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My Lucky 14th Heart Valve Surgery Anniversary!

By Adam Pick on December 16, 2019

It is hard to believe that 14 years ago this Saturday, December 21, 2005, I was being rolled into an operating room for my heart valve surgery at USC Medical Center in Los Angeles.

As I sit and reflect on the past 14 years, I take a deep breath. I take another deep breath. I then stare at my monitor, hands on keyboard and wait for my fingertips to start tip-tip-tapping away.

14th Anniversary of heart valve surgery for Adam Pick, patient

No thoughts come quickly.

Then, I take another calming breath and think about the "Second Chance" that transformed my life.

Finally... Simultaneous thoughts ignite and disperse through my brain. Then, my fingers start moving.

In this moment, I quickly realize that I could ramble on about all the feelings and all the emotions I'm experiencing right now.

I could also ramble on about how wonderful it has been to witness so many great valvular advances during the past 14 years.

And, I could definitely ramble on about how much this website has provided me a special opportunity to be of service to people in their time of need, in their time of frustration, in their time of confusion and in their time of celebration.

Community of heart valve patients at Edwards Lifesciences

Instead...

What I realize most...

Is...

That...

I...

Am...

A...

Very lucky man.

I am lucky to have made it 14 years without another heart valve procedure.

I am lucky to feel as if I'm in the best health of my life.

I am lucky to have taken the last 14 years of "borrowed time" to grow and appreciate life for all that it has to offer.

I am lucky to have a family and friends that love and support me.

I am lucky to have had the special opportunity to be part of this amazing community of patients.

I am lucky to have met and worked with so many great doctors, nurses, administrative teams, hospitals, foundations, research groups and medical device companies.

I am lucky to have many more years ahead of me.

I am lucky to share this 14th anniversary with you right now!

Many thanks to Dr. Starnes at USC Medical Center for being one of the many sources of all that "luck". Thanks to all the people in this community for being another source of all that "luck". Thanks to our website sponsors for believing in me and being another source of all that luck. Thank you to my family and friends for being yet another source of all that luck.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you for my lucky life!

Keep on tickin!
Adam

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Written by Adam Pick
Patient & Website Founder

Written by Adam Pick - Patient & Website Founder

Adam Pick is a heart valve patient and author of The Patient's Guide To Heart Valve Surgery. In 2006, Adam founded HeartValveSurgery.com to educate and empower patients. This award-winning website has helped over 10 million people fight heart valve disease. Adam has been featured by the American Heart Association and Medical News Today.

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