When I was born, I was diagnosed with a heart defect called interventricuar septal defect. At that time, they did not have many options for a cure. Unfortunately, genetics played a part in my heart problem, as everyone on my mother's side of the family passed away from heart disease. As I was growing up, I could never get medical or life insurance. I remember when one life insurance company told me that they could not cover me because people with my problem did not live very long.
Years later, I had developed hypertesion. I found out when I ended up in the hospital for a week with extremely high blood pressure. I had no idea that I even had high blood pressure. My cardiologist, Dr. Shashidar Divakaruni of Munster, Indiana saved my life! He got my blood pressure under control and has taken care of me ever since.
After I got out of the hospital, my wife (Paulette) and I decided to change our life style. She totally changed our diet. We started eating more healthy foods, no salt, fatty foods, etc. I also was told by Dr. Divakaruni to start drinking more water, and to start exercising.
A few years later, Dr. Divakaruni noticed that I had a heart murmur. He had me get an echocardiogram that showed that I had Aortic Valve Stenosis. He also saw that I had Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy and that the septum was pressing against my Aortic Valve. I needed to have major heart surgery. I never had surgery in my life and I was terrified! Dr. Divakaruni called Dr. Patrick McCarthy's office at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago, Illinois. Dr. McCarthy is a cardiac surgeon and executive director of the Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute and vice president of the Northwestern Medical Group. The next day I received a call from Dr. McCarthy's office to schedule an appointment with me. So, my wife and I set up the appointment. We met with Dr. McCarthy and his staff. Since my wife and I had been exercising for 3-4 years, Dr. McCarthy told me that my heart was very strong and there was less than a five percent chance that anything would go wrong. Surgery was scheduled and in two weeks I had my surgery. Everyone at Northwestern Medicine was fantastic, all my Nurse Practitioner's, Doctor's, Technicans, etc. were teriffic! I came out of there with a new heart valve, trimmed septum, and the hole that had been in my heart was patched. Dr. McCarthy told me that once I healed up, I could go on and continue my cardio-exercising and to start doing strength training!
My other cardiologist that I see, Dr. Anuradha Divakaruni, told me that once you get a second chance at life you tend to look at life in a different way. And one thing you try to do is take better care of yourself! I'm glad that I had my wife, friends, and medical people to give me the utmost support!
The advice that I can give everyone is to take the best care of yourself that you can, eat a healthy diet, and exercise at least 150 minutes per week. If they do have a medical problem, being physically fit will help them!
I have started a company called Healthy Lifestyle Apparel which is t-shirts related to heart issues, and basically a healthy life style. With all sales, I will be making a donation to the American Heart Association. This will be going on for as long as I am able to!
You can find us at www.healthylifestyleapparel.com or on Facebook. Or by e-mail at healthylifestyleapparel@gmail.com
So for these reasons I am happy to be with the American Heart Association, and to be walking with them!
Thank You!!
