Patient Stories

Sally Beckwith

She can recall the exact moment that her love affair with numbers began. It was in the sixth grade, on her birthday, when her father presented her with his most prized possession — a book of Trigonometry tables. "That's when it all began," says Sally Beckwith, the middle child of five as well as the middle daughter. Today, Sally is the vice president of Financial Services at Merrill Lynch in Anchorage, Alaska.

As a woman, Sally has found it challenging and rewarding to work in a male dominated field. "I'm terribly stubborn and very much a survivor," she laughs. In 2002, however, her strong will and character was put to the test. Although she had always known she had mitral valve prolapse - a condition in which the mitral valve billows backwards slightly when the heart contracts - her health had taken a turn for the worse. "I'd had a heart attack one morning while I was at the gym and went to the Emergency Room four hours later," she recalls. "I was on medication to control the arrhythmias that followed, and when my prescription ran out, I went to see my cardiologist. That's when I found out my prolapse had progressed to severe regurgitation." A surgical procedure was necessary, and sooner rather than later. "I was on borrowed time," Sally recalls, who was stunned by the diagnosis. "I immediately began researching my options on the internet."

Her search led her to cardiovascular surgeon Dr. Joseph Auteri and Scottsdale Healthcare. "His specialty was mitral valve repair, and after speaking with his nurse, Susan, I realized there were several surgical options available," says Sally. Armed with information on the da Vinci Surgical System, Sally flew to Scottsdale to interview Dr. Auteri. After more than an hour of questioning, Sally knew Dr. Auteri was going to be her surgeon. "He took the time to explain my situation, and my options, to me and I felt I was in good hands," she says.

On her flight down for surgery, Sally sat next to a cardiovascular nurse who put her mind at ease. "Everything was just clicking. My best friend even lived blocks from Scottsdale Healthcare and was going to help me with my recovery," she says. On September 14, 2004, Sally underwent surgery to repair her mitral valve. In less than six days - with minimal scarring and pain - she was released from the hospital. She recalls the staff at Scottsdale Healthcare as being amazing. "They made accommodations to allow my two sons to visit me in the ICU - it was important to me, and Dr. Auteri and his staff made it important to them," says Sally, who refers to the date of her surgery as her second birthday.

Not a day goes by that Sally doesn't share her experience with others. "We should all be so thankful the da Vinci Surgical System received approval from the Food and Drug Administration to perform heart surgery," touts Sally. "I remember prior to surgery, my nine-year-old son said to me, 'You have to want to live. I need help growing up.' I feel this surgery, the da Vinci Surgical System, and Dr. Auteri have given me a second chance. It's truly a blessing."

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