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"I'm very thankful for the opportunity to basically continue to live my life the way that I've always done. I enjoy every moment of it."
As an avid runner, husband, and father of five, Matthew thought he was completely healthy. He did have a heart murmur that he monitored with an echocardiogram every five years, but he had no symptoms.
However, during one of those echocardiogram appointments, the test showed he had aortic valve regurgitation. This meant his aortic valve wasn't closing correctly, which allowed blood to flow backward into the heart. He needed open heart surgery to replace the valve.
The news came as a shock to Matthew. Shortly before his diagnosis, he had completed a four-race challenge, running a total of 48.6 miles in four consecutive days.
"I was very surprised," says Matthew, from Cumberland, Md. "I was very overwhelmed with everything."
Matthew met with cardiothoracic surgeon Mark Nelson, MD, and his team at UPMC Western Maryland. He says everyone was "phenomenal" in explaining his situation and answering all of his questions.
"I'm a scientist, so I like to know as much information as possible beforehand," says Matthew, a chemistry professor. "So that kind of helped me prepare myself in understanding what was going to happen."
More than that, he said he felt a caring atmosphere from the entire staff — from the receptionist to the clinical care team.
Although he was nervous about getting open heart surgery, Matthew says he was completely confident in Dr. Nelson and his team.
“I had no doubts coming to UPMC Western Maryland and the cardiac team there," he says. "Dr. Nelson and his staff are very well-known, and I had every bit of confidence in them.
"Knowing that I had such a good team on my side — not only at the hospital but at home, too, with my family and my support system —was definitely really important to me."
The valve replacement was a success. Matthew was up and walking soon after surgery and left the hospital within a few days.
After his surgery, Matthew went through cardiac rehabilitation. The medically supervised program helps people improve their heart's strength after they undergo cardiac treatment.
Cardiac rehab helped Matthew return to running, and less than a year after his surgery, he ran a half marathon.
"Going through the cardiac rehab program helped build my confidence," he says. "... I think what helped me the most, honestly, was just having someone there to guide me and say, ‘OK, you're doing what you need to do. You can push even more, and it's OK.' That helped rebuild that extra confidence.
"I was anxious a little bit, but I think I just felt comfort in knowing that I had all of the support I needed."
After his surgery and rehabilitation, Matthew is back to doing everything he enjoys most, including running and spending time with his family. His children participate in activities that include athletics, band, color guard, and scouting.
Matthew says he owes "the biggest thank you" to Dr. Nelson and the team at UPMC Western Maryland for his care. He says he feels more appreciative of every moment and values everything he has in his life.
“Getting back to running and spending time with my family, my children, my wife, means everything to me," he says. "So, I'm very thankful for the opportunity to basically continue to live my life the way that I've always done. I enjoy every moment of it. I definitely don't take any of that for granted."
At UPMC Western Maryland, Life Changing Medicine means helping people return to what they love most.
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