Page 16 - Talk of Tequesta - February '25

Page 16, The Talk Of Tequesta

ClevelanD CliniC

floriDa news

Breathing Easy Again:

Evelyn’s Journey Through Aortic Valve Replacement

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

sporTs

Jupiter Senior Softball News

To Paul Storch there was Elston Howard and other Yankee greats,
a noticeable “buzz in the air” he noted.
as scores of senior softball The Jupiter slow-pitch softball
players took to the fields Jan. program is sponsored by the nonprofit
6 for the start of the Jupiter Jupiter Senior Softball Association in
Senior Softball Association’s cooperation with Jupiter’s Parks and
2025 Winter League. Recreation Department. Games are
“ I sa w a bo ut 150 every Monday, Wednesday and Friday
ballplayers out there and all mornings at Jupiter Community Park and
were absolutely thrilled to new players of all skills are welcome.
be participating in opening Registration can be made online
day. You could feel it in at www.leaguelineup.com/jssa.
the air,” said Storch, who Commissioner Paul Storch Sponsorships are also available. For
is commissioner of the more information contact Gary Newman Ron Horne, 71, sprints for first base after getting a hit in a Winter League
Jupiter Senior Softball at (917) 623-0791. softball game.
Association.
The league runs from
January through March and
is the cornerstone of the
year-round senior softball
program. Persons 55 and
older are eligible and there
is no upper age limit. The
winter league features 15
teams competing among
three divisions and is
followed by pickup games
and spring and fall leagues
the remainder of the year.
Bill “Doc” Pollack, a
retired dentist and seasonal
resident from Livingston,
N.J., is in his 17th season Bill Pollack, who turned 90 this
playing in the league. He month, is playing in Jupiter’s
celebrates his 90th birthday 2025 Winter Softball League.
February 11, making him
the oldest active player. He also is manager of the Blue
Division team, “Bill’s Warriors.”
When asked why he keeps playing, he said, “I love the
guys, I love the atmosphere and love the competition. “It’s
just fun.” In the off-season he still plays softball and hardball
once or twice a week in New Jersey.
Pollack said he’s been playing ball since he was eight
years old, including through college and in semi-pro and
senior leagues. He pitched baseball into his 80s, compiling
a record of 1,028 wins. When he was in dental school the
New York Yankees wanted to sign him but he turned down
the offer.
“In those days the the maximum bonus they could offer
was $4,000 and I wasn’t about to quit dental school for
$4,000,” he said. A high point, however, was that he got
to pitch batting practice to Micky Mantle, Yogi Berra,