Hey Heart Buddies! For the last episode of 2024, I bring you one more bonus episode that was the most downloaded episode of 2024. Thank you to my childhood friend, Todd Sykes, for your willingness to tell your story. I love you.

Todd Sykes is a survivor and thriver of endocarditis, a stroke, and a brain aneurysm. At just 37, Todd faced life-threatening conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to two heart surgeries and a remarkable recovery. He shares powerful lessons on the importance of loving well, prioritizing family time, and being prepared with insurance and wills. Todd's story highlights resilience, faith, and the need for physical and emotional strength. Listeners are encouraged to cherish each moment and plan for unforeseen events to protect their loved ones. Todd's journey serves as an inspiring reminder of life's unpredictability and the power of hope.

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Join the Patreon Community! The Joyful Beat zoom group is where you'll find connection and hope that you aren't alone in your journey.

If you just want to support the show as a one-time gift (thank you), go here.

**I am not a doctor and this is not medical advice. Be sure to check in with your care team about all the next right steps for you and your heart.**

Email: Boots@theheartchamberpodcast.com

Instagram: @openheartsurgerywithboots or @boots.knighton

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/boots-knighton

Boots Knighton

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Open Heart Surgery with Boots

Hey Heart Buddies! For the remainder of the year, I am bringing back the most downloaded episodes of the year.

First up is Joel Oliver! His "easy peasy" heart surgery story might surprise you. Joel takes us step by step through his mitral valve replacement journey, revealing moments of doubt, resilience, and unexpected challenges along the way. While Joel's surgery marked a significant event in his life, the real intrigue lies in his post-surgery perspectives. Did this intense experience radically change his outlook on life, or did it simply become another chapter in his adventurous narrative? Whether you're a heart patient, a caregiver, or just curious about human resilience, Joel's insights promise to resonate deeply.

Join the Newsletter for almost weekly content for this podcast and other heart related news.

Join the Patreon Community! The Joyful Beat zoom group is where you'll find connection and hope that you aren't alone in your journey.

If you just want to support the show as a one-time gift (thank you), go here.

**I am not a doctor and this is not medical advice. Be sure to check in with your care team about all the next right steps for you and your heart.**

Email: Boots@theheartchamberpodcast.com

Instagram: @openheartsurgerywithboots or @boots.knighton

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/boots-knighton

Boots Knighton

If you enjoyed this episode, take a minute and share it with someone you know who will find value in it as well. You can share directly from this platform or send them to:

Open Heart Surgery with Boots

Hey Heart Buddies! Wow! This week's episode is what I needed when I was facing heart surgery and I know you'll find it super helpful too.

I interview Dr. Laura Suarez Pardo, a psychocardiologist from Mayo Clinic! Together, she and I explore how mental health impacts cardiac health. Dr. Suarez emphasizes the need for support programs for those with chronic heart conditions. The conversation underscores the importance of addressing psychological issues like depression and anxiety to improve cardiovascular outcomes. I share my personal journey with congenital heart disease and how nutritional changes and mental health therapy aided my recovery. The episode highlights self-compassion, the significance of a supportive healthcare team, and the transition to a "survivorship mindset."

More about today's guest:

Laura Suarez Pardo, MD │ Senior Associate Consultant │ Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry -- Psychocardiology│ Assistant Professor of Psychiatry │ Mayo Clinic College of Medicine

Patient Support Networks

♥ AHA: https://supportnetwork.heart.org/s/

♥ AHA Caregiver support: https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/caregiver-support

♥ Mended Hearts: https://mendedhearts.org/connect/chapters_groups/

♥ Women Heart: https://www.womenheart.org/find-support/

♥ Congenital Heart Disease MN: https://www.conqueringchd.org/minnesota/

♥ Adult Congenital Heart Association – Heart to Heart Peer Mentors: https://www.achaheart.org/your-heart/programs/heart-to-heart/

Books

♥ Facing Heart Disease: A Guide for Patients and Their Families by Theodore A Stern MD, Scott R Beach MD, James

L Januzzi MD

♥ Anger Kills: Seventeen Strategies for Controlling the Hostility That Can Harm Your Health by Redford Williams

♥ ICD connection: Living with an implantable cardioverter by H. McFarland.

♥ One beat at a time – Living with sudden cardiac death by M.D. Noble, M. D.

♥ Russell Douglas Publishing.

♥ defibrillator. A collection of patient & family stories. Ann Arbor: MPublishing.

♥ Mindfulness for Beginners by Jon Kabat-Zinn.

♥ Full Catastrophe Living by Jon Kabat-Zinn

♥ A Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Workbook by Bob Stahl PhD, Elisha Goldstein PhD, Saki Santorelli EdD MA

♥ Mindfulness Meditation for Pain Relief by Jon Kabat-Zinn, PhD

♥ The Happiness Trap: How to Stop Struggling and Start Living Paperback by Russ Harris

♥ Overcoming Depression: A Cognitive Therapy Approach by Mark Gilson and Arthur Freeman

♥ Unwinding Anxiety by Judson Brewer

♥ Mastery your Anxiety and Worry by David H. Barlow and Michelle G. Craske

♥ The Invisible Kingdom: Reimagining Chronic Illness by Meghan O'Rourke

♥ How to Be Sick: A Buddhist-Inspired Guide for the Chronically Ill and Their Caregivers by Toni Bernhard

♥ Minding the Body Workbook by Jason M. Satterfield

♥ Coping with Chronic Illness: A Cognitive-Behavioral Approach for Adherence and Depression by Steven Safren, Jeffrey Gonzalez,, Nafisseh Soroudi

♥ Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself by Dr. Kristin Neff (Author)

Join the Newsletter for almost weekly content for this podcast and other heart related news.

Join the Patreon Community! The Joyful Beat zoom group is where you'll find connection and hope that you aren't alone in your journey.

If you just want to support the show as a one-time gift (thank you), go