A Powerful Attitude

If ever a proverb was fitting for Ed Budy, it would be he doesn’t let grass grow under his feet. He joined the U.S. Marine Corps at 17 years old. After serving as a jet engine mechanic, he was with Kansas City Power and Light for 42 years as a lineman and later a senior lead lineman. His retirement with his wife, Suzanne, on their small Tonganoxie, KS, farm was short-lived. At 82, he’s been a Metropolitan Community College lineman instructor for the past 16 years.

His active life was almost cut short in late 2020. “Had Ed ignored his shortness of breath, he could have died from sudden cardiac death,” said Zafir Hawa, MD, an interventional cardiologist with Meritas Health Cardiology.

Ed’s symptoms came on suddenly. “I thought I had an issue with my heart, so I went to see Dr. Hawa,” Ed said. “Dr. Hawa told me one of two things or both could be the cause. It ended up being both.”

Ed’s situation was dire. First, a cardiac catheterization showed Ed had an 80% blockage of his right coronary artery. Second, an echocardiogram revealed his bioprosthetic aortic valve, which was placed in an open-heart surgery at another hospital eight years ago for aortic stenosis, had deteriorated. Aortic stenosis is when the aortic valve narrows and thus restricts blood flow. A bioprosthetic valve is made of animal tissue and has an average lifespan of about 10 years.

Dr. Hawa immediately sent Ed to North Kansas City Hospital the same day, where David Hahn, MD, an interventional cardiologist with Meritas Health Cardiology, performed Ed’s stent surgery.

When symptoms are as severe as Ed’s aortic stenosis, a transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is necessary. Dr. Hawa and his colleagues placed a TAVR within Ed’s surgical bioprosthetic valve. The first Northland hospital to perform TAVRs, NKCH has performed nearly 500. Compared to open-heart surgery, this minimally invasive procedure does not require general anesthesia, lowers the risk of complications, decreases the average length of stay and improves recovery.

“I began breathing easier after both my stent and TAVR procedures,” Ed smiled. “I enjoy my work and I still have my health, thanks to Dr. Hawa and North Kansas City Hospital. I tell everyone I’m bionic now.”