In July 2022 I was diagnosed with an anuerysm on my aortic root, where the largest artery in our bodies attaches to the heart. This life threatening condition was found by chance, asymptomatically, and was a surprise. I was told to stop all activities that drove my heart rate up while they monitored the condition. In ~20 years of kayaking, I have never missed kayaking in a calendar month, through any injury or busyness with work or school. It was a drastic diagnosis and heavy prognosis to bear.
Eventually, they decided to recommend surgery.
On April 12, 2023, I had a root of my aorta removed and replaced with a graft material (David Procedure) in addition to a repair done to my aortic valve as well as a hole between my heart's upper chambers closed.
At my three month post surgery follow-up, I received the all clear to begin kayaking again. I have used the past 2 weeks to train on flat water to build the muscles back up a little, and gain confidence in my sternum which was cut in half during the procedure.
Yesterday, on July 21, 2023 I got the chance to kayak on the river again... filling my heart once more with the activity that I have loved since I was a child. My wife, Diane, and I descending Tennessee's Cumberland Plateau twice, kayaking Island Creek as well as Little Clear Creek, into Clear Creek, into the Obed River. A classic day of kayaking under any circumstance. But certainly under my circumstances, a day that will rank in my favoites of all time, one that I will remember as being full of possibilities for my future.
