Patient Stories
World’s First Dual Chamber Leadless Pacemaker Restores Lifelong Athlete’s Drive
Jerry Kelleher knew that one day he’d need a pacemaker. His cardiologists over the years had warned him as much. But what he couldn’t have known was that when the time came, he’d be excited about it. “I was thrilled to be part of the clinical trial at Hoag,” Kelleher, 71, said of the world’s … Read More
Heart to Heart: Father and Son Firefighters Grateful to Hoag’s Cardiac Surgery Team
The nurse was impressed. Recuperating from robotic mitral valve repair surgery at Hoag’s Jeffrey M. Carlton Heart & Vascular Institute, Kenneth Kamp said a nurse performed a bedside echocardiogram on him and commended the repair. No sign of leakage. Something you’d expect in a valve replacement surgery but remarkable in a repair. Incredible job. “I … Read More
Bypass Patient Grateful for His Winning Team
Dan Ryan is a competitive person with an abiding appreciation for sports. So, when he refers to Anthony Caffarelli, M.D., as the “Tom Brady” of heart surgeons, the analogy commands attention. “It is pretty cool that you’re excited that the guy is going to give you a quintuple bypass,” said Dan, 59, who recently underwent … Read More
Cardiac Patient Grateful for Hoag Staff’s ‘Heart’
“I thought my stents were clogged. I didn’t know my heart was worse,” he said. “I woke up in the recovery room, and I found out I got a cardiac defibrillator put in, and I just broke down, crying. I was the last person in the department, and Cyndi just pulled up a chair and held my hand. It was probably the end of her shift, but she said, ‘I can sit with you for a while. I am not going to leave you.’ There are no words that can describe how much that meant to me.”
A Marfan Syndrome Patient Finds Confidence, Gratitude at Hoag
“Just knowing my son would be under the care of this amazing dream team of doctors was like winning the medical lottery!” said Lisa.
Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement Patient ‘Good as New’
“I wake up and I’m on the fifth floor, looking out at the blue ocean and sailboats,” he said. “I felt like, ‘This is Heaven.’”
Robert Blayden Calls TAVR 'A Gift'
“I am fortunate that my primary care doctor referred me to Dr. Myla and that he was aware of TAVR. His skill sets enabled me to go through this procedure,” he said. “I have had a win-win with good medical support.”
After 10 Years, David Feels His TAVR Procedure Was a Lucky Break
“Hoag has always been a place I felt confident in. It is leading-edge in terms of their facility and their specialists. This is not a university medical center, but it has built a reputation around its quality and innovative care.”
Stu News Publisher Has a New Appreciation for Hoag
“Hoag is an extraordinary place. Their doctors are the best in the business, and their programs are nationally renowned.”
Sean Porter is Living Proof that Hoag Heals Heart to Heart
It was a very difficult time but it felt like we had the best people in the world working on him. I am so grateful to Hoag that they not only took care of him, but our entire family. They treated all of us like we were all part of a family.