More Time, Feeling Better at 90: Joe's Story
A structural heart patient’s TAVR experience at Saint Francis Heart and Vascular Institute
By Saint Francis Health System Staff
Transcatheter procedures for heart failure and structural heart problems have changed the game for patients living with these conditions. One of those patients is Joe (name changed for anonymity)—a 90-year-old who recently had a transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) at Saint Francis Heart and Vascular Institute in Tulsa.
“I never had any pain, all I noticed was shortness of breath and a kind of mental cloudiness,” Joe says. “My blood workup at a regular checkup showed there might be problems, ultimately [my team] found issues with the aortic valve.”
At 90, Joe is healthy and stays active. However, he has five stents already and no illusions about the risks of surgery at his age.
“I was very relieved when my doctor said I was not eligible for open-heart surgery,” he says. “The [TAVR] procedure was my best option.”
TAVR is a minimally invasive procedure in which a new aortic valve is placed inside the old, narrowed/diseased valve. A team of specialists guides the catheter through blood vessels to reach the heart instead of opening the chest (open heart surgery).
“Day of, I was a little anxious, of course,” he says. “My nurses and the whole team were very nice. My daughters were there with me, one of them is a registered nurse herself. We loved my HVI team. I just went to sleep and woke up to everyone saying it went great.”
He described the recovery process as “simple, straightforward” and noticed improvement right away.
“I just feel like [this procedure] brightened everything up,” he says. “I had no pain at all, I walk about a mile and a half every day, I was even using my weed eater on the yard this morning.”
For Joe, it’s about having as much quality time with loved ones as possible.
“My wife is almost 90, we’ve been married for 72 years. I love that little lady and she must love me. The Lord has blessed us with good health and we’re grateful for what we have,” he says.
“If you’re looking at a procedure like [TAVR], my advice is to think about it and know that it’s very minor. I’d sure recommend it, [my nurse] Gayle Wilcox and Dr. Tom Hu have the best attitude—they had a lot to do with this going so well.”
For more information on Structural Heart at Saint Francis Heart and Vascular Institute, click here or call 918-494-6289.
