“It’s only after a few years that I can really look back and understand what I’ve survived!”

I was diagnosed with an aortic aneurysm when I was 36 and already knew about my bicuspid aortic heart valve. We did tons of research on facilities, hospitals, doctors, actual surgeries performed, statistics of everything, etc. My doctors originally wanted to place the competitor valve with sleeve. But through our research, we were really impressed with the On-X heart valve even though at the time there was not an option of On-X heart valve + sleeve. We finally decided on the On-X heart valve and the docs “sewed” the sleeve to the heart valve.

So, here I am 3+ years later, a survivor, and finally feeling like myself again. I never really cried or dealt with this whole process but every now and then I get a little emotional and I’m in awe of the surgery, the docs, the technology, the On-X heart valve. So, as odd as it may seem, being a part of the On-X Club does mean so much to me as I’m sure it does to everyone else.

–Erika

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