This is the inspirational story of our John L. Scott COO Phil McBride. He truly lives his life walking in joy (or running in his case) and embracing the possibilities. We are blessed to have him as part of our leadership team.
Swedish Hospital Blog – February 7, 2017
(Photo: Phil, his wife Lauren, and son Sean at the Seattle Marathon.)
Phil McBride is a man in motion. From running competitively to hiking, yoga, working out at the gym and snorkeling in the Galapagos Islands, the 62-year-old lives for his active lifestyle.
When he entered the 2015 USA Track and Field National Cross Country Championships, Phil felt like he was in the best shape of his life. But that November, about one mile into a race leading up to the championships, Phil couldn’t catch his breath. He powered through but it was “an awful run,” he says.
A diagnosis
At his annual physical the following week, Phil described his symptoms to his doctor, who heard a heart murmur and referred him to a cardiologist. Phil had a stress echocardiogram, which measures the heart’s electrical activity before and after exercising on a treadmill or stationary bike. What had caused Phil to struggle to breathe and brought him to a standstill?
His cardiologist knew almost immediately: aortic valve insufficiency. This condition occurs when the heart’s aortic valve no longer closes tightly, allowing blood headed for the rest of the body to leak back into the heart. Over time, the heart can’t supply enough blood to the body, causing the shortness of breath and fatigue that Phil was suddenly contending with.
Read the full story here.
