Jessie Taliaferro is the TriangleMom2Mom mom of the week. I met Jessie years ago now when she was a member of the Raleigh Planning Commission and City Council and I was covering the city for The N&O. She's been off the council for a couple of years now and I met up with her for lunch a few weeks ago. I was so surprised to hear about her recent health problems. It's a good reminder to get checked out by your doctor.

Here's Jessie to tell you more (and read more about Jessie in a recent column by Ruth Sheehan) ....

Mom2Mom: Tell us about yourself.

Jessie: I am a 45–year-old Mom (20-year-old daughter, 17 year-old son, 9 year-old dog), wife (24 years) and heart disease survivor.  Six years ago, doctors found that I was born with a malformed aortic valve. Subsequently, I developed an aortic aneurysm. This diagnosis was difficult to grasp at first – I am an otherwise healthy, energetic and fit woman and never had any symptoms at all. I played a lot of tennis, worked out a the gym and walked at least two miles every day. Professionally I taught school, served on the Raleigh Planning Commission and then the Raleigh City Council – fairly high-stress positions! My husband and I have two young adult children – also stressful! But I never had high blood pressure, shortness of breath or fatigue. Instead, I was lucky enough to have doctors who heard a heart murmur and followed the degeneration of my heart closely – and through open-heart surgery in February  my problems were fixed.  It is now 16 weeks after my surgery and I am back out on the tennis courts, going to the gym and walking the dog. Professionally, I serve on the Centennial Authority (the board overseeing the RBC Center) and the Raleigh Crime Stoppers Board of Directors.

Mom2Mom: What's your favorite family place in the Triangle?

Jessie: Quail Hollow Swim and Tennis Club

Mom2Mom: What's your favorite place for yourself in the Triangle?

Jessie: Raleigh parks and greenways – Millbrook Tennis Center, Shelley Lake, Green Road Community Center,  Oakwood Dog park.

Mom2Mom: What's your favorite ritual with your kids?

Jessie: Family vacations to great American cities and National parks.  

Mom2Mom: What did you eat for dinner last night? Can you share the recipe?

Jessie: Rainbow Trout (lightly dredged in flour and pan sautéed), fresh  broccoli (steamed), tossed salad (poppy seed dressing),  French bread.

Mom2Mom: What's your guilty pleasure?

Jessie: Eating leftover pie for breakfast.

If you know a local mom we should feature, e-mail me. Read about other local moms by going to www.trianglemom2mom.com/meet and check back here every Monday.