It’s been almost two months since my last post.  If you are still checking in, welcome back; if not, I am writing to myself.  Life has been a wonderful buzz of activity.  I look back to my past few months and cannot believe what has transpired. The blessings of family, work, friends, sports and everything else life has to offer me remind me of how truly precious is each day.

The family has been enjoying a busy spring. Lily continues with horseback riding. She really loves the ponies. Kathy rides as well and their smiles and the fresh smell of their saddle makes me realize they are in this for the long haul.  Lily also was selected to Solon’s gifted program for next year. A very nice honor for her, but she will take on some more homework.    Hugh is playing baseball and still doing tae kwon do three times a week. He is up to a green belt.  Ella is a sprouting five year old. She starts kindergarten in the fall. We will miss our little baby next year!

My work is extremely busy. I am booking patients into November. My six weeks off seems a distant memory as my days are very long. We started our EHR this week and will just say my days got longer along with patients’ wait times.   All of your doctors will be doing the same if they haven’t already. I love ophthalmology and am extremely grateful that I continue to be successful after my surgery.

I am playing golf a little more regularly and just played with my surgeon, Alan Markowitz, on Saturday.  The changes in my body are quite obvious and my game is adjusting. I continue to run and workout four to five times a week. Still putting in about 18-20 miles a week running. I haven’t really put any of my weight back on, but I don’t miss it as of yet. My endurance is tremendous and I definitely realize the unrecognized symptoms I was experiencing preoperatively. I have been a high energy person for as long as i can remember.  In retrospect, even though i was performing at a high level, my endurance was lower than it is now.  My advice is to try and listen VERY closely to your body and answer any of its calls.  I certainly didn’t know, or expect, the trouble I had, but it is so clear that everything was very close to being taken away.

I would like to think that there is a morning ahead of me where I wake up and don’t think of my heart surgery. My eleven inch scar along with my conscious active role in keeping in good health remind me all day and every day of my surgery.  I stay positive as best possible and enjoy the continued well wishes of friends, family, and patients.  My six month anniversary is fast approaching and I will post again around then to reflect on the gift of quality life that has been preserved for me.