The Mayo Clinic experience and patient stories Our patients tell us that the quality of their interactions, our attention to detail and the efficiency of their visits mean health care like they've never experienced. See the stories of satisfied Mayo Clinic patients. Heart transplant patient finding motivation through competition, music and the Mayo Clinic communityMark Forbess playing the piano in the Mayo atrium The fall It was Good Friday 2023. Mark Forbess was just leaving Mayo Clinic in Florida after his first appointment as a new patient at the heart failure program, when everything went black. "I found myself on the pavement in front of Mayo Clinic," says Mark. "I was emerging from unconsciousness. Everything was dark. I opened my eyes to see that my face was pressed onto… Remarkable recovery after minimally invasive heart surgeryIn Steve Bernstein, M.D.'s neighborhood, Halloween is a fun time for children and families. Dressed in their costumes, they visit neighbors' homes; the chorus of "Trick or Treat" rings out as goodies are dropped in their bags. Halloween 2022 was particularly remarkable for Dr. Bernstein, however. He'd undergone a minimally invasive aortic valve replacement surgery just four days earlier but now felt well enough to join the trick-or-treaters. Dr. Bernstein's path to this remarkable recovery… Ceramide testing reveals risk of heart attackRed meat and high-starch foods like mashed potatoes were the family fare while Stephanie Blendermann was growing up in Long Island, New York. Her father was a butcher after all, and a smoker, who eventually required bypass surgery for clogged arteries. And tragically, three of her sisters died prematurely (in their 40s and 50s) from heart attacks. So as she approached 65, even though her LDL (or “bad”) cholesterol levels were fine, Stephanie was concerned… Embracing wellness following massive heart attackEditors note: This is a first-person account written by Kim Sidlak I was 46 years old when I had a massive heart attack. It was a Wednesday evening, June 4, 2014. It was a day I will never forget. My grandmother and mother both died from heart issues in their early fifties, so I knew heart disease ran in my family. I had read about heart disease in women, eating healthy, staying active, and keeping… Close-to-home care critical for heart attack survivorOn a Monday in late March, Karren Smith was caring for her 6-year-old grandson when she started feeling a heaviness in her chest. At first, she brushed it off, thinking it was heartburn, but the feeling persisted so she took some aspirin. Then she started feeling tingling in her left arm and soreness in her jaw. Given her family history of heart disease, she realized she needed to go to Mayo Clinic Health System in New Richland, Minnesota, just… Heart procedure provides solution to worryAfter a rewarding career and entrepreneurial endeavors, Julie Wesson was looking forward to retirement. Julie and her husband had built their dream home, a log cabin in a secluded area of Wisconsin near Tomah. They had settled into a quiet, peaceful life running a cat sanctuary. But a presurgery exam for cataract surgery in July 2021 revealed an unexpected diagnosis for Julie — atrial fibrillation. Motivation for a solution With atrial fibrillation, Julie's heart was pumping… In a first, Mayo Clinic treats cardiology patient with phage therapyMark Ulland, a Mayo Clinic patient, recently received a lifesaving combination of phage therapy followed by a heart transplant. It is the first time Mayo Clinic has ever used phages to treat a cardiology patient. It is also the first time in years that Mark has felt hopeful. "I'm extremely grateful," Mark says. "I feel blessed. I'm getting stronger every day." Mark's long journey back to health began when his heart was failing, and the… Heart Transplant Innovation: New 'heart in a box' technology provides gift of life to Arizona man, as couple prepares to celebrate 50-year anniversaryJeff and Trish Robinson Heart Transplant Innovation: Breakthrough technology known as "heart in a box" is giving hope to thousands of people in need of heart transplants. Traditionally, donor hearts were retrieved from patients who were declared brain dead, but their heart remained beating. "Heart in a box" allows for donation after circulatory death (DCD), where the heart has stopped beating. The new system is expected to widen the donor pool, thus getting more donor… Straight to the heart of Jada's storyJada Lang knew something wasn't right. But she had no idea that she was as sick as she was. Jada is among the more than 2 million U.S. adults living with congenital heart disease. It is a new frontier because these patients are living longer and have different individual needs related to their condition as they age. Here is Jade's story in her own words. You can also listen by clicking below. "Hi, my name… From the davenport to the surgical table, and now back to the dance floorBetty Christopherson says Mayo Clinic Health System physicians have given her the best Christmas present. "You gave me a new husband," says Betty. Llewellyn (Lewey) Christopherson wasn’t exactly rebuilt. But he was given a new chance to live a healthy life after being diagnosed with a heart arrhythmia in an unusual spot. Lewey’s issues started coming to the forefront in January 2022. "I wasn’t able to work around the farm," says the 85-year-old farmer from… Pagination Patient Stories Go to page 11 Go to page 22 NextNext Page Request an appointment ResearchCosts & insurance March 16, 2024 Share on: FacebookTwitter Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, has been recognized as one of the top Cardiology & Heart Surgery hospitals in the nation for 2023-2024 by U.S. News & World Report. Learn more about this top honor Cardiovascular MedicineDepartmenthomeSectionsOverviewRequest an appointmentTests & proceduresConditions treatedDoctorsSpecialty groupsExpertise & rankingsLocations, travel & lodgingClinical trialsResearchPatient storiesCosts & insuranceNews from Mayo ClinicReferrals SectionsRequest an appointmentOverviewTests & proceduresConditions treatedDoctorsSpecialty groupsExpertise & rankingsLocations, travel & lodgingClinical trialsResearchPatient storiesCosts & insuranceNews from Mayo ClinicReferrals ORG-20121929 Medical Departments & Centers Cardiovascular Medicine