Greg Tomalesky

Hi Everyone:

           My name is Greg Tomalesky. I am 50 years old (soon to be 51). I work as a software engineer for an industrial process control company in Maryland. I currently reside in Pennsylvania with my wife and son.

           I "discovered" my condition in July of 2001 during a routine physical. I say "discovered" because that is when the symptoms(shortness of breath, etc...) began to assert themselves. Up until that time, I was aware only that I had a heart murmur. It was only after my cath & subsequent MRI that I learned that my aorta was constricted just beyond the carotid artery and slightly enlarged immediately after the valve. The aortic valve was still tricuspid but with moderate to severe stenosis. Between July of 2001 and April of 2002, I dug up as much information as I could on the Internet. My cardiologist said that I shouldn't but I felt the need to be as informed as possible. I still believe that gathering all the information that I did helped in may ways. The biggest help was in preparing my mind for surgery. I knew that the surgeons would take care of my body so it was up to me to prepare my mind. By the time my surgery date arrived, I was ready to go.

           My surgeon (Dr. John V. Conte @ JHU in Maryland) was (is) a very nice person.  He displayed an amount of confidence in his work that put both me and my wife at ease. He was quick to suggest a mechanical valve because of my age. After all my research I was in complete agreement.

           I did not really have much in the way of medication prior to surgery. This may have been due in part to the fact that I had no other illness of condition other that needing a valve. On the morning of my surgery I scrubbed my self in the shower and waited for the nurses to arrive to transport me to the OR. Today's anesthetics are truly amazing. As far as I was concerned, no time passed from the time I was brought into the OR until I was waking up in the CICU. I don't even remember the time spent in the CICU. So my first recollection of my surroundings and family was in the step-down room the next day. My wife said that when she and my son arrived after surgery, that I looked as though I had been hit by a bus! It was really scary for them both.

           Allow me to take this opportunity to heap some praise on the staff at Johns Hopkins Hospital. There was never a time in my entire stay there (6

days) when I wasn't made to feel as though I was the only one they needed to care for. They were always helpful and answered all my questions. They were also very helpful and understanding to my wife and son during the times they were visiting me.

           I am into my third week after surgery. My biggest problem is convincing myself that the pains in my chest are the result of the surgery and NOT the result of any further heart problems. I have been dutifully monitoring my AM & PM temperature as well as any weight gain and BP. Everything seems to be in order. When I was first in the recovery room, I was receiving oxygen but that was soon removed because I was breathing well enough on my own. I am taking Toprol XL to regulate my heart beat and keep my BP down. My cardiologist said that this will become unnecessary after 2 weeks or so. Of course I am taking Coumadin and having blood test almost daily to establish the dosage. I am going for a baseline echocardiogram next week(6-May-2002).

           One final note: I cannot stress the importance of a loving and caring wife. She stoically put up with my increasingly grouchy behavior in the months prior to my surgery and has been by my side during my recovery. She even learned how to mow the lawn on our 2 1/2 acre "estate"(ha ha). I can truthfully say that recovery would be next to impossible without her.

           Here are some pictures of me in the hospital and at home.