Judith Ruiz, heart valve patient, Florida Medical Center

When Judith Ruiz turned 85 years old, she started having frequent chest pain, back pain and fatigue. “My son, Humberto, and my grandson, Felipe, noticed that I would break-out in sweats on a regular basis,” Judith said. “I even collapsed and fell to the ground a few times.”

She knew something was wrong, and decided to see her doctor, but after several tests were performed, she was given a clean bill of health. Still suffering, she wanted a second opinion, and she remembered that 30 years before, her husband had received open-heart surgery—and excellent care—at Florida Medical Center.

“I felt confident they would handle my case flawlessly,” Judith said. “And further testing revealed I had not only a heart murmur, but also scarring in my aortic valve.”

Judith had surgery to repair the problem and spent two weeks in the hospital. “The nurses in the Intensive Care Unit went above and beyond their professional duties to provide my family with the emotional support we desperately needed,” she said. “I couldn’t be happier with the way we were treated at Florida Medical Center.”

Afterwards, Judith worked diligently with her rehabilitation specialists so she could get back to her old routine.

A vow unbroken

“Sixty-two years ago, my husband and I vowed that through the pressures of the present and the uncertainties of the future, we would stick by each other’s side,” she said. “Thanks to the doctors and medical staff at Florida Medical Center, I can look forward to making the most out of the rest of our lives together.”