Ed Crosses Antarctic Circle After Heart Valve Surgery

Listening to from sufferers about their coronary heart valve surgical procedure journey is my favourite a part of working this web site.

This time, we get to be taught the superb success story of Edward Rutkowski, a affected person who underwent robotic heart valve surgery 15 years in the past.

Edward Rutkowski (Coronary heart Valve Affected person)

Ed Says…

Right here is the e-mail that Ed despatched to me which is being posted along with his approval:

Hello Adam,

April 15, 2025 was my fifteenth anniversary of robotic mitral valve restore surgical procedure by Dr. Marc Gillinov on the Cleveland Clinic.

I’ve made it a degree to contact him by e-mail each 12 months on the anniversary of my surgical procedure.

Dr. Marc Gillinov

I consider, with out exception, yearly Dr. Gillinov has responded inside an hour! It might be a single phrase because it was this 12 months. All the time constructive. I do know he’s a really busy man. It’s apparent to me that although he isn’t caring for me any extra with the robotic, he stays and engaged in my well being. It says an ideal deal about him and it reinforces my choice.

So you realize… For years I used to be an avid marathoner — having run the Boston Marathon 5 instances. I gained my age division on the Chicago Lakefront 50 Miler Extremely. Then got here the guts valve subject and hip alternative surgical procedure. I all the time thought that after receiving surgical help it was my unspoken accountability to not waste the chance to stay energetic. For instance, here’s a current picture of me on Petermann Island in Antarctica the place I traveled on an exploration cruise ships. We made 13 separate landings together with crossing the Antarctic Circle.

Ed at Antarctic Circle

Although I’m not capable of carry out such expert surgical procedures as Dr. Gillinov, I do volunteer work in the neighborhood.

I ship annual notes to Dr. Gillinov on my coronary heart valve anniversaries to acknowledge his particular surgical present that permits me to “Carry on Tickin”.

Associated Hyperlinks:

Thanks for all you do!

Ed Rutkowski
Palm Seaside Gardens, Florida