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Last year at this time I had a life-threatening experience that taught me that when we encounter such an event, we are not alone and that we should live each day to the fullest. Although I had recently received a clean bill of health from my annual medical checkup with former research student, coauthor, and primary care physician, Steven H. Chooljian, M.D., I was suffering from fatigue and shortness of breath. I had assumed that the chronic fatigue syndrome that I had contracted in South Africa or China and suffered from for 11 years had returned, but my wife Laurie convinced me to have our cardiologist, Don Gregory, M.D., check my heart. An echo cardiogram showed a regurgitating (leaking) aortic valve, which would require open-heart surgery. Without an aortic valve replacement (AVR) I would have only 6 months to live! However, otherwise I was in excellent health physically and had absolutely none of the aches and pains common in persons of my age so the prognosis for the surgery and recovery was excellent. Don assured me that the AVR would restore me to my former perky self.
Vincent A. Gaudiani, M.D., the number one cardiovascular surgeon on the West Coast, who had performed almost 4,000 cardiac operations to date and was a prime member of the Pacific Coast Cardiac & Vascular Surgeons (http://pccvs.com), carried out the surgery at the Sequoia Hospital in Redwood City (http://www.sequoiahospital.org). Laurie stayed free of charge at the Sequoia Hospital Guest House during my week-long hospital stay.
Dr. Gaudiani (Dr. God to his many thankful patients!) also found a thin and enlarged ascending aorta and replaced it with a Dacron graft (Hurrah for polymer chemistry, a field about which I have frequently researched and published!). Because of this latter unexpected finding, he told Laurie that it was a miracle that I even survived childhood!!! However, he described the procedure as "uncomplicated." It was indeed fortunate that we chose such an experienced and skilled surgeon as Vince.
Hospital personnel have always joked, “Don’t get sick in July,” because in this month new interns arrive in emergency rooms, clinics, and wards, and for decades these trainees have been only loosely supervised. However, despite this generalization, I found the care at Sequoia Hospital to be extraordinary. All the nurses, particularly the young Asian women, were professional, exceptional, and caring. In particular, Marcie Aranow, R.N. exhibited a unique balanced blend of empathy and firmness. She cared for me solicitously and scrupulously, but she was adamantly insistent that I not regard myself as an invalid and that the key to my ultimate recovery was my own ability to help myself. When I was reluctant to leave the hospital and wanted to remain there, she reassured me that it was time for me to return home and get well. Laurie and I nominated her for the Sequoia Hospital S.T.A.R.S. (Sequoia Thanks And Recognizes Its Stars) Program.
On returning to Fresno I was visited by nurses from Saint Agnes Home Health Care, and several weeks later I began my 12-week cardiac rehabilitation program at the Saint Agnes Medical Center. Here I walked on the treadmill, lifted weights, and worked out on a variety of equipment, coached by Mary Hopper, R.N., Lori Waddell, R.N., Mary Adams, R.N., and Sarah Bopp, E.P. From conversations with my fellow rehabbers I quickly realized that I was not alone in my medical misfortune. Former members of the "zipper club" (persons who had undergone open-heart surgery and had the chest scar to prove it) consoled me and assured me of a bright future. Since my “graduation” from rehab I have continued my recovery by walking our dog, Lucky Kauffman, riding the recumbent bicycle, lifting free weights, etc. on a daily basis.
So I urge all you guys and gals (Yes, women suffer from cardiac problems to a greater extent than men) to listen to your spouses. It could save your life. I know because it saved mine!
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