Welcome to My Heart Books
with John Ehm
My Mission Statement
My Association is focused on “Putting Something Back” to society as a result of my two successful heart surgeries, one an open heart trauma surgery and one a TAVR procedure.
My Aims
To generate awareness and interest for all people to take care of their hearts and to publish and promote my heart books as a valuable asset in the tool box of medical treatments.
The writing was prompted by my first heart operation, open heart trauma surgery in 2003 to receive a bovine aortic valve for my failing human heart one, which had beat continuously for nearly 71 years without any problems. A wonderful success that led me to writing my first heart book. Well that bovine valve served me well for the next 13 years doing community work in and around the City of Cairns. Then, all of a sudden in a few days it broke down and I was rushed to hospital and underwent a TAVR procedure.
My first heart book is called “Matters of the Heart”, you can catch it on my website – www.mothmatters.com.au It is easy to read and relate to as it was written by a patient telling of his own heart journey from early diagnosis to rehabilitation return to a healthy and active lifestyle. With photos, cartoons and helpful information, a person who is facing surgery can easily relate to the human feelings, even though in these intervening years the advances in medical treatments are far superior to that given to patients in the year 2003.
John’s Personal Story
Heart Valve Awareness Day
Initiative for Australian & New Zealand people
TVC USA
This YouTube video clip was shown in the USA on February 20th 2021 to showcase their Annual Heart Valve Awareness Day. It was a Public Service Announcement and was televised over 300 TV networks and reached an estimated audience of over 300 million viewers. In the following weeks over 415,000 hits were recorded. John Ehm is honoured, with his 6 second blurb, to be a part of this video TVPsa.
Affairs of the Heart
My second heart book is called “Affairs of the Heart”. The manuscript is with my editor and ready to publish and print hard copies. I had financial sponsors but I lost them as pressing family health matters needed my time over the past several years. Yes, my wife Emmy Sophie of almost 65 years of a very happy and fulfilling married life together needed me as her health deteriorated and my Emmy died in August of the year 2019.
Now I am returning to getting “Affairs of the Heart” published.
“Affairs” is another personal heart journey of thirteen years with a bovine aortic heart valve. In putting something back in thankfulness for my successful operation I got involved with community work. In July 2009 I founded Positive Ageing Cairns Incorporated as a Registered Health Promotion Charity. PACI began annual Seniors Positive Ageing Fairs and pioneered the Falls Prevention gentle Exercise Program for Seniors. One year we had 450 seniors participating in 17 community locations in Cairns and nearby towns.
I was elected as the President and served in that role until 2015. The book is easy to read, has photos and cartoons, about 150 pages in length.
Affairs of the Heart
BLURB for back cover of book
The author of this book is just one of thousands of people who have been given a new lease on living thanks to the advances in medical research in this third millennium.
Never before in the history of mankind have we seen so many members of the human family, living into their seventies, eighties, nineties and even to three figures – one hundred years old.
Now the quality of one’s life in one’s golden years is of prime importance – one needs to have regular check-ups and keep positive in mind, body and spirit. Be a positive Ager.
Practice Common Sense.
This book praises the men and women who deliver all these medical advances especially the gifted heart surgeons and associated professionals. Not forgetting the nurses and other related helpers who give more to their patients than just the normal cane in hospitals.
All these dedicated people deserve much more than the simple thank you. Give a heartfelt
“Thank You” with a handshake and/or a hug, that is something everyone can offer
A third Heart Book is in its early beginnings. It is called “Lovers of the Heart” and will have up to 100 TAVR patients sharing their own unique heart journey. Please contact me if you are a TAVR recipient and you would like to share your story with others who may be facing their own TAVR procedure.
I want to share my heart journey
Matters of the Heart
Copies are still available $20
Please contact me.
Patients valve crashed
Patient connected to tubes for the operation
The patients seven family carers
About My Logo
- The red heart outline represents my human heart
- The small plastic container held my damaged human aortic heart valve
- The enlarged wire cage held my TAVR (transcatheter aortic valve replacement). The TAVR, when closed, is about pencil size width and is fed to the heart via an artery from the leg and inserted to the damaged valve and then expanded into place
What represents a Heart Valve Awareness Day ?
A little background to this phenomena that is taking the westernised world by storm and going viral.
Never before in the time of human history has the world’s population seen so many people living into their eighties, their nineties and one hundred years plus.
Why is this happening ? It is all due to the rapid advances in the medical research of the human body and thedevelopment of technology, wonder drugs, inventions of spare parts for the body, better nutrition, fast communication on the airways, the development of the WEB and the rapid growth of easy to use, smart hand held devices like mobile phones, ipads etc.
Like many things, interest in informing people of potential Heart Disease began in the USA in the year 2017. Prior to this date much thought had been given by heart groups to establish a National Heart day.
There was a NEED in the wider community because of statistical evidence
It is an annual day dedicated to increased recognition of the specific risks and symptoms of heart valve disease, improve detection and treatment, and ultimately save lives. With education and advocacy, we can reduce the number of people who lose their independence and their ability to fully participate in their lives; experience heart attacks, arrhythmias, congestive heart failure and other heart disease, suffer from strokes, and even die from the disease.
In the year 2018 the movement had reached the United Kingdom and in London on the 8th September that year was the first ever European Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day and was held in the Excel Centre in London. Patient organisations from the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Spain, Ireland and the Netherlands came together to organise a series of events that helped to celebrate the first ever heart valve awareness day in Europe, The day was themed around the “Power of Positive Thinking” and was based on a four point action plan that will serve to underpin all of the efforts around heart valve disease awareness.
I list the 4 A’s of the Heart Valve Awareness Days
(as developed by world wide organisations).
AWARENESS – of the signs, symptoms and diagnosis of heart valve disease
ASK – for over 50’s to have the right to ask for a stethoscope check at least once a year
ACTION – for set guidelines with a clear pathway from diagnosis to treatment
ACCESS – for equal access for all to heart valve disease therapies which provide the best and most rapid return to good quality of life.
We need to start now; Join now, be a partner, donate funds
The RISKS YOU CAN CONTROL.
Like being a SMOKER – very hard to give it up but worth it in the long run – there is plenty of help available
Like poor eating habits – help is available everywhere – change your lifestyle and live a longer life
Like being overweight – make a decision – stick to it – a treat once a week NOT once a day
Like being lazy and no exercise – you are a physical person – use your muscles – make it a habit to exercise regularly
For those living with high blood pressure – diabetes – high cholesterol – see your GP today
The RISKS YOU CANNOT CONTROL
Your biological age especially if over 50 years
Your gender – whether male, female or other
Your ethnic background and cultural values
Your own biological family history of health issues
On Positive Ageing
John founded a volunteer community group in July 2009. Positive Ageing has nothing to do with your biological age, but it has everything connected to your head mindset. We all feel much younger than the years we have lived whether you are in your forties through to your eighties and beyond. So think younger – act younger, be younger – and enjoy the golden years of life.
As we age, our Health and our Spirituality become the main focus in our lives. I have witnessed this in many of my friends. “Be Prepared” is the Boy Scouts motto and I strongly agree with being prepared for death. I believe in the Christian God and His promises of eternity. I trust Him to care for me in all things.
Other faiths and beliefs are there for those searching.
Other parts of Life needs to be considered with all these miracles for keeping the human body going.
They are the Mental and the Spiritual sides of being Human. It is a sad fact that other disease like Alzheimers, Dementia, Multiple Sclerosis and Motor Neurone etc can impact more and more as we age in the years lived.
The Quality of Life can suffer in these later years.
These Statistics show very clearly that Australians and New Zealanders NEED a Heart Valve Awareness Day
Australians and New Zealanders need more information re their Hearts
In Australia – 1 in 6 are estimated to have CVD (Cardio Vascular disease) 1 person dies every 12 minutes
In New Zealand – 1 in 20 are estimated to have CVD 1 person dies every 90 minutes 180,000 people
In USA – 5 million people are estimated to have Heart Valve Disease
The World Health Organisation – 17.9 million people die each year from Cardio Vascular Disease, an estimated 31% of all deaths – World Wide Fact sheet
Ways to Help John’s Quest – It is time to start Now
Partners
Anyone or any organisation can be a PARTNER
A heart patient, a friend or relative, A GP, a cardiologist, a vascular surgeon, an anaesthetist, a hospital – public or private, a nurse, a health professional, a manufacturer of heart valves, a manufacturer of medical equipment, a manufacturer of software and computer equipment, a manufacture of digital imaging x-rays and scans, a politician, a heart organisation, a pharmacy group, a community group, an aged care home, an aged care provider, a health fund insurance group, IN FACT anyone who has an interest in heart care.
