Introducing… Heart Valve Journals!!!
Dear Patients, Caregivers, Surgeons & Friends -
Thanks to many of your suggestions, ideas, emails and phone calls, I have spent the past 8 months working on a new, FREE Internet application designed exclusively for our growing heart valve surgery community.
This online tool, known as Heart Valve Journals, was developed to help you communicate with family and friends during your heart valve surgery experience - from diagnosis to recovery. Also, this new section of the website enables you to meet, to learn from and to support other patients around the world… 24 hours a day.
We recently performed a 3-month beta test of Heart Valve Journals with several patients including Joel, Cheryl, Ken, Tara, Kim, Eric, Lucy, Helen, Bobbie, Rob, William, Susana and many others. To my surprise, the results of that test surpassed all expectations!
That said, I re-programmed the entire Heart Valve Journals system with special software that many Fortune 500 companies use.
For example… Thomas Deakins, a recent bicuspid aortic valve replacement patient, just sent me a note which reads, “Adam - The Heart Valve Journals idea is amazing! The tool allowed Kim (my wife) and I to stay connected with my support group so easily. I have 118 subscribers to my journal. They love reading our updates. Plus, I enjoy reading about and writing to the other patients as well. Thanks so much! Thomas”
Thomas Deakins - Patient & Heart Valve Journals User
Furthermore, several members of the medical community have already reviewed the Heart Valve Journals application. In one of my discussions with Dr. Eric Roselli, a staff surgeon at the Cleveland Clinic, he noted, “This tool will be incredibly helpful for patients and their families.”
I really, really, really hope Heart Valve Journals helps you and your support group through this surgical experience. Also, I’m open to any ideas which might enhance this application. Feel free to post a comment or send me your thoughts by email at adam@heart-valve-surgery.com.
Now… To help you understand the benefits of using a Heart Valve Journal, my neighbor (Kara) and I created an introductory video. Although I’m terrible in front of a camera, I did my best to describe the unique features and functions of this online tool.
To watch that video, learn more and launch your free Heart Valve Journal, please click www.HeartValveJournals.com.
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. This unique book integrates the clinical facts of heart valve surgery with the personal experiences of 135 former valve surgery patients to help patients and caregivers better understand the problems, the opportunities and the realities of heart valve surgery. To learn more about Adam and his heart valve surgery book, click here.
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January 14th, 2010 at 7:32 pm
This is great! Sunday was my 4 mth anniv of my BAV and ascending root repair. My wife and I were able to use an online journal courtesy of the Cleveland Clinic. Our friends and family were able to see pictures, get updates and leave messages/thoughts/well wishes. They loved the idea of being able to check in whenever they wanted to. Add this to the list of great things you have done for us Adam!!
Thank you!!!
January 14th, 2010 at 9:31 pm
Adam,
Congratulations on the new heart valve journal web site. This is such a great concept! You truly are a champion for all heart surgery patients. Thank you for all the thought and effort you put into trying to help make the surgery experience a little less stressful and smoother.
January 14th, 2010 at 10:05 pm
Thanks Curt! Thanks Cindy!
If you can think of anything else that would help you and the other patients, please let me know! I’m here to help!
Keep on tickin!
Adam
January 14th, 2010 at 10:24 pm
Amazing again, Adam! The journals are awesome! As a soon upcoming surgery patient, I have followed other patients’ journals and have found them very helpful. My own journal is about to kick into overdrive, and I so appreciate this wonderfully convenient way to keep my support team informed and add to the pool of experiences and resources. One suggestion–is there some way to program the site where the journalist could communicate directly back to a guestbook poster? Some of my guestbook posters have not signed up for the updates, so I don’t even have their email addresses to respond. Thanks again for everything!
January 14th, 2010 at 10:55 pm
This is great… I just signed up… I think… Duane… I follow you as I have surgery on January 29th for a probably Mitral Valve replacement (mechanical = bionic) by Dr. Gaudiani at Sequoia hospital in Redwood City CA. and I know Phyllis is also having it at that time. Once I have signed up and all is right I will send an email to my family and friends and can update it and they can choose to go and look when they want. ADAM… you are a TRUE GOD send. You have no idea how your book, your recommendations, your website and links have helped to take the fear out of me. I have watched the heart videos on my MAC and am about 3 inches from the screen so I do not miss anything. It is fascinating. I hope the good Doctor can video tape mine!!!!
Anyway… so glad I am not going thru this by myself. I am not looking at other sites (to protect my sanity) and am only looking at Adam’s book and his many many links. Again, thanks be to GOD for Adam
Clicking and Ticking….
Janet Drews
Newark, CA
January 15th, 2010 at 10:17 am
Wow…. Thanks Janet for the kind words.
You just made my day… my month… my year!
Great job finding Dr. Gaudiani. He’s an incredible surgeon and a really nice guy.
FYI, your journal has not been activated yet. You should have received a confirmation email with a verification link in it. If you haven’t seen that email, please check your spam folder.
Looking forward to reading your Journal!
Clicking and tickin!
Adam
P.S. To Duane, I just left you a message at your journal!
January 15th, 2010 at 12:07 pm
Wow, 3 of us at the same time!! Busy HVJ week! Adam, whazzup with that Grey’s Anatomy?! Oh my! Dr. Accola is the consummate professional!
January 15th, 2010 at 10:34 pm
Howdy again…
Had a second consult with Dr. Gaudiani and he said he REALLY REALLY REALLY wants to try to repair rather than replace. He is going to do what he can to repair. He will also do the MAZE procedure … while he is there and also a procedure to my other valve because that is also compromised.
Adam… I do not see any emails confirming my journal entry. Not is spam either.
Thanks… will keep you posted. Duane… send me an email if you wish to janetdis@yahoo.com and we can chat… if you wish.
Janet in Newark CA.
January 24th, 2010 at 11:30 pm
Good luck to all three of you undergoing your surgery.
Adam……I cannot thank you enough for what you have done for me and for all the others who have come across your book….you a real ANGEL. My surgery took place rather unexpectedly on a visit to South Africa to see family in October 2009. I was not prepared,didnt know anything about your blog,book etc and only found it by chance when I returned back to the Middle East just before christmas….how i wish i had known about it before as i am sure my family and I would have approached the surgery and the recovery in a different manner. I cannot explain the frustrations,sadness I had been going through until I found this site…….thank you…..keep up the good work….you are amazing.
Take care
SHARLENE- QATAR-MIDDLE EAST