Looking for cardiac athletes. I belong to a couple online groups of athletes who all have had some sort of heart surgery. Bypass, stent, pacemaker, valve replacement, or aneurysm. They are mostly runners, but many cycle, ski, climb mountains, play team sports, etc. We wrote a book about our experiences. I'm wondering if anyone knows of any swimmers who have come back to competition after heart surgery.
www.amazon.com/.../1500159638
I had a mechanical aortic valve replacement 25 years ago and continued to do road and track races and shot put. I only recently got more serious about swimming and wonder whether there are any others.
I had open heart surgery in October, 1980, at 2 years old for atrial septal defect - a hole in my heart. With just a little more regurgatation in the area of the surgery than a normal person has, I have no real restrictions now and I have been swimming Masters since 2009. My dad used to tell me that I should spice up my story by saying that I had a chainsaw accident on the farm while growing up, but I (usually) just stick to the story have having a heart that was just a little too big. :groovy:
Here are a couple of pics - click to see one of me with my mom right after surgery...
10244
And here is one from 2012 after the Peaks to Portland swim in Maine with my buddy Bob in the yack. My zipper has grown with me and blends in with my skin now...
scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/.../557355_4489245157578_1816411917_n.jpg
I had open heart surgery in October, 1980, at 2 years old for atrial septal defect - a hole in my heart. With just a little more regurgatation in the area of the surgery than a normal person has, I have no real restrictions now and I have been swimming Masters since 2009. My dad used to tell me that I should spice up my story by saying that I had a chainsaw accident on the farm while growing up, but I (usually) just stick to the story have having a heart that was just a little too big. :groovy:
Here are a couple of pics - click to see one of me with my mom right after surgery...
10244
And here is one from 2012 after the Peaks to Portland swim in Maine with my buddy Bob in the yack. My zipper has grown with me and blends in with my skin now...
scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/.../557355_4489245157578_1816411917_n.jpg
