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. 'I'm so happy we're here:' An unexpected diagnosis saves Rich Bugay's lifeRich Bugay had an appointment with the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, on a Monday, where he had hoped to get answers and relief for what he thought was refractory acid reflux — until his doctor discovered a heart murmur. The next morning, Rich was told he had congenital heart disease and a severely dilated aorta that could rupture. Just two days later, Rich underwent lifesaving heart surgery. After… 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… 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 2024-2025 by U.S. News & World Report. Learn more about this top honor Cardiovascular MedicineDepartmenthomeSectionsOverviewRequest an appointmentTests & proceduresConditions treatedDoctorsSpecialty groupsExpertise & rankingsClinical trialsResearchPatient storiesCosts & insuranceNews from Mayo ClinicReferrals SectionsRequest an appointmentOverviewTests & proceduresConditions treatedDoctorsSpecialty groupsExpertise & rankingsClinical trialsResearchPatient storiesCosts & insuranceNews from Mayo ClinicReferrals ORG-20121929 Medical Departments & Centers Cardiovascular Medicine