After Valve Replacement, Etan Thomas Readies NBA Return To Wizards
When it comes to heart valve disease, professional athletes are just like us. We have heart valve surgery. Guess what? They have heart valve surgery.
In prior blogs, I have detailed the inspirational stories of several athletes including Teppo Numminen (Hockey) and Ronny Turiaf (Basketball). Both athletes returned to professional sports after heart surgery. Now, Etan Thomas from the Washington Wizards is on his way back to basketball court. The Washington Post issued this interesting story earlier today:
When Etan Thomas says that the process of recovering from open-heart surgery began with “baby steps,” he really means it.
“It started with just walking,” said Thomas, who missed all of last season after undergoing surgery last October 11 to replace a leak in his aortic valve. Thomas suffered from a congenital bicuspid aortic valve.
“Just getting up and taking a little walk around this little track they had at the hospital. I’d walk around maybe twice and I’d be exhausted for the day. Not tired. Exhausted. Wiped out. There would be older people out there doing the walking too, and they were whizzing by me. I was like: ‘Man, I’m doing bad.’”
To read more regarding Etan Thomas’ Return To The NBA, click here.
Keep on tickin Etan!!!
Adam Pick is the 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 an actual heart valve surgery patient. This special book was designed to help patients and caregivers better understand the realities of heart valve surgery (heart valve replacement and heart valve repair), to minimize patient stress and to enhance the patient’s recovery. To learn more about Adam’s heart valve surgery book, click here.
- Previous: After Valve Surgery, Robyn and I Are…. PREGNANT!!!
- Next: Tip For Treating A Heart Surgery Scar
Email Friend
Leave Comment
Print
Subscribe
