Benjamin J. Carey "Barefoot in November"

Hi All,

My name is Benjamin J. Carey

In April of 2009 I was diagnosed with an ascending aortic aneurysm, the same condition that killed the actor John Ritter. I was 37 years old and otherwise in perfect health. I was lean, athletic, and in better shape than most people half my age. I never would have thought in a million years that I would soon be laying on an operating table, cut open like a rack of lamb with a stranger holding pieces of my beating heart and soul in his hands; while my wife and two young children pondered the uncertainties of life. I survived thanks to Doctors Mark Singer and Kenneth Walsh who found and diagnosed the aneurysm, and to Dr. Allan Stewart, the best heart surgeon in the country. A year later I ran in the 2010 NYC Marathon (my first ever) with my wife, and my surgeon. Doing this on the one year anniversary of my open heart surgery was my way of kicking sand in the face of aortic disease, and helping increase awareness to prevent deaths like that of John Ritter. I published a book about my experience called "Barefoot in November" which is available in bookstores and on Amazon.com.

This is a great site and i'm looking forward to getting to know everyone.

Regards,

Benjamin J. Carey

benjaminjcarey@heartosaurus.com