Patient Stories

Kerry

“I Just Wish I Did It Sooner!”

Kerry Botticelli had a trip to the ER at Framingham
Union Hospital before she visited Dr. Blomberg at Heart
Center of MetroWest for the first time.

“My boss had been a patient of a different doctor [at
HCMW],” Kerry said. “When I had a heart problem, I said ‘I
know where I'm gonna go! I'm gonna go where my boss
goes because he goes to the best. And I was thrilled I did.
All of the doctors, the nurses, every single person that I've
come in contact with are very professional. They get their
job done in a very professional way, and I always feel well
taken care of.”

Diagnosis and Treatment

When Kerry arrived at Heart Center of MetroWest for her first appointment, she was worried that she wasn’t going to be listened to or have a say in her health care.

“As we discussed what was going on with me after the initial emergent situation was over, I kept on thinking Dr. Blomberg was going to say, ‘You’re overweight, no wonder your heart’s working too fast.’ And, surprisingly, that was not at all what he said,” Kerry said.

She was 57 years old at the time, and she thought her health concerns were a result of her age. She said her quality of life was so low because of her symptoms that she did not feel like she had much of a life left to live.

“When I was fifty-five years old, I was like, ‘Okay, well that was good, I had a nice life.’ It wasn't so much that I had no energy, and I wasn't depressed. It was just like, ‘Okay, now my body’s old.’” Kerry said. “I was tired.”

After reviewing her symptoms and test results, our staff was able to pinpoint her heart problem as atrial fibrillation, or a-fib. For a-fib patients, cardiac ablation is often recommended as surgical treatment, but Kerry was hesitant to go ahead with surgery, she wanted to try taking medication to manage her symptoms to see if that would work before committing to surgery.

“Dr. Blomberg had never pressed again,” Kerry said. “He had brought it up a couple of times, but I said no because it was a surgical procedure.”

As time went on, Kerry began to consider surgery as a possibility for her treatment plan.

“After six years of pretty uneventful heart issues, I had increasing issues, and finally agreed to have the cardiac ablation,” Kerry said. “I finally had the procedure at the beginning of this year, and I cannot
believe how fabulous I feel. The medications that I was put on due to my atrial fibrillation have been cut down drastically, and I feel like a whole new person. I basically would have done anything that Dr. Blomberg said, and now I just wish I did it sooner.”

Newfound Energy After Surgery

Now, Kerry can’t believe how much better she feels. She said she would recommend Heart Center of MetroWest and Dr. Blomberg to anyone in the position she was in.

“I have a lot more energy. A lot. After going on the a-fib meds and not having those problems. It was just Metoprolol, I wasn't even ever on blood thinners. I started to feel better and better,” Kerry said. “Now I'm 63, and I feel better than I did when I was 55… better than I did when I was 40, now that I think about it.”

Kerry is thankful for the care she received from Dr. Blomberg and the whole care team at the Heart Center of MetroWest.

“He listened, he really listened to what I wanted as a patient,” Kerry said. “He was always giving any information that he had to me, so if he thought there were some treatments that might work or a number of different options and different ways that we could deal with my problems. I always felt like I was sort of part of the discussion rather than just someone that was being talked at.”

If you are in a similar situation as Kerry was in earlier this year, we would love to see you at the Heart Center of MetroWest. We’re here to listen, guide and offer as many options for treatment as would be helpful for you and your situation.

Eric

“I am Just Happy to be Alive!”

Meet business owner Eric, who is 50 years young. Over the past few years, he felt like he couldn’t keep up with his work and even described it as “daunting.”

In November of 2021, he noticed a cough that would come and go intermittently, and in today’s day and age, you never know what it could be. So he decided to see his primary care physician, who thought it was allergies or an acid reflux situation. Eric tried medication, antibiotics and even asthma treatments. Unfortunately, they did not work, and his cough was still intact, and he was always tired. His physician referred him to the Heart Center of MetroWest.

As his appointment with us was approaching, his symptoms worsened. But on the day of his appointment, his Heart Center of MetroWest doctor expressed that he was in bad shape. She performed an EKG and did blood work as well as an Echocardiogram. Because of the results, Eric stayed at the ER so he could be monitored. Once he got there, another team member took over for his doctor and determined that he needed open heart surgery.

Surgery at Heart Center of MetroWest

Before his surgery, the team at Heart Center of MetroWest made sure he was going to have support from home after his surgery.

“The counselor warned me about some emotional distress I might have after surgery, and that when I woke up, it might be emotionally difficult. I felt comfortable talking to my doctor and the team about everything I was going through.”

His surgery went smoothly, and he was out of the hospital five days later. He continued to be monitored and had checkups with our team. Eric’s first Echocardiogram after surgery did not look exactly how it needed to, but our team was there to help him through that time.

Life After Surgery

About four to five months after surgery, Eric was back doing things he couldn’t do before surgery. He was fully recovered and was trying to maintain balance and a healthy lifestyle. “I felt healthier than I did the past 10 years!” said Eric.

Eric is also a competition fisherman & Fish in the South Eastern semi-pro FLW circuits in his spare time. He is just happy to be alive and feel better than ever!

“Since my surgery, my work has improved and I can keep up with everything now. I am thrilled with that for sure because it is what allows me the latitude to take the time needed to compete!”

Top Patient Care

“The doctors were great at communicating with me through everything. They were encouraging, and the care level was phenomenal.”

The Heart Center of MetroWest has been Boston’s trusted provider for comprehensive cardiovascular care since 2002. More than a provider of the latest advancements in cardiovascular care, The Heart Center of MetroWest’s vision isn’t just about technology – it’s about people. Each person we serve is treated with respect, honor, dignity and personalized care. And each team member who has joined our growing family of providers is committed to this same vision.

We pride ourselves on expertise, accessibility, and staying on the leading edge for prevention, diagnosis and treatment of heart disease. It would be an honor to serve you.