Testimonial: Thomas Veitch

At age 47, my primary care physician detected a grade 3 heart murmur. I had a standard echocardiogram done and it showed some mild aortic valve regurgitation. For the previous eight years, I had been running 40-50 miles per week. During the next three years, I continued to have annual physicals to check my heart murmur, while continuing my weekly running.

		At age 50, in the summer of 2005, during one of my daily morning runs, I noticed I was suffering some shortness of breath. In the following weeks, I noticed that my daily runs became a little harder each day and my heart was skipping beats. I went back to my physician who ordered another echocardiogram to check my heart murmur. It showed my aortic valve had become severely calcified.
The next day I was referred to cardiologist, Dr. Matthew Gibb, who performed a heart catheterization and a trans-echocardiogram which showed my aortic valve was only about 0.6mm open. I was at a critical stage. I was immediately referred to my cardiac surgeon, Dr. Scott Cook, and open heart surgery to replace my aortic valve was scheduled. We discussed my valve options in great length and detail. Even at my young age of 50, I knew I wanted the Edwards pericardial tissue valve. I did not want to compromise my ability to return to an active running life style. I did not want the drug complications associated with being on blood thinners that would be required with the implantation of a mechanical valve. On December 7, 2005, Dr. Cook performed my surgery at Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana, IL. He implanted a model 2800 size 25mm bovine Edwards pericardial heart valve. My surgery went extremely well and I was released on the fourth day after my surgery. I immediately began walking 1-2 miles a day. My recovery progressed well and I was back to work on January 2, 2006, less than one month after my surgery. I continued to increase my daily walking and intensity up to 4-5 miles per hour. My surgeon and cardiologist were just waiting for my chest incision to heal and for my natural heart tissue to grow onto my new valve before they would release me to full resumption of my running. On March 21, 2006, I had my final echocardiogram performed and was given the all clear to resume my running. I have never felt better and can tell a significant improvement in my stamina and a substantial reduction in my daily fatigue level since my new Edwards valve has been implanted. What at first I feared was going to be a very difficult surgery and recovery turned out not to be. I do not even think nor worry about someday having to have my current Edwards tissue valve replaced. I am just simply thankful and grateful for such a wonderful option in the Edwards pericardial tissue valve and the extraordinary abilities of cardiac surgeons like Dr. Scott Cook to implant such a life-saving invention.