Heart Valve Disease Treatment in Turkey

Rohan Miller, a 58-year-old high school...

Rohan Miller, a 58-year-old high school history teacher and father of three, had always been active, coaching his son's soccer team on weekends. Over the past year, he noticed a gradual decline. He became short of breath walking between classrooms and felt a persistent, uncomfortable fluttering in his chest. His nightly walks with his wife became impossible. After fainting once while demonstrating a history lesson, his wife insisted he see a doctor. A cardiologist diagnosed him with severe aortic stenosis, a narrowing of the heart valve. The doctor explained that Rohan's valve was like a rusty gate, not opening properly and straining his heart. He recommended a Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR), a less invasive procedure than open-heart surgery. Rohan was terrified; his own father had died during heart surgery. The TAVR itself, done through a catheter in his leg, was surprisingly straightforward. He was awake with sedation and felt immediate relief. Recovery involved a few days in the hospital and weeks of cardiac rehab. Within three months, he was back on the soccer field, coaching from the sidelines with renewed energy. Emotionally, he journeyed from fear and feeling like a burden to his family to profound gratitude and a commitment to not taking his health for granted.