Treasure Valley developer and former Idaho gubernatorial candidate Tommy Ahlquist says he is "grateful" to be on the mend after unexpectedly needing open heart surgery just three weeks ago.
Ahlquist, the CEO of Ball Ventures Ahlquist, spoke to KTVB about his recent health scare Thursday, at the groundbreaking for the company's new Saltzer Health medical complex in Meridian.
Ahlquist said he had experienced some chest pains, but had "no clue" anything serious was amiss until he went to the doctor to get checked out. It was then that he learned that he had a congenital birth defect of his heart - and that it was life-threatening.
"It basically meant my right coronary artery came off the wrong side of my heart," Ahlquist - himself a former emergency physician - said. "They took it off and had to re-plug it in on the right side of my heart so it would function correctly."
The open-heart surgery to repair the defect was performed by one of Ahlquist's close friends from medical school, he said.
"I went down and he opened me up and he fixed my heart, so I got to be a patient - and I'm a better doctor than a patient, I can tell you," he said
The operation went well. Ahlquist was released from the hospital two days later, and said he is feeling strong.
"It was hard to go through a big surgery and recover, but I'm very grateful for the care I received and to be here today," he said. "I considered myself healthy - I work out, I take care of myself and all of a sudden, boom: You're in a position where you need to get fixed, you need to heal."
"It makes you step back and just appreciate your health more," he added.
