Wichita man is thankful for more life after finding care for a leaky heart valve

Via Christi Valve Clinic, Cardiac Rehab supports patient who had open-heart surgery

Wichita native 70-year-old Patrick "Rick" Page has a heart for his family, playing guitar and serving his community. But when his heart issues threatened all of that, he knew he needed a second opinion with close-to-home quality care at Via Christi.

In December 2016, Rick faced a health crisis when he went to the ER with a gallbladder attack. During his visit, his cardiologist discovered Rick had a leaky valve and an aortic aneurysm, or a bulge of his aorta, the largest artery in the body. It was recommended that Rick have open-heart surgery to replace the aortic valve. After a six-hour surgery, the six-and-a-half-feet tall adventurer faced a long recovery.

A second heart valve procedure

Seven years later, Rick began experiencing swelling in his legs and fatigue. Concerned, he returned to his cardiologist, who discovered the valve was leaking again. Rick was introduced to Dr. Guarav Tyagi interventional cardiologist, Richard Allenbach, PA, and the team at the Via Christi St. Francis Valve Clinic. Almost on the exact date of his previous surgery seven years prior, the team performed a transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), to replace the valve.

This was hugely different from open heart surgery, because a patient is not asleep under general anesthesia and it only requires a catheter to be inserted into a small incision in the groin, as opposed to a large incision in the chest. Patients who go through TAVR often recover faster than open-heart surgery.

“I loved the Valve Clinic team,” said Rick.. “I came in knowing what to expect with a heart procedure, all my questions were answered, they were friendly and knowledgeable and I developed a high level of trust in the skills of the team.” 

Interventional cardiology gave him a second chance

Rick, who is a retired power distribution technical Specialist and systems operator at Boeing/Spirit AeroSystems, spent two nights in the cardiac ICU after his TAVR procedure. “I’m a quality assurance guy, I couldn’t suggest they do anything differently,” he said. “Everyone I had an interaction with, from doctors to food service, was exceptional.”

With heart problems claiming the lives of multiple men in his family, Rick had outlived his father by 12 years with the assistance of interventional cardiology. Determined to recover again, Rick walked out of the hospital on his own and began cardiac rehab shortly after his release. 

Cardiac rehabilitation care helps with recovery

Rick's journey through cardiac rehab was renewing for him. At 69, he pushed himself to improve his cardiovascular health, encouraged by the Via Christi Cardiac Rehabilitation Clinic. His competitive spirit and dedication helped him achieve significant progress.

“You lose trust in knowing what you can handle after something like that, but the team kept a close eye on me and let me compete with myself and my goals,” said Rick. “You can tell they like what they do, you can feel that when you walk in.” 

As a thank you, his wife Debbie knit an Ascension-colored gnome keepsake for the team.

Sleep apnea is a symptom of heart disease

During his recovery in CICU, a nurse noticed Rick’s snoring. He participated in a sleep study at Ascension Medical Group Via Christi Sleep Clinic on Carriage Parkway with sleep specialist Dr. Hugh Wong and discovered he had sleep apnea, a condition often linked to heart health. After learning he was having nearly 90 breathing-disruptive episodes an hour, he began using a BiPAP machine, which significantly improved his sleep and overall health. 

“Your body is like a hydraulic system,” he said. “I learned that if you have sleep disturbances, you don’t reach the cycle which helps relax your heart and body, so your heart never relaxes and wears down.”

Since his second valve replacement, Rick has celebrated his 50th wedding anniversary, welcomed two new great-grandchildren and continued to enjoy his passion for playing music with his band at venues and in nursing homes.

Rick advises others to recognize the signs of heart conditions, such as shortness of breath, swelling and fatigue. He emphasizes the importance of listening to medical advice and understanding the connection between sleep apnea and heart health.

“Set your male arrogance off to the side and listen, I was too hard-headed to listen at first,” said Rick. “You really start listening to people when your chest is cracked open.” 

A family’s commitment of care

Rick acknowledges the emotional toll his health journey has taken on his family. He believes his experiences have strengthened his relationship with his loved ones and his faith.

“This is harder on the family than it is on the patient,” he said. “You can’t explain the look of fear you see in your loved ones’ eyes when you’re on a hospital bed preparing for surgery. Take care of your body so you can take care of others, pay attention to the signs, know your health history and seek help when you need it.” 

Don’t delay your heart care. Click to learn more about heart care at Ascension Via Christi in Wichita, Kansas. Call 316-274-8370 for more information.