Heart Surgery
... Aortic Stenosis is a heart condition in which the aorta valve is tightened and does not function properly. I had open-heart surgery to loosen the valve so it could function properly. After surgery another problem occurred, the valve began to leak. ... I had to visit a cardiologist once a year for check-ups to be sure the heart was stable. ... Therefore, I would have to undergo another surgery. Twenty years later, I have a brand new heart valve that will last longer than my lifetime. In late June of 2002 I had my yearly visit to the cardiologist, little did I know it was going to be the year of my next heart surgery. The surgery was an event that I feared my entire life. ... We talked to the doctor about the surgery and he assured us that everything was going to be fine.