Jerry’s Heart Journey: A Collaborative Team Approach That Gave Him a New Lease on Life

When it comes to complex heart conditions, having a team of specialists working together can make all the difference. Jerry Davis’s heart journey — from diagnosis to surgery and recovery — shows just how essential collaborative care can be. From his initial symptoms to advanced imaging and surgical planning, multiple specialists at Lakeview Hospital came together to design a treatment plan tailored specifically for him, ensuring no detail was overlooked. 

Jerry’s story isn’t just about a heart procedure — it’s about how a coordinated, team-based approach changed his life. And for his wife Shelley, it’s a story of gratitude for the incredible care he received. 

Living with a Heart Condition for Years  

For as long as he could remember, Jerry had known about his heart murmur, which was first detected in childhood, but it hadn’t caused much trouble early in life. 

“He’s always had a heart murmur, but over time it got louder,” said his wife, Shelley. “My husband started feeling more tired than usual and his energy just wasn’t the same.” 

Over the years, Jerry’s primary care physician monitored him, but the symptoms became more obvious and concerning. “His murmur got so loud, you didn’t even need a stethoscope — you could hear it just by putting your ear on his chest," said Shelley. "That’s when we knew it was time to see a cardiologist.” 

Jerry had undergone multiple tests over time — echocardiograms, stress tests, and other imaging — but nothing had pinpointed the full extent of his condition.  

After detecting a louder than usual heart murmur, Jerry’s primary care doctor immediately referred him to Sergio Barrios, MD, an interventional cardiologist at Lakeview Hospital. 

Dr. Barrios ordered an echocardiogram that showed the aortic valve wasn’t working properly and was putting extra strain on his heart. At that point, his care became a team effort. “We were introduced to a whole group of doctors and specialists at Lakeview who worked together to help Jerry,” said Shelley. 

Discovering the Full Picture: Three Problems, One Surgery 

Dr. Barrios referred Jerry to his fellow colleague, interventional cardiologist, Hamid Salam, MD, for a TAVR consultation. At the time, it seemed like a straightforward valve replacement would fix the issue. “When we initially saw Jerry, he was brought to me to see if he was a candidate for TAVR,” said Dr. Salam. “But after we ran more advanced imaging, we discovered his anatomy wasn’t ideal for the procedure.” 

Further testing revealed a more complex situation. What was initially believed to be a standard valve replacement turned out to be more involved. Jerry had a bicuspid aortic valve with severe leaflet calcification. In addition, ascending aorta was found to be aneurysmal. As a result, the less invasive TAVR procedure was not the best option. 

TAVR — short for Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement — is a minimally invasive procedure that allows doctors to replace a diseased aortic valve using a catheter, typically threaded through an artery in the leg. It’s often used for patients who are at a relatively higher risk for open-heart surgery. But for Jerry, the discovery of a bicuspid valve with aortic aneurysm, makes surgical valve replacement and correction of ascending aortic aneurysm a more favorable procedure. Because of this, Dr. Salam referred Jerry to John Breaux, MD, a cardiothoracic surgeon at Lakeview, for traditional open-heart surgery.  

But as his cardiovascular team evaluated Jerry’s condition, additional concerns came to light. 

“They decided to repair the aneurysm, replace his aortic valve, and remove the LAA pouch on the outside of his heart which could potentially cause blood clots if he ever developed atrial fibrillation," said Shelley. 

The left atrial appendage (LAA) is a small sac in the muscle wall of the left atrium. Everyone is born with one, but in some cases, like Jerry’s, it can pose a risk. “We knew that if Jerry were to develop atrial fibrillation, a type of irregular heartbeat, the blood could pool in that pouch and potentially form clots, which could significantly increase his risk of stroke,” explained Dr. Breaux. “So, it made sense to remove it while we were already addressing the other issues, as a preventive measure.”  

Dr. Breaux performed all three procedures in one surgery, which was a huge relief for Shelley knowing everything was taken care of at once. 

The Procedure and Care at Lakeview Hospital 

Jerry’s surgery took place on March 19, 2025, at Lakeview. Shelley described the anxious days leading up to it. “Of course, we were nervous," she said. "Jerry has always had problems with anesthesia. He’s actually woken up during some surgeries before. We talked to the doctors about it, and they reassured us he’d be well cared for and fully sedated during this surgery.” 

The procedure itself lasted two to three hours, during which Shelley appreciated the communication from the medical team. “They had a board in the waiting area showing the progress, and they kept me updated the whole time," she said. "Jerry went back for surgery early that morning, and I got to see him as soon as he was stable. That really helped ease my worries.” 

Recovery was challenging but full of hope. “Right after surgery, Jerry said he was hurting, then drifted right back to sleep,” Shelley recalled. “By the next morning, he was sitting up in a chair and looked great. His color was so much better than I expected. It was like seeing him come back to life.” 

Shelley spoke warmly about the care team who supported them throughout the journey. “Donna, Sherry, Jessica — all the nurses were wonderful,” she said. “They explained everything clearly and made Jerry feel right at home. They kept things lighthearted too, and their kindness truly made a difference.” 

When it came to the surgery itself, Shelley was grateful for Dr. Breaux’s thorough care. “Dr. Breaux was amazing,” she said. “He replaced Jerry’s aortic valve, repaired an aneurysm, and removed the LAA pouch on the outside of Jerry’s heart. Removing the pouch means that Jerry might avoid blood thinners in the future. Dr. Breaux even gave Jerry a card to carry explaining that the pouch was removed.” 

A Remarkably Quick Recovery 

Jerry’s recovery moved faster than expected, even impressing his care team. He was discharged just days after surgery — earlier than anticipated — which meant a great deal to him and his family. 

Since the surgery, Jerry has been steadily regaining his strength. “He’s started driving his truck again and takes daily walks," said Shelley. "He’s not back on his motorcycle yet, but he’s getting there. His iron has been a little low, causing some dizziness, but otherwise he’s doing great.” 

Jerry also had lung issues, including COPD, but those seem to be improving. “The pulmonologist was surprised at how well Jerry was doing," Shelley said. "Now that his heart issues are fixed, they think his lungs might improve too. He’s even getting another sleep study to see if he still needs a CPAP machine.” 

Follow-Up Care and Ongoing Support 

Jerry continues regular follow-ups with his doctors. After surgery, he saw Dr. Breaux to have his sutures removed and then returned to Dr. Barrios for ongoing care. Now, he goes every three months unless any issues arise. 

Shelley said having a care team that worked so well together made a big difference.  

“We started with Dr. Barrios then went to Dr. Salam and Dr. Breaux at Lakeview — and they were all on the same page,” she said. “They coordinated everything. We even got to see Dr. Salam and Dr. Breaux on the same day when they were evaluating Jerry for surgery, which saved us extra trips and a lot of stress.” 

Looking back, Shelley couldn’t say enough about the Lakeview cardiology team that cared for Jerry. 

“Dr. Breaux and his whole team are the best. We feel so blessed and lucky to have had their care. We’re grateful the team at Lakeview caught Jerry’s condition before it was too late — his primary care doctor said he might not have made it another year or two without the diagnosis.”  

Even with such an experienced team by their side, Shelley said it was her faith that kept her strong.  

“The Lord has a plan, and He’s going to get us through this. You have to trust in that, and it really helped me. Whatever He brings you through, He will guide you. You just have to have faith and follow His lead.” 

For more information about heart and vascular care services at Lakeview Hospital, visit Cardiology Services Covington, LA | Cardiologists