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Our Cardiac Care Keeps a Local Couple Heart-To-Heart
Even after 56 years of marriage, the hearts of Harold and Gertrud
Lenz still leap at the sight of each other — with the help of Jersey
Shore University Medical Center.
Harold met Gertrud (Trudy) in
her homeland of Germany.
Following their wedding
in 1951, they moved to several
Canadian and U.S. cities, eventually
settling in Middletown.
In 1998, as Harold was doing yard
work, a feeling like a bad chest cold
came on suddenly. Although it cleared
up, he saw his primary care physician
just to be sure and was referred to
cardiologist Joseph Clemente, M.D.
Dr. Clemente performed diagnostic tests
that revealed a blockage had caused a
small heart attack.
For treatment of his vascular blockage,
Harold went to Jersey Shore
University Medical Center for an
angioplasty and a stent. "I was amazed
at the speed in which the staff did its
job," he says. "After the procedure, I
kept exercising and watched my blood
pressure and other cardiac numbers."
Harold felt great for several years,
but in 2006 he started to encounter
some shortness of breath and chest
discomfort. "It was clear that his aortic
valve needed replacing," says Richard
M. Neibart, M.D., one of New Jersey's
leading cardiac surgeons. "The surgery
went very well. We are able to achieve
great outcomes even with patients in
their 80s, such as Harold."
"Dr. Neibart was great," says
Harold. "Two days before my surgery,
he sat with us for more than a half hour to explain things and answer all
our questions. And the anesthesiologist
agreed to show me all the equipment
in the operating room, which I
found fascinating."
Then in early 2007, Trudy started
on her own cardiac journey when an
echocardiogram revealed problems.
"We knew Trudy was in great overall
physical shape, so for her to complain
meant something was definitely
wrong," says Dr. Clemente. Another
cardiologist at Jersey Shore, Rita M.
Watson, M.D., performed an angioplasty
and implanted a stent.
"We've become very familiar with
so many of the cardiac physicians
and the Jersey Shore staff," says Trudy.
"All the surgical staff and people in
intensive care recovery have been
top-notch."
The Lenzes have adopted dietary
changes, such as cutting out fats,
sodium, and starchy foods, including
the German cooking and pastries that
Harold loves. "Each day, Harold walks
for 60 minutes, and I swim 40 laps in
the pool," explains Trudy. "The exercise
keeps us feeling great."
"I hope neither of us needs a hospital
any time soon," says Trudy, "But
if we do, we'll be at Jersey Shore."
 – John Shaffer
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