Yes, Forrest Gump is one of my favorite movies.

So you know... I never expected this.

Doug Atkins and his regurgitating bicuspid aortic valve appeared on my radar about three months ago. (To learn more about bicuspid valves, click here.)

As many of you have read in past blogs, Leslie Lafayette had mitral valve repair using the Da Vinci Surgical Robot a few weeks ago. Doctor Richard Shemin from UCLA was her cardiac surgeon.

Hola!

I will be the first to admit... The rewards from publishing this blog and my book are more positive than anything I have ever experienced before.

If you are looking for inspiration about life after heart valve surgery...

I will be the first to tell you that I never expected this website would grow so quickly. Over the past year, I have met so many wonderful patients, caregivers, doctors and nurses from around the world.

There are "good" weeks... And, then there are "great" weeks. Last week was better than good and great. Last week was "unforgettable".

Every so often, I have an experience that insures my belief that life is nothing short of an amazing opportunity to learn from the extraordinary accomplishments of others.

Every once in a while I receive an email that is either overwhelmingly touching or incredibly insightful. In those situations I ask my readers if I can publish their quotes / stories in my blog. Luckily, 99% of the time they say "yes".

Over the past few years, I have been incredibly close to unwelcome tragedy relating to heart valve disorders. The word "tragedy" is the key part.

It happens often!

When it comes to heart valve surgery, I know that the human spirit is resilient, creative and inspiring.

There is nothing better than receiving an email from a patient following their surgery and hospital discharge.

It happens often.

Hey eveybody,

Good news!

Hey everybody,

Hey everybody,