A little more than a year ago, Michael Sayen would say his quality of life was terrible. Today, he says it’s tremendous, thanks to minimally invasive surgery at the NCH Rooney Heart Institute.
For months, Michael was misdiagnosed and taking medication without answers. He had been living with atrial fibrillation, also called AFib, for five years, and his condition continued to decline. One morning, he couldn’t breathe and told his wife, Sue, to call 911.
That ambulance ride to NCH changed everything.
When Dr. Luis Paz-Rios walked into the room, Michael’s condition was quickly and accurately diagnosed. His mitral valve was failing.
“Dr. Paz took so much time to explain every step. It was very comforting to have someone with that much compassion.”
Michael underwent a mitral valve clip procedure with a multidisciplinary team led by Dr. Paz-Rios, including Dr. Viviana Navas and Dr. Dee Dee Wang. The procedure went exactly as planned, and Michael instantly noticed a difference in his energy after the surgery.
“I went from not being able to walk up a flight of stairs to bicycling 10 miles several times a week. I played 30 softball games this winter. I have my old energy back.” Michael said.
“He’s even doing yardwork.” Sue added. “I tell him he doesn’t need to be trimming trees. It’s crazy.”
Michael was grateful for the successful surgery, but he was even more impressed by the exceptional compassion and concern Dr. Paz-Rios demonstrated after the surgery.
Michael also benefited from specialized care through the institute’s AFib Center of Excellence, where Dr. Dinesh Sharma successfully treated his complex heart rhythm condition, restoring normal function despite the challenges of a prior valve procedure.
Today, Michael is back to living life fully.
“Getting rushed to NCH was the biggest blessing. I owe a whole new life to Dr. Paz and his team.”
— Michael