Davis was born with Marfan Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that affects the connective tissue throughout the body, including the aorta and heart valves. But he never let this stop him from living how he wants. A self-proclaimed “big sports guy,” he golfs, bowls and lives an always on the go lifestyle with his fiancé.
A sudden change
One night, after one of his weekly bowling matches with his dad, Davis started feeling pressure in his chest and head. He tried to ignore it and sleep it off, but he didn’t feel any better in the morning, so he made the wise choice to come in to see what was going on. We were very glad that he acted quickly, because his CAT scan revealed a tear that had occurred in the inner layer of his body's main artery; a serious and potentially life-threatening situation where time was of the essence.
Moving fast
Being able to get a fast diagnosis and fast treatment made all the difference for Davis. His doctor, Alessandro Vivacqua, was able to get him into surgery that morning and perform a graft that preserved his aortic valve.
Davis was lucky that he was close to Beaumont’s Aortic Center in Royal Oak, because the highly specialized surgery that he needed is only done at a few hospital in Michigan. We were able to assemble the right surgical team—with all of the expertise needed to treat his condition in the most optimal way—and that’s what made his surgery so successful.
Back on the go
Davis was grateful that he was able to get his diagnosis and treatment so quickly, but he was concerned that he would be living with pain, and that his life would be different; particularly his ability to be so active. But to his (and his fiancée’s) delight, he was pain-free, and able to pick up right where he left off. Davis feels great, is back to work, back to playing the sports he loves, and has the health he needs to move forward with his plans to marry the girl he loves and continue living the active lifestyle they enjoy together.
