April is a special month for me. My birthday is April 3. I am not overly crazy about my birthday, but I am ecstatic to celebrate another year of life. On April 13, 2010, I had open heart surgery. I had an ascending thoracic aneurism and an insufficient aortic valve. I was given a Kevlar aortic graft (yes, my heart is bulletproof) and a bovine aortic valve. Cows are generous donors, but they don’t live forever. On April 11, 2022, I had a second open heart surgery to replace the valve. I face the challenge of another replacement someday, but in the meantime I will enjoy every moment. Being a survivor is one reason I love being an independent author. Help me celebrate on April 1 when I go live at 5PM EST on Facebook to highlight my first published book, Wednesday Wine Club.