About Me
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I am from:
New York
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My surgery date is:
August 19, 2020
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I was diagnosed with:
Bicuspid Aortic Valve
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My surgery was:
Ross Procedure
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My hospital is:
Mount Sinai Hospital
