At 60 years old, Tracy Freiberg felt healthy. A Fond du Lac resident, she had no symptoms that raised red flags- just a routine annual checkup with her physician, Jay Muller, MD, SSM Health Fond du Lac Regional Clinic Internal Medicine. That visit, however, would set in motion a whirlwind of events that ultimately saved her life.

Dr. Muller, noting a slight murmur during her exam, recommended an echocardiogram. Tracy wasn’t overly concerned – she hadn’t experienced any chest pain or shortness of breath. But within an hour of the test, she received a call: she needed to see a cardiologist.

By the following Wednesday, she was sitting in Dr. Juan Diaz’s office, learning that she had severe aortic stenosis caused by a congenital bicuspid valve. Dr. Diaz serves as an interventional cardiologist with the SSM Health Fond du Lac Regional Clinic.

Dr. Diaz took the time to explain everything, even drawing diagrams to help Tracy and her husband understand the seriousness of her condition.

“I’m very thankful they were able to get me in so quickly,” Tracy shares. “Dr. Diaz wanted to be certain I was understanding everything he was sharing, especially since I’m a healthy woman sitting in a cardiologist’s office, and he acknowledged it is scary. I just thought that was very sweet of him.”

A cardiac catheterization confirmed the severity, and soon after, Tracy met with Thomas Hinkamp, MD, an SSM Health Dale Michels Heart & Vascular Care cardiovascular surgeon, and Kelly Rehfeldt, APNP, nurse practitioner.

The care she received was swift, compassionate, and thorough. From the nurse who called her husband so he wouldn’t miss the surgeon’s visit, to the detailed explanations and support from every provider, Tracy felt seen and supported. 

“When Dr. Hinkamp and Kelly came to my room, my husband had just left,” Tracy recalls. “One of the nurses called his cell phone right away to see if he perhaps was still in the building. It was so thoughtful of her to call him. He was able to come back in and meet Dr. Hinkamp. I was so impressed with everything.”

Like Dr. Diaz, Dr. Hinkamp used hand drawn images to help. “He drew what was going on,” Tracy says. “He drew it on the glass door. He drew my heart and what was happening.”

In early June, she underwent open-heart surgery at SSM Health Dale Michels Heart & Vascular Care to replace her aortic valve. Dr. Hinkamp removed her calcified bicuspid aortic valve and inserted an On-X mechanical valve. This mechanical valve requires less anticoagulation and reduces the risk of bleeding long term.

Her recovery was remarkably smooth. After three nights in SSM Health St. Agnes Hospital ICU and one on the sixth floor, she returned home.

“From the time I arrived for surgery to ICU and sixth floor, my experience was great,” according to Tracy. “They did a fantastic job keeping my family up to date, and that personal touch meant so much to them. Everybody was there when you needed them. Jason and Elijah, in the ICU, got me up and walking. They were so very helpful, as were others.”

Cardiac rehab began just two weeks later, where she learned not only how to rebuild her strength, but also how to care for her heart in the long term. The experience taught her the importance of consistency – in diet, in medication, and most importantly, in annual checkups.

“The team ensured that my incision was looking good, while providing valuable insight into what I can do moving forward to support a healthy heart,” Tracy says.

Tracy’s story is a testament to the power of proactive care and the dedication of a medical team that treated her like family – all under one roof and right in her neighborhood.

“I can’t say enough about the care I received,” she says. “It meant everything to have it all right here, close to home.”

For Tracy Freiberg, a Fond du Lac resident, an annual routine checkup with her primary care physician at the SSM Health Fond du Lac Regional Clinic set in motion of whirlwind of events that ultimately saved her life, including open-heart surgery. Cardiac Rehab has been part of Tracy’s journey, including (left to right) Everyn Brown, Elise Penick, Tammy Stucke, and Melanie Ottery.