Faith in Local Care: Waterloo Chaplain Receives Life-Saving Heart Procedure Without Leaving Town

As a chaplain at a Waterloo retirement community, Ron Weimer helps people keep the faith.

When it came to keeping his birthday plans, however, UnityPoint Health – Allen Hospital was happy to return the favor.

At a checkup last year, Weimer’s primary care provider listened to his heart and told him something didn’t sound right. A cardiologist later confirmed Weimer had a bad heart valve, and it was leaking. He needed a valve replacement, and the assumption was that meant he’d need to travel for care.

However, Weimer mentioned his situation to longtime friend Dr. Matthew Grady, an anesthesiologist with UnityPoint Health. Dr. Grady told him interventional cardiologists at Allen Hospital could replace his valve using a minimally invasive procedure called a TAVR (Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement).

Minimally Invasive TAVR Procedure Close to Home

“I’ve known Ron all my life,” says Dr. Grady. “When he was diagnosed with aortic stenosis, I told him we have the people to replace his aortic valve here in town, either with a TAVR or open-heart surgery. It was a great feeling knowing he received excellent care quickly and without the commute.”

The chaplain was happy to keep his care local and scheduled his procedure. His one hope? Weimer wanted to be home for his birthday.

And so, it happened. The TAVR went smoothly with physicians Drs. Bhavik Patel and Himanshu Tandon in the cath lab, then Weimer spent a night in the hospital for precautionary reasons and was discharged the morning of his birthday.

“I couldn’t say enough good things about everybody,” Weimer says. “The doctors especially explained the procedure well. My wife, Vivian, and the family understood what they were going to do, and the caregivers answered any questions. I had nothing but a good, positive experience all-around.”

In Weimer’s case, the procedure was routine, but his situation was quite serious. He had aortic valve stenosis, which forces the heart to work harder to pump enough blood to the body.

In a TAVR procedure, a new valve is delivered to the heart with a catheter, which is typically inserted through an artery located in the groin. Years ago, this type of valve replacement could only be done in open-heart surgery. Now, it’s a specialty at Allen Hospital.

“That’s why they do it that way, so you have a very quick recovery,” Weimer said. “Now, the day I went home, I did sleep some that afternoon, but I can’t say I had any pain from it.”

Home is Where the Heart Care Is

As a result of his experience, Weimer has moved all his heart care to UnityPoint Health. He regularly sees Abbie Schaa, ARNP, and Sarah Mahipala, ARNP, for routine checkups.

“What great people they are,” Weimer says. “Boy, do they represent the hospital well. I couldn’t tell you enough good things about those two ladies. Better yet, I always have the privilege of praying with them.”

“I’m so happy Ron had a great experience,” says Schaa. “It takes a huge team to make this all happen, and the fact each person treated him well says a lot about UnityPoint Health as a whole. We strive to make patient experiences a positive one.

“Going through a valve replacement procedure can be overwhelming, so treating patients with kindness, respect and genuine care helps put them at ease.”

Nurse Rachael Even, the Structural Heart Coordinator for Allen Hospital, says patients in Weimer’s situation often make the mistake of blaming declining health on age.

“Symptoms of aortic valve stenosis include heart murmur, chest pain, dizziness, shortness of breath, difficulty walking short distances, difficulty lying flat and swelling in feet or legs,” she says.

“Unfortunately, many patients attribute these symptoms to normal signs of aging. Only you can tell your doctor exactly how you are feeling. Advocate for yourself and loved ones to be screened by your doctor for a heart murmur and speak up if you are experiencing these symptoms.”

“I wouldn’t hesitate to send people to Allen,” Weimer states, “and I’d say, ‘That’s where you need to have it done.’”