My Heart is Still Going Strong: A Patient Story
11/15/2023
Eighty-seven-year-old Vera Nuest is still going strong thanks in part to the early detection of her heart murmur by her granddaughter Sarah.
“It was 2016 and my granddaughter Sarah had just graduated from nursing school. Her mother – my daughter, Jill, who was also a nurse – had given her a stethoscope as a graduation gift. One day while they were both visiting me, Jill said, ‘Let’s listen to mom’s heart,’” recalled Vera. “They did, and that’s when Sarah heard a loud whoosh – and discovered that I had a heart murmur. I knew that I had been more tired and out of breath lately, but we were all surprised and concerned with what she heard.”
Vera made an appointment with her primary care provider who referred her to interventional cardiologist Sandeep Sehgal, M.D., FACC, MBA, with Northwest Medical Group.
Dr. Sehgal ordered an echocardiogram, and Vera was diagnosed with aortic stenosis, a condition that had caused her heart valve to narrow and reduce normal blood flow.
The initial plan was to monitor Vera’s condition with an annual echocardiogram, which they did until Vera’s condition worsened.
“We had gone on a golf vacation, a couple years after Mom’s diagnosis, and she could hardly make it up the stairs; when we were golfing, she was very short of breath,” said Jill. “My mom was a workhorse, always active and busy, so this was not like her at all. We knew her heart condition was getting worse.”
After additional testing and a cardiac cath procedure, Dr. Sehgal explained to Vera that her aortic stenosis had become severe and she needed a new heart valve.
“That was five years ago and when Mom learned that heart valve replacements were done through open heart surgery, she said, ‘No, I’m too old and don’t want to do that,’” recalled Jill. “That’s when Dr. Sehgal told us about a revolutionary new procedure called TAVR. He thought Mom would be a good candidate.”
Dr. Sehgal explained that TAVR was a less invasive heart valve replacement procedure that would restore function and improve blood flow; and that he would only need to make a small incision in Vera’s groin to insert a thin, flexible tube into the artery, and then guide the heart valve into place. He said the benefits would also include a shorter hospital stay and recovery time.
“I remember we discussed it as a family and agreed,” said Vera. “Although at that time it was a new procedure, we knew we were in capable hands with Dr. Sehgal.”
Vera describes her recovery as pretty amazing. “I bounced back fast for a lady in her 80s,” said Vera. “Within a couple of weeks I was back to doing housework, entertaining and enjoying friends, and even playing golf.”
Jill added, “Basically, Mom was back to normal. And the murmur we had heard was gone.”
Today Vera is still going strong and making more memories.
“I just went to see Dr. Sehgal, and he said I’m doing great,” said Vera. “And next Monday, my two girls and my daughter-in-law are all going on our annual girls’ vacation to play golf for a week in Fort Myers. We’ve done this every year since 1998. It’s so much fun, and laughter, laughter and laughter,” Vera sang. “And thanks to Dr. Sehgal and the heart care team at Northwest Health, at 87 years old I’m still able to take my golf clubs and keep up with my girls.” Vera laughed, “I might go to bed a little earlier than them, but I’m going to do what they do!”
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