Page 18 - Lifestyles in Palm Beach Gardens - February '25

Page 18, Lifestyles in Palm Beach Gardens
Breathing Easy Again:

Evelyn’s Journey Through Aortic Valve Replacement

Evelyn Greenberger had been experiencing shortness of “I could not have been in better hands,” she says. “When I
breath and a fluttering heartbeat – symptoms she thought went in on the day of surgery, I had every question answered.
indicated she had pneumonia. She got quite a surprise, though, (The Cleveland Clinic team) just embraced you.
when she went to the emergency room and doctors told her There was no fear because everybody wanted to be there
that it was not pneumonia. Instead, she was in heart failure. and comforted you for who you were.”
Juan Pablo Umana, M.D., chair of the Division of Thoracic Umana used a minimally invasive approach to
and Cardiovascular Surgery at Cleveland Clinic in Florida, Greenberger’s surgery. The minimally invasive approach
says Evelyn had a leaky aortic valve. The shortness of breath allows surgeons to make smaller incisions without having
she was experiencing was due to the blood volume overload to open up the chest. This way causes less scarring and pain
in her heart, which was causing a backup to her lungs. Her and a faster recovery than traditional open surgery.
symptoms were typical of her condition. “This was a team effort,” Umana says. “The patient is at
Dr. Umana recommended an aortic valve replacement to the center not only of the care but of the decision making.”
restore the normal flow of blood through her aorta to prevent Evelyn Greenberger turned to Juan Pablo Umana, M.D., for Greenberger couldn’t be more pleased.
it from flowing back into her heart. minimally invasive valve replacement surgery. “There’s a whole new world that’s open to me now.
“The earlier you have the operation the better and easier There’s nothing stopping me,” she says. “I’ve got the
the recovery,” Umana says. amazing organization.” Being a resident of Boca Raton she energy and the same zest I had when I was 30-something
Greenberger says she chose to have the aortic valve was grateful Cleveland Clinic Weston Hospital was nearby. or 40-something. Umana gave me this gift and it’s now my
replacement at Cleveland Clinic because she knew it was “an She also says she felt confident in Umana and his team. chance to use it.”
Northern Notes

Easements On Your Property As the property owner, you are responsible for access, maintenance of preserves and stormwater facilities
maintaining the easement area and keeping it free from becomes impossible, which could put the district in
By Katie Roundtree, plants, trees, fences, and structures, unless specifically violation of regulations with the South Florida Water
Director of Finance and permitted through the official permitting process. You Management District. In some cases, this lack of access
Administration, Northern cannot block access to the easement. If a permitted fence may even result in improper functioning of these systems.
Palm Beach County with gates exists within the easement, access should not For more information, please visit our website at
Improvement District be hindered by dogs or security systems. The owner www.npbcid.org, where you can view facility maps that
If you own property in and their contractors have the right to pass through the display the locations of easements. Additionally, the site
Florida, you may come property safely and without harassment. Additionally, includes a link to our geographical information system
across the term “easement.” trees planted in water management easements can (GIS), which presents property information and district
An easement can influence grow into and damage pipes and structures, potentially facilities in an interactive map format.
how you use your property, impacting stormwater management or causing sinkholes NPDES tip: Dirt, oil, and debris that collect in parking
and the rights associated from collapsed pipes. lots and paved areas can be washed into the storm sewer
wi th i t . T he se l egal It’s important to understand the significance of system and eventually enter local waterbodies. Sweep up
agreements are often present in areas where the Northern easements on your property and to keep these areas clear litter and debris from sidewalks, driveways and parking
Palm Beach County Improvement District has facilities of personal belongings. Easements provide necessary lots, especially around storm drains.
and maintenance responsibilities. Easements are essential access for district employees and contractors to legally
for allowing the district to access locations where it does enter properties located on the other side. Without this
not have ownership rights, particularly near its facilities,
preserves, or waterways.
An easement is a legal arrangement that permits
another party to use a specified portion of property for
a particular purpose. It does not grant ownership of the
property; rather, it allows the user to utilize the property
without the risk of being charged with trespassing. For
instance, a water management maintenance easement may
exist between two homes, designating an area where the
easement holder can travel to access something on the
other side. Another example is a flowage easement, which
allows water to flow from one location through a body of
water owned by someone else. A common easement in this
context is a water management easement, usually covering
areas where pipes, used for stormwater management, may
be buried.
Once both parties agree to the terms of an easement,
it is recorded with the Palm Beach County Clerk of the
Court. This ensures that any future owners of the property
are aware of the easement’s existence. If the property is
sold later, the easement will be noted in the title search
and property survey to document the easement area.
A water management maintenance easement typically
grants the easement owner the rights of ingress and egress,
allowing access to the property for maintenance of water
management tracts or preserves located on the other
side. The easement also allows the agency’s agents and
contractors to pass through the property, with or without
equipment and vehicles.