Two Years Later… Still, Very Thankful For My Heart Valve Surgery
Okay. Okay.
I know if I titled this blog ‘Happy Thanksgiving From The Heart’ it would simply be too much of a cliche. So, I decided to edit that title and reshape the focus of this blog a little.
If you are a newly diagnosed patient (with severe heart valve disease), you may be going through some fear, uncertainty and doubt right now. If you are a caregiver, I can imagine that you may have a whole lot of concern for the patient that you’re looking after.
Well… I’m here to show you how this former patient looks back upon his heart surgery as a fantastically positive experience. That’s right!
“How is Adam going to do that?” you may be wondering with a raised eyebrow.
Well. I have a few tricks up my sleeve. 
As many of you know, this is the second year after my Ross Procedure. Needless to say, it has been an amazing twenty-four months.
I’m recovered. I’m married. And, my book is helping thousands of patients and caregivers in over 35 countries around the world.
There is ab-sooooooooooo-lutely no doubt that I’m very, very, very thankful. In fact, I could write for hours (actually) about how thankful I am. But, I know time is precious. And, I know we all need to get ready to travel. OR, baste the turkey. OR, make the pumpkin pie.
But, I would like to share a few elements of my life that I’m thankful for - many of which relate to my heart valve surgery experience. (Imagine that?) I’m going to use pictures to help me!
Without further ado… Here are several things I am thankful for:
I am thankful for my wife, Robyn Elizabeth Pick. We were married on July 7, 2007.
I am thankful for the Pacific Ocean and her waves. After a challenging recovery, I’m now surfing after heart valve surgery.
I am thankful for my new nephew, Brandon Meyer Pick. (He’s only five days old.)
I am thankful for Airlife incentive spirometers. Ooooh, was that pneumothorax a pain in the butt!
I’m incredibly thankful for Dr. Vaughn Starnes, my surgeon. As far as I’m concerned, Dr. Starnes is one of the ‘Michael Jordans’ of heart valve surgery.
I am thankful for my cardiac rehab program. Without it, I don’t know where I would be. Thanks again to Dr. Ben Rosin and his team at Torrance Memorial Hospital in Torrance, California.
I am very thankful for each and every email / testimonial I receive from my readers - both heart valve surgery patients and their caregivers. I will never get over the wonderful and supportive emails from Taylor and Michelle Browning. Thank you!
I am thankful for the donor of my pulmonary valve. I’m sure it’s a woman. Ever since my surgery, I’ve been so emotional. Robyn, my wife, loves when I ’share’ these days.
I’m thankful for Mederma, the skin cream that has made my 9-inch scar go away!!!
I’m thankful for all the 78 former patients who completed my 2007 Heart Valve Surgery Patient Survey. We are all helping patients and caregivers understand the realities of heart valve surgery - especially second opinions.
And finally…. I would like to thank YOU… WHOEVER YOU ARE… Whether you are a patient or caregiver, you are at this website trying to educate yourself or someone you love on the topic of heart surgery.
And for that, I wish you….
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!
GOBBLE! GOBBLE!
Oh yah, and…
Keep on tickin,
P.S. To leave a comment, please click here.
About The Author: Adam Pick is a double, heart valve surgery patient and author of The Patient’s Guide To Heart Valve Surgery, a unique book which integrates the clinical facts of heart valve surgery with the personal experiences of 78 former valve surgery patients. To learn more about Adam and his heart valve surgery book, click here.
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December 28th, 2007 at 10:37 pm
Hello! I was born with Aortic Stenosis, never had a problem with it until just after getting married in Oct 2006, when getting my results of my annual stress test in February 2007 i found out that something was very very wrong. I never thought I would hear “You need heart surgery, you are at high risk!” in my life. Gosh, it’s been the most rough year ever. I decided on the best Minimally Invasive Surgeon at NYU Medical Center, Dr. Stephen Colvin. The surgery was performed 6/15/07, while trying to replace my Aortic Valve, the smallest cow valve was too big so my Aorta was enlarged to make room. I was home within 5 days and stayed home for 3 weeks afterwards. It was not easy to use the spirometer and to start walking, sleeping was the worst because i couldn’t roll on my sides or lay flat. But, I’m so thankful like you are to have such a wonderful life. I Love life! I love my husband, and my family and my surgeon!!
Thank you for your blog.
Melissa
P.S. When researching the surgery prior to having it, i did find your web page but was too freaked out to look any further until now.