
Stories of Gratitude
Read the inspiring stories from the people who tell it best – patients.
Sharon Ruttger: Mitral Valve Replacement
Sharon Ruttger, 79, had a history of heart murmurs and atrial fibrillation, for which she had been taking medication and also undergone cardioversion procedures to “shock” her heart back into rhythm. While she occasionally felt fatigued, she was still able to go about her normal activities, but she eventually began feeling more tired than usual.
Jim Lamont – builder, husband, father, cyclist, outdoors enthusiast, and heart research participant
You know that feeling when you’ve finished a big project and you’re ready to enjoy a little relaxation? Jim Lamont was almost there. He had just completed a good stretch of work as a home builder in Clear Lake, IA and was ready to settle into a well-deserved vacation when he suffered a heart attack that required bypass surgery.
Barbara Howell: Aortic Valve Replacement
At age 88, Barbara Howell was initially a little indecisive about getting her aortic valve replaced. She’d had a heart murmur for several years and knew that a series of echocardiograms over the period of a year showed the condition of her aortic valve was worsening, but she didn’t have significant symptoms and was otherwise in good health.
Arley Larson: Heart Failure
Arley Larson is not the type of person to give up easily. So when he was offered the opportunity to participate in a clinical research trial at the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation for a new device to treat his worsening heart failure, he naturally didn’t hesitate at all.
Jeff Fraser: Coronary Artery Disease
Jeff Fraser, 61, has experienced multiple heart events over the past several years, including placing stents to prevent blockages. Most recently, Jeff started experiencing frequent and debilitating chest pain, which eventually led him to discovering he was eligible for a new research trial.
Ashley Walter: Congenital Heart Defect
Ashley was 16-years-old when she had trouble catching her breath and struggled to make it up the stairs. Knowing something was wrong, her mother quickly drove to the ER to discover Ashley had a congenital heart condition that would affect her for the rest of her life.
Chris Jackson: Heart Valve Disease
Chris Jackson is a breast cancer survivor. After several rounds of chemo and open-heart surgery, she was left with tricuspid regurgitation. Dr. Paul Sorajja at the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation introduced Chris to the Triluminate trial, which is a tricuspid valve clip and a less-invasive option to fix her leaky valve.
Mary Morris: Heart Valve Disease
Mary L. Morris is a heart valve replacement recipient who claims good health and longevity. Her wonderful story of health was shared on Insight News during February’s American Heart Month.
Ramesh Chandan: Coronary Artery Disease
Over the summer of 2021, Ramesh Chandan began to notice that when he went for long walks, he would feel pressure in his chest. His primary care physician did an exam that showed his overall health was good, but recommended an angiogram to determine if coronary artery disease was present.

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