Imperfect Heart: Stories of Myocardial Bridges

You likely can relate navigating life’s ups and downs, then suddenly, your heart throws you an unexpected curveball. My guest, Emily Tedore, a 39-year-old mother of two, courageously steps into our conversation to unravel her heart health journey. She takes us through her experience, starting from a sudden chest pain at the gym to a heart catheterization and eventually an unroofing procedure to tr...

Join me for a conversation with Professor Theo Kofidis, Head of the Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery at the National University Hospital of Singapore, as we explore the complexities of myocardial bridges and minimally invasive heart surgery. An expert in his field and a renowned cardiac surgeon, Professor Kofidis discusses the importance of patient education, understanding myocard...

What if you could peer into the future of cardiac care and discover a method for Myocardial Bridge “unroofing” surgery that offers less pain, less scarring, and faster recovery? That future is now. Welcome to the new world of robotic cardiac surgery, as revealed by our guest, Director, Robotic and Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery at University of Chicago Medicine, Dr. Husam Balkhy. He shares his...

Since you’re listening to this podcast, you’ve likely got symptoms of a Myocardial Bridge or you’re post-surgery and have been “unroofed”.  In either case, whatever your symptoms are or were, a heart attack, shortness of breath, severe angina or chest pain, for most of us, that’s traumatic.  On-going concern pre-surgery about whether or not you’re going to die, or post-surgery concern about what w...

Join me as I reflect and celebrate several anniversaries, acknowledge the emotional and mental shifts post-surgery, and advocate for proper diagnosis and treatment of our condition. A treated myocardial bridge lifestyle is significantly improved and both pre and post surgery requires positivity, persistence, and advocating for yourself. Remember, you are not alone and I encourage you to reach out...

In this second part of Amanda’s journey, a relatively successful unroofing procedure leaves a residual problem related to the sternotomy.  Of course, given the nature of the process she’s been through with all the twists and turns, why should the outcome go smoothly?  After all, this is one of the most unusual stories I’ve heard from our guests.  Now, nearly a year post-surgery, the final outcome...

Amanda Pearlman was training to be a law enforcement officer when during Police Academy, a heart attack took her out of contention.  But that’s just the tip of the iceberg as unbelievable diagnoses compounded the real issue of a Myocardial Bridge.  How she eventually got to her unroofing surgery is fable enough but what happens afterward, just when it seemed everything had finally been taken care...

Many of the stories to date, mine included, have had relatively good outcomes with little drama in the post-surgical process to recovery and final outcomes. We all know everything can’t always go right and I think it’s important we go from thinking that’s the case to sharing stories that were met with some adversity as well.  Everything can’t always go right.  Nothing is perfect.  And sometimes it...

This is a very special episode for anyone considering the unroofing process for their Myocardial Bridge. Dr. Jack Boyd, Stanford School of Medicine’s Clinical Associate Professor, Cardiothoracic Surgery is my guest.  Dr. Boyd was the surgeon who performed my unroofing procedure and along with the entire Myocardial Bridge Research Team, is responsible for giving me the life as I knew it, back.  Joi...

I want to share something very exciting for all my MB Family whether you’re still on your journey or you’ve already been unroofed.  And if you have been unroofed, the odds are good our guest on the next episode of Imperfect Heart is somebody you may know personally. I am beyond excited to be able to introduce Dr. Jack Boyd as our guest on the podcast, Imperfect Heart that releases on June 28th.  D...

Jeremy Hester, a nurse at a local hospital in a small northern community of California is faced with a wonderful, yet incredibly difficult decision. Hear the challenges he went through to get to his proper diagnosis of a Myocardial Bridge and what is giving him the difficulty of a decision as to not when, but how, he will choose to get his unroofing procedure done. In this “Journeys” episode, we’l...

A driven and determined electrical engineer with a degree from Bangladesh University of Engineering makes his way to Stanford to pursue his PHD. Little did he know there was going to be an even more fortuitous outcome at the University beside his doctorate. Only three months post unroofing surgery, Raisul Islam shares his story of an issue he’s been dealing with since high school. It wasn’t until...

Welcome to the first episode of Imperfect Heart “Journeys”, a monthly publication that will release on alternate weeks with our complete stories of those who have been unroofed.“Journeys” will be stories of Myocardial Bridge patients navigating their way to surgery and the process, procedures, diagnosis and actions they’re experiencing to get to the unroofing of their bridges. Dr. Linda Cunningham...

As promised from part 1, Veronica and Sarah get into the Q & A from a recently unroofed patient to an experienced and once again athlete. We’ll discuss pain management, strength from proper follow-through of direction from your care team and Sarah answers Veronica’s questions about returning to life as she knew it. I’ll have a bit to offer as well in several instances but the essence of the co...

I had the great privilege of speaking with two female athletes, both working moms and both having suffered with and then recovered from “unroofing” surgery for their Myocardial Bridges. What’s most interesting is that they met on this podcast and Veronica Thaxton is only six and a half weeks out of surgery while Sarah Miller is almost 18 months out of surgery. What they discuss is the experience t...

So you’ve clearly listened to part 1 of Dr. Schnittger’s descriptions, definitions and requirements of ascertainment to identify you’re bridge and that’s all well and good. But the syptoms as damn near killing you, debilitating you, maybe even incapacitating you. Something has to be done. But what? What do you do? Dr. Schnittger and I discuss next steps, things to expect and be aware of. Questions...

Dr. Ingela Schnittger, Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at Stanford University Medical Center is my guest for this discussion. Oh, what a conversation we have. I listened and learned and she tutored. I am so excited to share this episode with you as you’ll likely learn more than you knew about your Myocardial Bridge and come to have a much better understanding about the nature of our bridges,...

I want to be sure you’re either subscribed or have it marked in your calendar to be sure to listen to our next episode with Dr. Ingela Schnittger of Stanford University Medical Center as what you’re going to hear will be one of the most impactful montage of stories and information on Myocardial Bridges that you could imagine. Can we prevent sudden cardiac arrest or heart attacks with Myocardial Br...

First things first. What better day to share the second episode of Imperfect Heart than Valentines Day! I am most appreciative of the recognition of hearts in every way both figuratively and literally. Our hearts most definitely rule our lives in so many ways. And when something goes haywire, we want to do whatever we can to identify and address it to the best of our ability. Since our launch, I h...

In this very first episode of Imperfect Heart I take you on the steps of my journey starting with the recognition, albeit reluctantly, that there is something terribly wrong and as much as I hate to say it, I know it’s my heart.  What transpires next is the quest to first identify or diagnose the problem and then figure out a way to a solution.  You’ll meet my first Cardiologist, Dr. Rishi Menon,...

Welcome to Imperfect Heart, a podcast for those born with a Myocardial Bridge. Hear from your host, Jeff Holden, the beginning of his journey with a Myocardial Bridge, his purpose in creating the program and what you can expect going forward. If you like what you heard, please give us a positive review on whichever app you're using, like and follow us so you never miss an episode. Also, pleas...