Welcome to Imperfect Heart!

Episodes

Episode 31: What to Say to Your Primary Care Physician When You’re Experiencing Chest Pain.
June 12, 2024

Episode 31: What to Say to Your Primary Care Physician When You’re Experiencing Chest Pain.

Have you ever wondered why some heart conditions slip through the cracks? I do. And myocardial bridges are one of those conditions. Join me as I speak with my very own primary care physician, Dr. Thomas Hopkins, more affectionately known as Dr. Tom.
Episode 30: You Have a Myocardial Bridge. Could You Die? Stanford’s Dr. Ingela Schnittger Explains.
May 30, 2024

Episode 30: You Have a Myocardial Bridge. Could You Die? Stanford’s Dr. Ingela Schnittger Explains.

Can a legal case become a catalyst for groundbreaking medical research? In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Ingela Schnittger, a trailblazer in the field of cardiology, as she recounts how a tragic courtroom moment ignited her passion and led her to a...
Episode 29: You’re Having Symptoms of a Heart Issue. The Story of Myocardial Bridges You Should Know.
May 8, 2024

Episode 29: You’re Having Symptoms of a Heart Issue. The Story of Myocardial Bridges You Should Know.

In this episode, I attempt to reveal some lesser known truths of myocardial bridges as I unravel the complexity of heart-related symptoms that often go misdiagnosed. You'll gain a deeper understanding of the disparity between the prevalence of this con...
Episode 28: Kathy Hoseth’s Rebellion Against Symptom Dismissal Erased 50 Years of Doubt.
April 24, 2024

Episode 28: Kathy Hoseth’s Rebellion Against Symptom Dismissal Erased 50 Years of Doubt.

Join me as I sit down with Kathy Hoseth, a remarkable woman with a compelling story of heart health struggles and self-advocacy. From her early childhood days experiencing unexplained chest pains to the complex journey of navigating the healthcare syst...
Episode 27: Jed Baker’s “Bridge to Nowhere” Journey Went Right Where it Belonged.
April 10, 2024

Episode 27: Jed Baker’s “Bridge to Nowhere” Journey Went Right Where it Belonged.

Embark on a mission dirven purpose with Jed Baker, as he narrates his battle with enigmatic health symptoms, culminating in the pivotal uncovering of a myocardial bridge—an anomaly that remained undiagnosed for an agonizing duration.
Episode 26: Dr. T. Sloane Guy Explains His Robotic Unroofing Procedure and Process for Acceptance.
March 27, 2024

Episode 26: Dr. T. Sloane Guy Explains His Robotic Unroofing Procedure and Process for Acceptance.

Have you ever marveled at the precision of robotic cardiac surgery or pondered the moral complexities hidden behind the robot's arm? Dr. Guy, a cardiac surgeon with a unique military background, joins us for a compelling exploration of this life-saving...
Episode 25: Louis’s Odyssey Turns Into a Tale of Tenacity
March 13, 2024

Episode 25: Louis’s Odyssey Turns Into a Tale of Tenacity

Join me as I embark on a heartfelt journey with my guest Louis Merlin, who bravely shares his personal struggle with his myocardial bridge—a condition we know is often overlooked or mistakenly dismissed as benign.
Episode 24: From Racing Pulse to Steady Resolve, Faith Leads Kelly Portillo to a Renewed Life
Feb. 21, 2024

Episode 24: From Racing Pulse to Steady Resolve, Faith Leads Kelly Portillo to a Renewed Life

Discover the power of perseverance and the importance of advocating for your own health as we share Kelly's captivating story, an individual who transformed her struggle with undiagnosed heart issues into a journey of self-discovery and medical triumph...
Episode 23: Only Days After Unroofing Surgery, 24 Year Old Kaylin Kellert Enthusiastically Shares Her Real Time Experience.
Feb. 7, 2024

Episode 23: Only Days After Unroofing Surgery, 24 Year Old Kaylin Kellert Enthusiastically Shares Her Real Time Experience.

I never imagined that a story of heart surgery could come with a side of laughter and gourmet hospital food. Yet here we are, with Kaylin Kellert, an Air Force veteran who, only a week post sternotomy and unroofing surgery,
Episode 22: Only Days From Surgery, Liane Aigner Shares Her Conviction and Confidence
Jan. 23, 2024

Episode 22: Only Days From Surgery, Liane Aigner Shares Her Conviction and Confidence

Never before have I had a conversation with somebody only days from their surgery sharing their story and their thoughts on a life-changing and controversial procedure that lies so closely ahead. Embark on the journey with Liane Aigner as she stands on...
Episode 21: What You Need to Know About the Sternotomy with Thoracic Surgeon Dr. Mark Francis Berry
Jan. 3, 2024

Episode 21: What You Need to Know About the Sternotomy with Thoracic Surgeon Dr. Mark Francis Berry

You're standing at the crossroads of cardiac care and ready to make the decision for your "unroofing" procedure. From the conversations I've had with many of our listeners, it's clear the sternotomy itself creates more fear than the actual heart surger...
Episode 20: Embracing Gratitude to Replace the Fear of Uncertainty Our Myocardial Bridges Create. Dr. Peggy DeLong Explains.
Dec. 20, 2023

Episode 20: Embracing Gratitude to Replace the Fear of Uncertainty Our Myocardial Bridges Create. Dr. Peggy DeLong Explains.

My own heart skipped a beat upon hearing Dr. Peggy DeLong's tales of loss and fear. Peggy, a beacon of resilience, opens up about the profound losses that shaped her life—her fiancé and her father both taken too soon; Her father by a heart condition,
Episode 19: Inside the University of Chicago OR for a Robotic Unroofing Procedure. What It’s Like.
Dec. 6, 2023

Episode 19: Inside the University of Chicago OR for a Robotic Unroofing Procedure. What It’s Like.

Prepare to journey through the operating room doors as I give you a front row seat to a robotic unroofing surgery with Dr. Balkhy at the University of Chicago. I find myself amazed at the intense emotion of watching this procedure firsthand as I know t...
Special Episode: With Gratitude…Happy Thanksgiving.
Nov. 23, 2023

Special Episode: With Gratitude…Happy Thanksgiving.

From one Imperfect Heart to another, may your day be full of family, friends and gratitude.  Happy Thanksgiving. Today, is a great day to be alive.
Episode 18: Emily Tedore’s Heart Attack Changed the Holidays Forever.
Nov. 22, 2023

Episode 18: Emily Tedore’s Heart Attack Changed the Holidays Forever.

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.
Episode 17: Minimally Invasive Myocardial Bridge Unroofing Explained by Professor Theo Kofidis
Nov. 8, 2023

Episode 17: Minimally Invasive Myocardial Bridge Unroofing Explained by Professor Theo Kofidis

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 su...
Episode 16: Robotic Cardiac “Unroofing” with Dr. Husam Balkhy
Oct. 18, 2023

Episode 16: Robotic Cardiac “Unroofing” with Dr. Husam Balkhy

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,
Episode 15: Surviving to Thriving – 6 Steps to Turn Trauma & Depression Into Transformation.
Sept. 13, 2023

Episode 15: Surviving to Thriving – 6 Steps to Turn Trauma & Depression Into Transformation.

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,
Episode 14: Death Ride, Carmel and An Anniversary
Aug. 31, 2023

Episode 14: Death Ride, Carmel and An Anniversary

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 bo...
Episode 13: Amanda’s Heart Journey Takes Another Unexpected Turn…
Aug. 9, 2023

Episode 13: Amanda’s Heart Journey Takes Another Unexpected Turn…

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,
Episode 12: Outrageous Diagnoses Lead to Surprise Solution for Amanda Pearlman
Aug. 9, 2023

Episode 12: Outrageous Diagnoses Lead to Surprise Solution for Amanda Pearlman

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.
Episode 11: Everything Doesn’t Always Go Perfectly. How Boots Knighton Handled Her Doctor’s Mistake.
July 19, 2023

Episode 11: Everything Doesn’t Always Go Perfectly. How Boots Knighton Handled Her Doctor’s Mistake.

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 tha...
Episode 10: Stanford’s Dr. Jack Boyd Explains Myocardial Bridge Surgery. The Unroofing Process.
June 28, 2023

Episode 10: Stanford’s Dr. Jack Boyd Explains Myocardial Bridge Surgery. The Unroofing Process.

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.
Coming June 28th: A conversation with Stanford’s Dr. Jack Boyd
June 21, 2023

Coming June 28th: A conversation with Stanford’s Dr. Jack Boyd

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 kn...