Her husband and their 5 kids name Rosa Wernher “the Energizer bunny” as a result of she is all the time on the go. For many years, not even her genetically inherited Marfan syndrome may hold her off her toes to forestall her from oil portray or from gliding down a ski slope–until it did.
“I’ve all the time been lively, virtually manic–jumping from one exercise to a different, chasing my kids round to their varied actions and by no means requiring an excessive amount of sleep,” stated Wernher, 53, who lives in Redlands, California. “But as I aged, I began quietly slowing down, needing to relaxation and sleep only a bit greater than standard. I chalked it as much as perimenopause, by no means attributing the new-onset signs to my genetic coronary heart situation.”
Shortly after she turned 51, Wernher determined it was time to check out her coronary heart. She was referred to Robert Siegel, MD, a Marfan syndrome skilled and heart specialist within the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai.
After a routine examination and ultrasound imaging of her coronary heart, Siegel found that Wernher had an enlarged aorta and a leaking aortic valve. These widespread issues of Marfan syndrome, which causes abnormalities in connective tissue, can change into a life-threatening emergency.
The aorta, which rises from the guts’s left ventricle–the main chamber that pumps blood out of the heart–is full of oxygen-rich blood that travels all through the physique. If a tear happens, blood spills by the inside layer tear and into the center layers of the aorta, inflicting them to separate, or dissect. When that occurs, it could actually deprive the physique’s organs of significant blood provide.
“I used to be advised to see a cardiac surgeon, and quick,” stated Wernher. “It was actually scary to be taught that regardless of my general good well being and power, I had been a strolling time bomb.”
Siegel despatched Wernher to see Pedro Catarino, MD, director of Aortic Surgery within the Smidt Heart Institute, who confirmed that she had a big aortic root aneurysm and extreme aortic valve regurgitation.
A tear or rupture within the aorta is a surgical emergency. We do every part we are able to to keep away from sufferers presenting on this progressive, extreme means, and as a substitute, deal with them earlier than a life-threatening complication happens. Rosa was lucky that her enlarged aorta had not but reached this crucial, life-threatening level.”
Pedro Catarino, Director, Aortic Surgery, Smidt Heart Institute
A nationwide chief in aortic surgical procedure, the Smidt Heart Institute just lately turned an accredited Marfan Center of Excellence, a distinction given by the Marfan Foundation. As one in every of solely 35 accredited medical facilities within the nation, the Cedars-Sinai program makes use of a multidisciplinary staff of cardiac and vascular surgeons, cardiologists, and radiologists who use superior imaging methods to foretell affected person threat and determine the very best surgical choices.
The medical consensus for Wernher: She was a candidate for a technically advanced surgical procedure referred to as a valve-sparing aortic root substitute.
“During Rosa’s surgical procedure, we stored her aortic valve and reconnected it to a brand new part of aortic tissue,” stated Catarino. “This specialised approach is not provided all over the place, and it actually requires a staff of consultants who can ship it.”
Wernher’s four-hour surgical procedure was successful. Although it was difficult for her energetic self to lie low after surgical procedure, she gained extra zest inside six weeks. Now, almost eight months after surgical procedure, Wernher has already skied Mammoth Mountain and is again to standing on her toes for hours, portray nature scenes of flowers and landscapes.
She’s additionally extra dedicated than ever to staying on high of her well being.
“With my children now grown and out of the home, I’m extra vigilant about my very own well being and wellbeing,” stated Wernher. “I’m even attempting to chill out and decelerate a bit and providing myself grace for these altering phases of life. I’m simply grateful to be alive.”