Well it’s been a while since my last post.  If you are still following, I have been very busy at work now to a full schedule in clinic and surgery.  I had a lot of wonderful patients waiting in the wings for me and I haven’t had an open slot in my schedule.  My schedule is booking into september. We continue to struggle with our transition to an EHR and the office is very anxious about our go live date in May.

As far as my heart goes, I continue to put in some good miles running and working out about every other day. I took my first outdoor run last Thursday and ran about 5 1/2 miles without incident. My stamina seems to be excellent and I continue to surprise myself with what I can do.  Last week I went to Florida with three friends for the golf trip which I had been aiming for throughout my recovery.  We played 27 holes a day for three days and finished our last day with a relaxing 18. The weather was fantastic and the courses were challenging. I had a great time and was very thankful that I was given the chance to enjoy the game that I love.

Kathy and the kids continue to be great sources of inspiration and I am trying to embrace my days as the treasured gifts that they are.  I spent an afternoon with my surgeon, Dr. Markowitz, and we went over numerous photos of my surgery.  These were taken by the anesthesiologist, Dr. Avery.  The pictures are as raw as you can imagine and are not for the faint of heart. The level of pathology and danger is a bit overwhelming to view and the razor’s edge I was walking is quite obvious. The kids enjoyed looking at them, especially knowing that the aneurysm and valve were no longer a part of me.

My goals over the next few months are to continue my rehabilitation with strength training and running.  We are planning plenty of family time this summer to celebrate my new life.  I am looking forward to Hugh’s first pitch baseball team and Lily’s continued horse shows.  Ella is very excited for her June ballet recital.  We plan to golf, fish, camp, bike, and just enjoy ourselves this summer.  I hope the best for all of you.