Great news regarding the launch of our heart valve surgeon database!!!

I’m very excited to share that our new, FREE database already has over 273 surgeon profiles uploaded! In less than one week, patients from around the world – including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, India, Singapore, Malaysia, Mexico, South Africa, Thailand, Israel, Canada and Mauritius – have uploaded their surgeon information and their feedback.

Thanks so much for your help everybody!!! I know this very unique, heart valve surgeon database is going to help many future patients and caregivers for years-and-years-and-years-and-years to come!

As I wrote earlier, the FIRST STEP of this process is to upload as many surgeon profiles as possible to the database.

That said, if you are a former valve surgery patient and would like to add your surgeon profile, please click here!

The SECOND STEP will be making the database available to everybody for use. This will happen next week when we officially launch our own version of “Google” for heart valve surgeons.

Keep on tickin!

P.S. To leave a comment, please click here.

P.P.S. To receive Adam’s FREE, heart valve newsletter by email, click here.

I’m not sure if you have followed the latest news coverage of Robin Williams’s heart valve surgery…

But, earlier today it was confirmed that Robin Williams had double heart valve surgery on March 13, 2009 at The Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. While initial reports suggested that Robin Williams would only need aortic valve replacement surgery, the Oscar-winning actor and comedian also had his mitral valve repaired.

Robin Williams – Aortic And Mitral Valve Surgery Patient

Tammy wrote me earlier today asking, “Who was Robin Williams surgeon?”

Read the rest of this entry »

I don’t know if you like the television show Brothers and Sisters, Sunday nights on ABC. But, Robyn (my very pregnant wife) and I really enjoy watching the trials-and-tribulations of the Walker family.

“Why is Adam writing about Brothers and Sisters?” you may be scratching your head and thinking.

Well… On Brothers and Sisters, Rob Lowe plays the role of Robert McCallister – an eager politician striving to balance the demands of running for governor, fatherhood and his wife, Calista Flockhart (aka Kitty Walker). Recently, Lowe’s character had an unexpected heart attack and cardiac bypass procedure.

Rob Lowe After Heart Surgery On Brothers And Sisters

In the last episode, we learn that Lowe’s character is, like many heart surgery patients, experiencing the symptoms of cardiac depression. Personally, I could relate to many of the challenges that Rob Lowe’s character is going through after my own episode with cardiac depression following aortic valve replacement surgery.

FYI, it is estimated that between 30%-50% of heart surgery patients experience some form of cardiac depression. My own research suggested that 32% of the 78 patients I surveyed experienced cardiac depression following heart valve surgery.

Post-surgery cardiac depression can be caused by a number of reasons including being worried that something is wrong, being afraid of dying, fearing that your recovery is problematic and being concerned about the success of your operation. To address this issue, I devoted an entire chapter to cardiac depression in my book.

So… Does Rob Lowe have cardiac depression?

Not really.

But, it is good to see a television show that illustrates the realities of heart surgery from the patient perspective. As we have discussed before, this is diametrically opposed to some of the ridiculous stories presented on Grey’s Anatomy.

Great job to the writers at Brothers and Sisters!

Keep on tickin!

I could not resist posting this very, very, very interesting note from Erik. I never knew that certified dog therapists existed!

Adam,

I just created a surgeon profile for Dr. Vib Kshettry, Minneapolis Heart Institute, in your surgeon database. I would also give kudos to my cardiologist, Dr. Kevin Graham at the Minneapolis Heart Institute.  They have a heck-of-a-team and clinic there. I just don’t have enough positive adjectives to describe these two physicians.

As a “young” patient at the age of 37, open heart surgery was very scary.  It gave me peace-of-mind to know I had the best-of-the-best. It was a year ago and I feel great.

Erik, With Dyno, The Dog Therapist, After Heart Surgery

Just for fun……I attached a photo of my first day out of ICU.  Our dog, Dyno, is a certified animal “therapist” and my wife takes her to several hospitals and visits.  This visit was personal.  She actually stayed a couple hours and just slept with me.

Hope all is well with you.

Erik

This just in about Aaron Boone… It’s a follow-up to “Aaron Boone To Have Heart Valve Replacement Surgery”.

The Houston Astros’ third baseman Aaron Boone will have open heart surgery Thursday at the Stanford University Medical Center. Doctor D. Craig Miller will perform the procedure to correct a problem with Boone’s aorta and aortic valve.

Open heart surgery recovery time, for Boone, is expected to take several months. When plans for the surgery were announced Tuesday, Boone said he wasn’t sure he would play again.

The 36-year-old has dealt with an asymptomatic form of aortic stenosis since he played at the University of Southern California. His physical at the start of spring training determined Boone’s condition had worsened, prompting further tests. Boone signed with the Astros in the offseason after spending 2008 in Washington. He’s also played for Cincinnati, the Yankees, Cleveland and Florida in his 12-year career.

Dr. Craig Miller – Aaron Boone’s Surgeon

One of my readers and friends, Taylor Browning, had a similar heart surgery at the hands of Dr. Miller a few years ago. To learn more about the hat-wearing, boot-wearing surgeon, please click Aortic Valve Replacement And Root Replacement By Taylor.

Keep on tickin!