[nesfa-reading-group] First broadcast after heart surgery

[David G. Grubbs]

I wondered if some people in the reading group didn't care enough about my
existence to read this. But anyone who comes to the reading group meetings
listens to me speak about books, so here I am.

I'm not sure what is happening with the group in the long run, but it looks
like I'll be able to attend the April 5th meeting.

This might overlap with other emails I sent (by me sending to multiple
groups we share, by others forwarding it to such lists).

The original plan was for the operation to occur on March 13, but they
moved it to March 18. I was released yesterday, March 25.

Every measurement says that I am moving quickly through the recovery
process.

My calendar has about 40 medical events (office visits, home visits, and
procedures) scheduled over the next six weeks.

I will be allowed to drive in four weeks and attempt to regain my life in
six weeks. The two highest-energy items on my list of recovery goals
(playing trumpet and surviving the batting cage) were explicitly forbidden
until after the six-week X-ray, CT scan, and surgical review.

They initially told me, "6 hours on the table, 6 total days in the
hospital, 6 weeks of initial rehab under a restrictive regime, and likely 6
more weeks before I'm back to what I was last month."

Those first two numbers turned out to be a bit optimistic. I was on the
table for about 10 hours. They didn't finish until nearly midnight. It was
a complicated set of surgical procedures, apparently with no significant
errors.  I spent 7 days in the hospital, 2 in the ICU, and 5 in the "Step
down unit". I have no idea how the following two six-week intervals will
work out.

In summary, I am finding more energy each day. I still have to take lots of
pills, force myself to get up and walk around when I don't feel like it,
and survive at least six weeks of restrictions.

There are lots of vivid memories. I'll save most of them for another time
and venue. But hospital food and beds, even at Mass General, reportedly one
of the best run hospitals in the world, are absolutely horrible. Luckily a
facility doesn't need a world-class food supply to employ world-class heart
surgeons.
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