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 ^[1]. 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. ^[2]

I am thankful for my new nephew, Brandon Meyer Pick. (He’s only five days old.)

I am thankful for Airlife incentive spirometers ^[3]. Ooooh, was that pneumothorax a pain in the butt!

I’m incredibly thankful for Dr. Vaughn Starnes ^[4], 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 ^[5]. 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 ^[6] 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 ^[7]. 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 ^[8], the skin cream that has made my 9-inch scar go away!!!

My family is definitely something I am beyond thankful for. Such a great group of people who truly know what ‘Support Group’ means!

I’m thankful for all the 78 former patients who completed my 2007 Heart Valve Surgery Patient Survey ^[9]. 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,