I was just reading a rather frightening article about women, cardiologists and heart disease at the Dayton Daily News.

Since launching this website and publishing my book, I have been incredibly lucky to meet and become very friendly with many, many, many heart valve repair and heart valve replacement patients and caregivers around the world. Needless to say, I am blessed to know you. And, I consider all of you a part of my family.

I've learned that laughter is one of the best forms of medicine relative to heart surgery. With that noted, I offer you a truly tasteless but quite funny heart surgery cartoon:

I really appreciate patients that actively prepare their caregivers and their support group for heart surgery.

Ready to take a guess?
Here's the question:

I'll never forget my reaction when Dr. Vaughn Starnes explained to me the procedure for cooling, stopping and restarting my heart.

Hey everybody,

Even though the cartoon (below) got me to chuckle, I really thought to myself, "These are EXACTLY the type of heart surgeons patients should avoid!"

Hey everybody,

This is very interesting!!! (Especially, for those of you wanting to learn more about human heart valve anatomy.)

Amongst patients, the costs of heart surgery can be a delicate discussion. As you can read, the costs of heart valve surgery vary from patient-to-patient.

Below you will find a neat animation of blood flowing through the human heart.

I know I typically write about all things related to heart valve replacement and heart valve repair.

It really is amazing to read and learn about all the new studies and research about heart surgery and heart valve disease.

Don't get me wrong.

Tammy, from Florida, just wrote me a curious question that reads, "Hi Adam - You note that there are about 250,000 heart valve surgeries performed around the world each year. By chance, do you know how many heart valve surgeries are performed in the United States each year?"

This is slightly off-topic but...

As you read the success stories of heart valve surgery patients (Veronika Meyer, John DeFalco, Taylor Browning, Leslie LaFayette, Raye Gilliamsen, John Turan), it is great to see that medical care can have an incredibly positive impact on heart valve disease.

A few days ago, I posted a blog about what normal heart valves look like.

I just received a question that reads, "Can you tell me all the different heart valve disorders, treatment and surgical procedures to fix heart valve disease?"