As I think back on this week, I’m quite amazed by the variety of cardio thoracic procedures I have seen and scrubbed in on in the span of only five days: coronary artery bypasses, thoracotomies, AV grafts, stent removals from the bronchi, an aortic valve replacement.

The neatest thing I’ve seen yet: I was allowed to feel the old valve as it was taken out it was calcified with deposits. The new valve was really something, it was the mechanical valve, it was quite innovative. Dr. Sweeney, an associate of my mentor Dr. Howell (in photo), even demonstrated how the new valve opened and closed.

I even checked out an abdominal surgery, a hernia!