John's Profile

I have had a heart murmur my whole life. At age 40 I was diagnosed with Aortic Stenosis, the heart murmur was a bicuspid valve, basically 2 instead of 3 leaflets. Ever since then I have annual visits to my cardiologist with the normal test Echocardiogram, Holter Monitors. When I was first diagnosed I quickly found an ordered “The Patient’s Guide to Heart Valve Surgery” by Adam Pick , I read the book cover to cover and over the years I have been processing what it meant to have a valve replaced. Over the next couple of years I married my lovely wife Shanna and we had two daughters Elizabeth and Alexandra. Last year at 46 with my annual checkup my cardiologist informed me that the measurements for the valve indicated that I could have the valve replacement anytime I wanted once I started not being able to do normal activities. I was watching a TV show that talked about reversing heart disease mentioning the following books which I read “Dr. Dean Ornish’s Program for Reversing Heart Disease” by Dr. Dean Ornish “Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease” by Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn after reading these books I start to follow a vegan diet but with no oils, no nuts. I lost a little over 30 lbs. on my modified vegan diet. I’m currently not as strict on my diet and have gained a few pounds back. I mention this because see that TV show and following this diet helped me lose weight which I wanted to lose before I have my valve replaced. Update 4.22.2018 I will be having my Aortic Valve replaced next month. I'm now 53 years old.