Cardiology & Cardiac Surgery
June 9, 2022
A new heart, new hope for a newborn
Travis Heidt was holding his son, Franklin, for the first time. “It was a very joyous time and also an overwhelming time,” says the first-time parent. He was unsure of how to hold Franklin, unsure of how to care for him. But Travis knew that he and his wife, Morgan, would figure it out. They […]
Tags: Dr. Elizabeth Stephens, Dr. Jason Anderson, Dr. Joseph Dearani, Franklin Heidt, Heart transplant, Morgan Heidt, Travis Heidt
May 26, 2022
Celebrating 10-years with a new heart – just like her big sister
Linsey Rippy was 16 weeks pregnant with her second child when she learned her daughter, Madi, had dilated cardiomyopathy. She was just two-and-a-half years old. “Our hospital in the Twin Cities ran every genetic test on Madi, but nothing came up,” Linsey said. “She’d had a virus a few weeks before, so they figured that’s […]
Tags: Dilated Cardiomyopathy, ECMO, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, Heart transplant, Linsey Rippy, Madi Rippy, Noel Rippy, Sydney Rippy
May 12, 2022
A heart patient’s fall picks up something big
Mitch Prust has fond memories of spending long hours hiking the trails at his getaway in northwestern Wisconsin, but during a visit in late September, it’s what he didn’t remember that put him on a new path. It was not hours or minutes; it was just a few seconds. While this was a short lapse […]
Tags: Dr. Hartzell Schaff, Dr. Jeffrey Geske, HCM, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, Mitch Prust, Septal Myectomy, sharing mayo clinic, sudden cardiac death
May 5, 2022
A shared heart: Two families come together after tragedy, transplant
Around the 15th of every month, Christin Gigstad and Tina Haug think of each other. They pick up their phones and text. Even if they’ve already talked that week, they want to check in. It’s an important date for them, one that no one else can fully understand. Four years ago, Christin and Tina were […]
Tags: Amanda Hansen, Carson Gigstad, Christin Gigstad, Dr. John Stulak, heart failure, Heart transplant, Paul Gigstad, Tina Haug
April 11, 2022
A regenerative bridge to transplant
At 34, Steven Graham has already beaten the odds. Born with a heart defect, doctors predicted that he would not live past 30. But over the years and a series of pacemakers, his heart was giving out, and he needed a transplant. Complicating matters, Steven’s declining cardiac muscle was also damaging his lungs. His physicians […]
Tags: Dr. Atta Behfar, Dr. Sudhir Kushwaha, Heart and Lung Transplant, Heart transplant, Randi Graham, Regenerative Medicine, Steven Graham, Transposition of the great ateries
February 14, 2022
Specialized heart surgery gives Florida father hope for future
Eric Salter’s life changed unexpectedly in May 2017 when he suffered a life-threatening aortic dissection while working from his home office. The active father of two who was then 42 went from living a normal, healthy life to having just minutes to say goodbye to his family before emergency surgery. “We thought I was in […]
Tags: aortic disection, Cardiology, Dr. Alberto Pochettino, Dr. Sabrina Phillips, Eric Salter, Florida
January 27, 2022
New heart, new start for Gregg Bohlig
Heart-pounding moments have been ever-present in Gregg Bohlig’s life. He is a gifted athlete and was a three-sport star in high school, earning state player of the year in football and second team all-state guard in basketball. And he was offered a contract with a major league baseball team. While in college, the Eau Claire, […]
Tags: Cardiology, Dr. Daniel Kincaid, Dr. Julie Rosenthal, Dr. Patrick DeValeria, Gregg Bholig, Heart transplant, Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire, Mayo Clinic in Arizona
January 20, 2022
A mother’s heart: Teamwork saves new mom, son
Every birth is a life-changing event and many new parents enjoy sharing detailed birth stories to all who will listen. Some stories are about quick labor and barely making it to the hospital in time. Others tell tales of painful back contractions or long, slow labor. It’s not a competition, but if it were, the […]
Tags: Aortic Dissection, Dr. Carla Williams, Dr. Nishant Saran, Dr. Robert Wiechmann, Dr. Westley Manske, Julie Janzen, Kyle Janzen, Mark Twesme, Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire
January 6, 2022
Sudden cardiac arrest sidelines coach during game
It was the first week of the football season at Waseca (Minnesota) High and Coach Brad Wendland was anticipating celebrating a 27–13 win against St. Peter with his team — not a near-death experience. As the clock ticked down the final minute, Brad felt lightheaded. Then he collapsed in a heap on the sidelines with […]
Tags: Brad Wendland, Cardiovascular Medicine, Krystal Malis, Leah Rutz, Mayo Clinic Health System, sharing mayo clinic, Sudden cardiac arrest, Troy Hoehn
December 9, 2021
Robert Kass finds voice again after long COVID-19 battle, tracheal resection
Robert Kass is a self-proclaimed adrenaline junkie. The 69-year-old is an avid rock climber, SCUBA diver and four-decade veteran softball player who once spent weeks sailing across the Pacific Ocean in a two-man vessel. Kass invested in his health through diet and exercise, and says he never had a serious illness in his life. Then, […]
Tags: cardiothoracic surgery, COVID-19, Dr. Ian Makey, Robert Kass, tracheal resection