Hi. I am also 51 years old. I had this surgery on 1/4/2013. Like you, I had known that something was up for a long time. I had been slowing down and being less active for a couple of years and coughing all the time. Walking up one flight of stairs to my office left me wishing for a nap. In October of 2012 I started having issues with severe shortness of breath and falling down. I went to see my cardiologist at the end of October and collapsed in her office. I had an defibrillator implanted on 12/5/2012 and it saved my life on 12/7/2012. I went to Mayo on New Years and met Dr. Ommen on 1/2/2013. I met Dr. Schaff, a brilliant surgeon, on 1/4/2013. He performed the surgery, and yes, it is an open heart procedure. He and his fellows were with me every step of the way and gave me confidence that everything would be OK.

I have to say that within a couple of days after surgery I began to feel better. I returned home to Indiana a week later and started Cardiac Rehab. I had some pains along the way, but every time I went to rehab I felt better and had more endurance. Today I play disc golf nearly every day and walk at least three miles each day. I hike and backpack with my sons. I have a great relationship with my wife. These are things I would not have experienced without the work of my cardiologist in Indiana, Drs. Ommen and Schaff and the entire staff at Mayo.

You have probably had your surgery by now and are on the mend. Follow every direction you are given, get into cardiac rehab and stick with it. You will be enjoying a great life and will get a chuckle when people tell you to slow down as you walk to meetings, lunch or wherever you want to go.