My prosthetic (bovine) aortic valve that was installed in 2014 is failing. Another surgery to install a new valve is scheduled for March 30. Thanks to the many friends and family who have been reaching out, it’s clear that there are quite a few people who actually care about me and want to know about my health. The plan is to do a transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) through an artery in my leg. I’ve been told that I will probably be conscious during the procedure and likely only spend one night in the hospital afterwards, with a projected recovery of about one week. The catch is that this is a short-term fix. I expect it to last only another five to seven years.
Climbing with my buddies in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison in the days before Mandi and I got married on the rim made for a memorable bachelor party.
This summer has been a whirlwind. I've been so excited to get my old life back – wait, scratch that. I've been so excited to start a new life, I haven't spent much time looking back since Mandi and I got married on the rim of the Black Canyon in June. ... My life has a renewed sense of vibrance and urgency to pack it all in and pursue some of my atheltic dreams while I still can. The surgery has been a wake-up call to go for the gusto and stop putting things off while another year slips by, so writing has taken a back seat lately. However, I am thrilled to bring you readers up to speed!
A group of people rig a rope swing and rappels from the top of Corona Arch near Moab, Utah, on Thanksgiving, 2014. The 1.1-mile hike to reach the arch was one of my first outings, one month after open-heart surgery.
This chapter of The Open Heart Series details my return to physical fitness and the wild, rugged places that I love, as well as some of my nagging health concerns. Read
I went for my first hike on a Thanksgiving trip to Moab, one month after open-heart surgery. Photo by Mandi Prout
This segment of the Open Heart Series aims to cover my first days back home after five days in the hospital, my first days back at work, and what daily life was like up to my first check-up in late December, two months after surgery. In the next chapter, I'll recount my physical recovery from Thanksgiving 2014 to present, and my return to rock climbing. Read
My first memory of waking up after five and a half hours of open heart surgery is vague except for one powerful feeling: joy. I'd survived. And my family was there in the ICU with me. I wanted to talk to them – I was so excited to be through it – but I had a tube in my throat, and tubes coming out all over my body. Read more
Hearing people talk about what happened while I was in surgery for five and a half hours is like hearing my parents' stories about the day I was born. I was there, but I wasn't. For this segment, I interviewed my fiancée, and my mom and dad to get an idea of what they went through in the waiting room during the operation, and afterward while I was recovering in the hospital for several days. I asked them in particular if they had any advice for people facing a similar waiting-room experience. Obviously it was a very emotional time for all involved. Emotions are tricky things to pin down objectively. That makes it hard to offer concrete advice, but I will try. ... Read more
Doing my thing in Rifle Mountain Park, 2010. After receiving the doctor's OK, I used climbing as a way to stay positive in the weeks leading up to my surgery. Photo by Steve Denny
The month before I had open heart surgery on Oct. 30 is mostly a blur to me now, as I write this 60 days after the fact. The feeling I recall is that of a procession down a long hallway with crimson rugs and no light at the end. During that time, I made a point not to dwell on a future that couldn't be avoided.
Six weeks after open heart surgery to replace my aortic valve, I finally got around to Googling videos of the procedure. If you are about to have open heart surgery, I would recommend not doing a Web search before you go in.