It's been so quiet around here, that I've been on vacation and didn't even miss much. I figure most everybody is like Kevin, just busy with stuff
they want to do. That's a good thing. Also a good thing, Joe and I spent our vacation at UAB Hospital in Birmingham. It was planned that way. Actually,
I was on vacation but Joe took sick leave. Now we are back home and Joe has a new aortic valve and a new and improved scar down his chest. He has taken well
to be a patient. In fact, he is such a good patient that it is trying my patience.
One of those "it's a small world" things, Joe's heart surgeon is a valve specialist from Australia, Dr. David McGiffin. Really nice guy and, according to everybody we talked to, the very best heart valve surgeon there is.
One down side to our hospital stay was that the food they fed Joe was BAD! The only word he used to describe it was BAD! It's weird, because the food that staff and visitors get in the cafaterias was really pretty good, but what they brought to Joe's room was BAD! Just a warning. If you have to be at UAB Hospital, get somebody to smuggle food in to you.
All is well and Joe is doing well. We have several doctors' appointment in the near future and have to learn to live with his new prescription drug routine. He gets to take the summer off of work. We had time to plan before the surgery, so Joe planted a "boat" load of vegetables. Seriously, they are planted in pots that are in our unused boat. That's is in the hope that our little 50 lb. puppies can't reach them. So now he can water them and watch them grow while he is recovering.
I feel blessed. When Joe had his first valve replacement in 1993, he got a human valve. We were told it would last 10 to 15 years. Hard to believe how fast those 10 to 15 years passed. It actually lasted 15-1/2 years. I guess we got our money's worth out of the old valve. Now he has a shinny new mechanical one that should last the rest of his long, long life.
I hope maybe we get to see and hear some good music this summer. I feel like celebrating.
One of those "it's a small world" things, Joe's heart surgeon is a valve specialist from Australia, Dr. David McGiffin. Really nice guy and, according to everybody we talked to, the very best heart valve surgeon there is.
One down side to our hospital stay was that the food they fed Joe was BAD! The only word he used to describe it was BAD! It's weird, because the food that staff and visitors get in the cafaterias was really pretty good, but what they brought to Joe's room was BAD! Just a warning. If you have to be at UAB Hospital, get somebody to smuggle food in to you.
All is well and Joe is doing well. We have several doctors' appointment in the near future and have to learn to live with his new prescription drug routine. He gets to take the summer off of work. We had time to plan before the surgery, so Joe planted a "boat" load of vegetables. Seriously, they are planted in pots that are in our unused boat. That's is in the hope that our little 50 lb. puppies can't reach them. So now he can water them and watch them grow while he is recovering.
I feel blessed. When Joe had his first valve replacement in 1993, he got a human valve. We were told it would last 10 to 15 years. Hard to believe how fast those 10 to 15 years passed. It actually lasted 15-1/2 years. I guess we got our money's worth out of the old valve. Now he has a shinny new mechanical one that should last the rest of his long, long life.
I hope maybe we get to see and hear some good music this summer. I feel like celebrating.
