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Posts by Joe Valente

We have had dozens of bloggers since this blog began who have been so open with their stories. If you are interested in blogging, too, we'd love to hear from you. Please email info@achaheart.org.

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Turn Blue to Pink...Death Into Life

by Joe Valente on Thursday, Nov 17, 2016

We watch movies for a myriad of reasons. For me, Something the Lord Made is a movie that touches all of my emotions. As a congenital heart disease (CHD) advocate, it motivates me, but also reminds me of all the work that is still ahead of us.

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Transition to Adult CHD Care

by Joe Valente on Thursday, Sep 15, 2016

After my introduction to the Adult Congenital Heart Association and realizing that I was part of an ever-growing population of adults living with congenital heart disease, I realized that one of the overarching themes was that there were and are a significant number of adults with congenital heart disease (CHD) who got lost in care.

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Creating New Friendships and Opening Doors

by Joe Valente on Wednesday, Jun 29, 2016

As I was on my countdown to my fourth open heart surgery, I saw a sign at my adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) clinic. It had been there for quite some time as it was wrinkled from the damp air, but I had never processed it before and I knew nothing about the Adult Congenital Heart Association (ACHA).

Like many patients with congenital heart disease (CHD), I went many years without needing serious intervention, in fact, it had been 24 years since my last open heart surgery. Contrary to the first six years of my life, I was blessed to live a relatively normal life for many of those years. I had always been a compliant patient and worked hard to understand everything I could about my heart and all my other medical complications, but had no inclination that there was anything bigger than my own struggles with my health.

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Disclaimer

The opinions expressed by ACHA bloggers and those providing comments on the ACHA Blog are theirs alone, and do not reflect the opinions of the Adult Congenital Heart Association or any employee thereof. ACHA is not responsible for the accuracy of any of the information supplied by the ACHA bloggers.

The contents of this blog are presented for informational purposes only, and should not be substituted for professional advice. Always consult your physicians with your questions and concerns.