Adam's Heart Valve Surgery Blog – Page 13
Little Traver Finally Gets Life-Saving Heart Surgery!!!
Written By: Adam Pick, Patient Advocate, Author & Website Founder
Page last updated: June 9, 2021
Yes!!! I have an update about Traver!!!
As you might recall… In January, the HeartValveSurgery.com community sponsored the much-needed surgery of Traver, a courageous 2-year old boy from a small village in Uganda, who was suffering from a life-threatening form of heart disease.
Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, Traver’s surgery was delayed by several months. Watch the video below to see Traver’s latest update!
SUMMIT Clinical Trial Now Enrolling Mitral Valve Patients!
Written By: Adam Pick, Patient Advocate, Author & Website Founder
Page last updated: November 29, 2022; This post is sponsored by Abbott.
Why is the SUMMIT Clinical Trial such a big deal for millions of mitral valve patients who have limited treatment options?
Watch this educational video to learn about the new SUMMIT Clinical Trial that will evaluate the Tendyne™ Mitral Valve System that replaces the patient’s defective mitral valve without an incision to the patient’s sternum. The Tendyne™ therapy is a minimally-invasive alternative to open-heart surgery that does not require the patient to be on the heart-lung machine.
We Achieve #1 Ranking on Feedspot’s Top 60 Heart Websites!
Written By: Adam Pick, Patient Advocate, Author & Website Founder
Page last updated: May 24, 2021
Dear Patients & Friends,
This is unexpected!!!
I am happy and honored to announce that HeartValveSurgery.com just achieved the #1 ranking on Feedspot’s Top 60 Heart Websites!!!
Patient Webinar: “The 5 Myths of Heart Valve Surgery” with Dr. Gerdisch & Me
Written By: Adam Pick, Patient Advocate, Author & Website Founder
Page last updated: May 22, 2021
[Update: With over 600 patient registrations, the “5 Myths of Heart Valve Surgery” webinar was fantastic. You can now watch the “5 Myths of Heart Valve Surgery” webinar video or download the free eBook at this link.]
I’m excited to announce that our LIVE and FREE patient education events continue today, Thursday, May 20, with a special webinar, “5 Myths of Heart Valve Surgery”. The featured speaker for this event is Dr. Marc Gerdisch, Chief of Cardiac Surgery at Franciscan Health, who has performed over 4,000 heart valve operations. The one-hour webinar will start at 6pm EST.
Medtronic Invites Patient Advocate to Speak at ACC Symposium
Written By: Adam Pick, Patient Advocate, Author & Website Founder
Published: May 8, 2021
On behalf of our global heart valve community, I want to thank Medtronic, one of the world’s largest medical companies and a leading heart valve manufacturer, for the special invitation to speak at the upcoming American College of Cardiology’s 70th Annual Scientific Session & Expo!!!
The “I’m Back” Recovery Shirt Empowers Heart Surgery Patients! Thanks Josh!
Written By: Adam Pick, Patient Advocate, Author & Website Founder
Published: May 6, 2021
Many, many, many thanks to Josh Nowack for sending me this wonderful “I’m Back” recovery t-shirt!
Ari & Dr. Roselli Form Special Heart Valve Surgery Bond!
Written By: Adam Pick, Patient Advocate, Author & Website Founder
Medical Expert: Eric Roselli, MD, Chief of Adult Cardiac Surgery, Cleveland Clinic
Published: April 23, 2021
I am beyond happy to share that Ari Mintzer, 46, just had a successful aortic valve re-operation at the Cleveland Clinic on Tuesday. So you know, Ari needed a “re-do” because his 14-year old tissue valve was failing from aortic stenosis and regurgitation.
“Is Mitral Regurgitation & Calcification Common After Mitral Valve Repair Surgery?” asks Linda
Written By: Adam Pick, Patient Advocate, Author & Website Founder
Medical Expert: Junaid Khan, MD, Medical Director, Alta Bates Summit Medical Center
Page Last Updated: May 6, 2021
I just received a great question from Linda about the recurrence of mitral regurgitation, a leaky heart valve, and calcification after mitral valve repair surgery. In her note to me, Linda asked, “I had mitral valve repair about 2 years ago and now I’ve developed regurgitation again. Also part of the valve is calcified. I am curious if this is common?”
After COVID-19 Delay, Little Traver Prepares for Heart Surgery Journey!
Written By: Adam Pick, Patient Advocate, Author & Website Founder
Published: April 7, 2021
Heart Valve Experts Show Wonderful Support for Our Patient Community!
Written By: Adam Pick, Patient Advocate, Author & Website Founder
Published: April 1, 2021
Unexpected!
After giving away our new HeartValveSurgery.com hats, I was asked by Dr. Allan Stewart if it was possible to make a “HVS scrub cap” for the doctors in our community. I thought it was a great idea. So, I contacted Griselda – my local embroidery guru – to see if she could make an HVS scrub cap.
Me (Adam) with Griselda (Lur Embroidery Owner)
Big News! REPAIR MR Clinical Trial Now Enrolling Patients!
Written By: Adam Pick, Patient Advocate, Author & Website Founder
Page last updated: November 29, 2022
Why is the REPAIR MR Clinical Trial such a big deal for millions of heart disease patients with mitral valve regurgitation?
Watch this educational video to learn about the REPAIR MR Clinical Trial that will evaluate the minimally-invasive Abbott MitraClip™ Transcatheter Mitral Valve Repair System for mitral regurgitation patients.
With 6,300 Facebook Likes, Michael Inspires Heart Valve Patients Around the World!
Written By: Adam Pick, Patient Advocate, Author & Website Founder
Published: March 30, 2021
Holy Moly!
Over at our Facebook page… Michael Morrison’s “Smiling Scar Selfie” has gone viral. In just three days, Michael’s picture inspired over 7,300 reactions (likes, wows, loves), 1,000+ patient comments, and more than 300 timeline shares.
COVID-19 Vaccine Eligibility Widens As “Phase 1B Plus” Includes Heart Patients in Select States
Written By: Adam Pick, Patient Advocate, Author & Website Founder
Published: March 15, 2021
Big news!!!
Several states have made the COVID-19 vaccines available to patients with heart conditions using a new “Phase 1B Plus” eligibility. Yes, you read that correctly!
After Heart Surgery, Marylin Celebrates Her 70th Birthday!
Written By: Adam Pick, Patient Advocate, Author & Website Founder
Published: March 10, 2021
Congrats to Marylin Canon, a mitral valve patient in the HeartValveSurgery.com community, who celebrated her 70th birthday with yummy sweets and a new HVS hat.
Here’s Marylin looking dang good in the hospital just 3 days after her mitral valve surgery.
Woo-Whoo! National Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day Is Today!
Written By: Adam Pick, Patient Advocate, Author & Website Founder
Published: February 22, 2021
If you didn’t know… Today is National Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day!
This is a special day to raise awareness to the very under-diagnosed, the very under-treated, and the very deadly form of heart disease!
Valve Day Patient Spotlight: From Tragedy to TAVR Triumph, This Is Donna’s Story
Written By: Adam Pick, Patient Advocate, Author & Website Founder
Published: February 22, 2021
Donna Hartley has struggled with many health challenges during her life – malnourishment, heart disease, a plane crash, cancer and then… more heart disease.
In this video, Donna shares her extraordinary journey to a healthy heart that included surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) and a Medtronic transcatheter aortic valve re-replacement (TAVR) during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Heart Valve Day Education: Managing COVID-19 & the New ACC/AHA Guidelines
Written By: Adam Pick, Patient Advocate, Author & Website Founder
Published: February 22, 2021
On Heart Valve Day, we’re helping raise awareness and educate the world about heart valve disease. For that reason, here are two new insightful articles to help patients learn about important and timely topics specific to heart valve disease.
The first article, “Top 5 Facts: Managing Heart Valve Disease Amidst COVID-19”, will help patients become aware of critical information during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Heart Valve Day Giveaway: 10 Free HVS Hats!
Written By: Adam Pick, Patient Advocate, Author & Website Founder
Published: February 22, 2021
[Update: Unfortunately, all of the free HVS hats in our “Heart Valve Day Giveaway” are now gone! I’m so sorry if you did not get one. Wow, those hats went fast! Again, I’m super sorry if you did not get one of these hats.]
After sharing this post about our free giveaway of the new HVS hats, my inbox was flooded with patient requests for our hats.
So… To celebrate National Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day, I had 10 more hats made. Here’s a picture of Jeannie Sullivan, a 5-time heart surgery and Ross Procedure patient from Florida, who received a hat in our last giveaway.
Peloton Instructor, Jess King, Gives Empowering “Shout Out” to Heart Valve Patients!
Written By: Adam Pick, Patient Advocate, Author & Website Founder
Published: February 17, 2021
As many of you know… I’ve transformed into a big Peloton fan since Robyn (my wife) introduced me to this amazing technology that helps us stay healthy and save some money.
During the COVID-19 quarantine, we’ve increased our Peloton usage to keep our minds right and to combat the extra calories that somehow find a way into our bodies. Can you relate?
Earlier today, I was on my 100th run with Jess King, a Peloton instructor. Jess is a great and very fun coach who teaches on the bike and the treadmill. When Jess saw my Peloton user name, which just happens to be “HeartValveGuy”, she released an empowering “shout-out” to people with heart valve disease. Here it is…
2024 Awards for HeartValveSurgery.com
Written By: Adam Pick, Patient Advocate, Author & Website Founder
Page last updated: September 16, 2024
Thanks to the wonderful support of patients, their family members, friends, doctors, physician assistants, nurses, hospitals, medical companies and cardiac research centers, I am happy to report that HeartValveSurgery.com achieved the #1 ranking in FeedSpot’s “Top 50 Cardiac Surgery Blogs & Website” for the fourth consecutive year and we were named one of the Top 15 Best Heart Blogs by eMediHealth.
These are such extraordinary honors considering all the great cardiac websites out there!
Surgeon Spotlight
Dr. Doolabh is a leading cardiac surgeon at UT Southwestern who specializes in minimally-invasive heart valve surgery.
