Whoosh went the sound of his heart
Whoosh went the sound of his heart
By ALLAN TINKER
It isn’t the sound you want to hear on Father’s Day, or any other day of the year. Neal Heitzmann clearly remembers feeling the whooshing in his chest and the fast heart beat. He went to the Northland Community Health Care Center clinic in McClusky where Sue Wardner, CNP, told him he had a “large” murmur.
The week that followed was a week of tests and, on June 30, Heitzmann had open-heart surgery and a mechanical aortic valve replacement. His own heart’s valve had four tears, and the doctors thought that he had the tears for a long time as his heart is also enlarged.
Asked why he didn’t get a “hog” heart valve replacement, Heitzmann smiled and said he was young and the mechanical hearts last a long time, longer than hog “spare parts” and the necessary repeat surgery if and when they wear out.
Heitzmann remained in the hospital until the following Monday, then returned home. He was back in the hospital on Friday after he suffered some symptoms at home; they readjusted his meds and he returned home again on the next Monday.
“I feel good,” said Heitzmann, admitting that he probably lifts a bit more than the ten-pound limit restriction he is supposed to observe. He undergoes some therapy and the limits will probably change after his three month checkup.
