Dave Schuppe

NAME:  Dave Schuppe, I live in Sterling CO

CURRENT AGE:   52

OCCUPATION:    Firefighter/EMT

YOUR FAMILY:   Wife of 33 years Marsha, 2 boys, Mike 32, & Jeff 30, 1 daughter, Lori, 23, and 3 grandkids and 1 on the way due 6/26/03.

When you found out about your condition:  I was 6 years old and my mom took me to the doctor for a cold.  He found a murmur and sent me to a cardiologist in Denver CO. He told my parents that I needed a catheterization.  So in 1957 they did the catheterization and thought they found a growth in my aorta.  In 1958 they did another catheterization and thought that the growth was the same. They told me that I could not play any sports. In 1959 they did another catheterization and this time thought that I had aortic stenosis with a bicuspid valve.  Again they told me not to play any sports.  In 1960 they did another catheterization and again said I had aortic stenosis with a bicuspid valve.  In 1961 they decided to replace the aortic valve. I was in surgery when the cardiologist decided to do another catheterization and decided than not to replace the valve at that time. He told my parents that I could lead a normal life without the surgery at that time. In 1975 they did another catheterization and found the aortic stenosis was the same.  In 1980 I decided to become a firefighter and passed the physical.  I hadn’t had any problems until May of 2002 while on a large grass fire I had heat stroke.  My doctor had me do a nuclear treadmill test and an echocardiogram they both showed the aortic stenosis was the same.  On April 1, 2003 while on a structure fire I had severe chest pain.  My doctor than sent me to a cardiologist in Ft. Collins CO for a catheterization.  I had the catheterization on April 11, 2003 and they found that the aortic stenosis had gotten worse and I had an aortic aneurysm.

How you prepared for the surgery:   I didn’t have a lot of time to prepare as I met with the surgeon on April 18, 2003 and had the surgeon on April 21, 2003. I did do a lot of praying.

What type of surgery you had:    I had my aortic valve replaced with a St. Jude Mechanical valve with a graft sleeve and had the aneurysm repaired with a Dacron Sleeve.  The surgery lasted 5 hrs. I was in CICU until 8 am the next day when they moved me to the heart floor.  They removed the chest tubes that afternoon and had me up and walking that night.  I was scheduled to be released on Friday April 25, 2003 but on that day when I got up I was feeling very weird and they did a blood test and found that my red blood count was down and they had to give me 2 units of blood and kept me in until Monday April 28, 2003.

Medications before surgery:   I took 80 mgs of Zocor and an aspirin a day.

Medications after surgery:   The Zocor, Coumadin, Lopressor, and a Multi Vitamin

Hospital where your surgery was done:    Poudre Valley Hospital in Ft. Collins CO Heart Center of the Rockies.

Your experience there:   Everyone there was Great.  They were always there when you needed them.

Your First few days home:    My wife stayed home from work the first week and she helped me out a lot.  I slept in the recliner the first week and taking showers was a little hard but I made it.  I have been doing a lot of walking and taking naps.

Your recover since then:    My third week I started cardiac rehab and that has been going just fine.  It has been two months now since my surgery and I keep getting stronger each day.  I have and appointment with my cardiologist on June 26, 2003 and an appointment with my surgeon August 16, 2003.