Dinner

My wonderful wife prepared this delicious dinner today (December 14, 2025).

Christmas Tree: Video

I created and uploaded a short video of myself adding some of our German wooden decorations to our Christmas tree. Many thanks go to my wonderful wife for setting up and decorating almost all of the tree. (length: 3'18")

Our Christmas Tree (Dec. 14, 2025)

https://youtu.be/iCbtAizuXcE?si=bgFVu4DBdTRFdIx4

I returned home yesterday (December 13, 2025) from my around-six-week stint at my physical rehabilitation facility following two surgeries in early November 2025.

December 14, 2025, at home

Today Is ...

I grew up eating roasted chestnuts at my Italian grandparent's home in the 1960s and 1970s. I roast them in the oven every December, sometimes January. I do love eating them.

I have also eaten them when I visited my Austrian cousins in Austria during wintertime.

Italian: Marroni; Caldarroste; Castagne

Austrian : Maroni

December 14, 2025, at home

It is illegal to harm monkeys in India because they are said to be the incarnation of Hanuman, the Hindu monkey god.

Also, Monkey Man is one of my favorite Rolling Stones songs.

https://youtu.be/o8uVSzVY8kQ?si=lGE7cJGarnRcStjw

December 14, 2025, at home

I enjoy eating seafood, but I don't think I have ever eaten bouillabaisse, not even in France.

December 14, 2025, at home

Today Is ...

My dear friend and I used to bet on the standardbred horse races at a few tracks when we were at university in the early 1980s, and also beyond. I grew up on Long Island, New York, but I never attended a standardbred race at a track in New York. However, I have attended standardbred races at tracks in six other states: Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, Missouri, Illinois, and Florida.

December 13, 2025, at home

My favorite keyboardist is Eddie Jobson. He also plays electric violin.

December 13, 2025, at home

HOME !!!

 

My Midline Is Out !!!

YEAH !!! My midline is out of my upper right arm !!! A nurse just pulled it out.

I just finished my last bag of intravenous antibiotic for a bone infection in the big toe of my left foot. I have been receiving four bags of powerful, intravenous antibiotics every day for the past six weeks. I started receiving the infusions in the hospital and then continued here at my physical rehabilitation facility.

I have endured this six-week-long regimen many times in recent years for bone infections and skin infections in both of my feet and legs. I usually had PICC lines installed, which are much longer.

I am going home tomorrow, where I will continue physical therapy and occupational therapy, and wound care.

My two most recent surgeries are:

November 4, 2025: artery bypass surgery (3-foot-long blockage in main artery in my left leg; removal of 3-foot-long vein in my right leg to be inserted within my left leg to bypass my blocked artery)

November 8, 2025: left foot surgery (3rd and 4th toes of left foot amputated due to artery blockage)

December 12, 2025, Cascades at Delray Beach (my physical rehabilitation facility)

Last IV Bag Of Antibiotic

YEAH !!! I am receiving my last bag of intravenous antibiotic (left photo) for a bone infection in the big toe of my left foot. I have been receiving four bags of powerful, intravenous antibiotics every day for the past six weeks. I started receiving the infusions in the hospital and then continued here at my physical rehabilitation facility. I have endured this six-week-long regimen many times in recent years for bone infections and skin infections in both of my feet and legs. After this infusion is finished, a nurse will remove my midline (right photo).

I am going home tomorrow, where I will continue physical therapy and occupational therapy, and wound care.

My two most recent surgeries are:

November 4, 2025: artery bypass surgery (3-foot-long blockage in main artery in my left leg; removal of 3-foot-long vein in my right leg to be inserted within my left leg to bypass my blocked artery)

November 8, 2025: left foot surgery (3rd and 4th toes of left foot amputated due to artery blockage)

December 12, 2025, Cascades at Delray Beach (my physical rehabilitation facility)

Today Is ...

I absolutely do like Ambrosia.

December 12, 2025, Cascades at Delray Beach (my physical rehabilitation facility)

During my time as a journalist (September 1982 to April 2017), after I moved to southeastern Florida in May 1998, I was a hardware salesman at Sears; and a haberdasher (men's clothes and accessories) and a textiles salesman at Macy's. For about a few weeks at Macy's, I sold maternity clothes and kids' toys.

December 12, 2025, Cascades at Delray Beach (my physical rehabilitation facility)

According to the prestigious organization the American Kennel Club: "Poinsettias are mildly toxic plants and should certainly be used with caution, but the dangers from poinsettias are hardly ever serious or fatal" to dogs.

December 12, 2025, Cascades at Delray Beach (my physical rehabilitation facility)

Call a long-lost friend or relative.

December 12, 2025, Cascades at Delray Beach (my physical rehabilitation facility)

Holy Water Video

December 11, 2025: I created and uploaded this video onto my YouTube channel to thank my terrific mother for giving me Holy Water from Lourdes, France; a mass card; and a self-penned poem while I am in a physical rehabilitation facility following two surgeries during the early part of November 2025. (length: 6'37")

I am engaging in Occupational Therapy (OT; arms/upper-body exercises) and Physical Therapy (PT; exercises for my legs and walking with a walker) at Cascades at Delray Beach, my physical rehabilitation facility.

I am also receiving four bags of powerful intravenous antibiotics every day during a six-week-long daily regimen for a bone infection in the big toe of my left foot, started at the hospital and continued here. Tomorrow is my last day.

I am going home in two days (December 13, 2025), where I will receive further rehab and also wound care. While I still can't walk without a walker, I still have hope that I will be able to ultimately, eventually be able to walk without support.

I had eight surgeries (1 heart, 2 chest, 2 spine, 1 right ankle, plus the following 2 surgeries) between March 2022 and November 2025, so I never really was able to regain my strength and my stamina. I am getting stronger.

My two most recent surgeries are:

November 4, 2025: artery bypass surgery (3-foot-long blockage in main artery in my left leg; removal of 3-foot-long vein in my right leg to be inserted within my left leg to bypass my blocked artery)

November 8, 2025: left foot surgery (3rd and 4th toes of left foot amputated due to artery blockage)

Holy Water from My Mom (Dec. 11, 2025)

https://youtu.be/Th5NINJPZSw?si=DQ9t3_jrGhr84slg

OT & PT Video

I created and uploaded this short video onto my YouTube channel. (length: 50 seconds)

Here I am engaging in Occupational Therapy (OT; arms/upper-body exercises) and Physical Therapy (PT; exercises for my legs and walking with a walker) at Cascades at Delray Beach, my physical rehabilitation facility, this morning (December 11, 2025).

I am also receiving four bags of powerful intravenous antibiotics every day during a six-week-long daily regimen for a bone infection in the big toe of my left foot, started at the hospital and continued here. Tomorrow is my last day.

I am going home in two days (December 13, 2025), where I will receive further rehab and also wound care. While I still can't walk without a walker, I still have hope that I will be able to ultimately, eventually be able to walk without support.

I had eight surgeries (1 heart, 2 chest, 2 spine, 1 right ankle, plus the following 2 surgeries) between March 2022 and November 2025, so I never really was able to regain my strength and my stamina. I am getting stronger.

My two most recent surgeries are:

November 4, 2025: artery bypass surgery (3-foot-long blockage in main artery in my left leg; removal of 3-foot-long vein in my right leg to be inserted within my left leg to bypass my blocked artery)

November 8, 2025: left foot surgery (3rd and 4th toes of left foot amputated due to artery blockage)

Me at Rehab (Dec. 11, 2025)

https://youtu.be/adoXd_Xo_aw?si=4Ftp5KvGUTPJ1Z4a

OT & PT

Here I am engaging in Occupational Therapy (OT; arms/upper-body exercises) at Cascades at Delray Beach, my physical rehabilitation facility, this morning (December 11, 2025). I also engage in Physical Therapy (PT; exercises for my legs and walking with a walker).

I am also receiving four bags of powerful intravenous antibiotics every day during a six-week-long daily regimen for a bone infection in the big toe of my left foot, started at the hospital and continued here. Tomorrow is my last day. I could be going home in two days, but I still can't walk without a walker, so I may need more OT and PT.

I had eight surgeries (1 heart, 2 chest, 2 spine, 1 right ankle, plus the following 2 surgeries) between March 2022 and November 2025, so I never really regained my strength and my stamina. My two most recent surgeries were:

November 4, 2025: artery bypass surgery (3-foot-long blockage in main artery in my left leg; removal of 3-foot-long vein in my right leg to be inserted within my left leg to bypass my blocked artery)

November 8, 2025: left foot surgery (3rd and 4th toes of left foot amputated due to artery blockage)

Today Is ...

I have loved eating Spaghetti-Os, especially with sliced franks, since I was a kid in the 1960s. I still occasionally eat this delicacy.

December 11, 2025, Cascades at Delray Beach (my physical rehabilitation facility)

I am still a bit apprehensive about stretching too much because of my eight recent surgeries. This day provides me with yet another opportunity to brag about my endurance through my many recent medical hardships.

March 2022: quadruple coronary artery bypass surgery (broken sternum required)

May 2022: 1st chest surgery (open chest to remove loose screws/sternal plate and clean out infection within my chest)

May 2022: 2nd chest surgery (a week later to close my chest)

September 2023: 1st spine surgery (remove abscess from infected disk)

October 2023: 2nd spine surgery (placement of titanium metal rod to hold my spine together due to bone infection causing my spine to "collapse")

April 2024: right ankle surgery due to 2 fractures (bone biopsy, deburring of bone, draining of fluid)

November 4, 2025: artery bypass surgery (3-foot-long blockage in main artery in my left leg; removal of 3-foot-long vein in my right leg to be inserted within my left leg to bypass my artery)

November 8, 2025: left foot surgery (3rd and 4th toes of left foot amputated due to artery blockage)

December 11, 2025, Cascades at Delray Beach (my physical rehabilitation facility)

I have skied in many mountainous ski areas in Austria (Bödele, Lech, Warth, Zürs, Damüls, Mellau, Montafon, maybe more); in Canada (Toronto); and in many states in the United States (Colorado, Vermont, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey).

December 11, 2025, Cascades at Delray Beach (my physical rehabilitation facility)

Dewey & Lager

December 10, 2025, Cascades at Delray Beach (my physical rehabilitation facility)

R.I.P. Raul Malo

R.I.P. Raul Malo (August 7, 1965 – December 8, 2025)

December 8, 2025, Cascades at Delray Beach (my physical rehabilitation facility)

Today Is ...

I do love Italian pastries, especially Cannoli. I also like the French pastry Pain Au Chocolat.

December 9, 2025, Cascades at Delray Beach (my physical rehabilitation facility)

When I was a kid in the 1960s and 1970s, my mother would tape received Christmas cards onto the inside of our front door.

December 9, 2025, Cascades at Delray Beach (my physical rehabilitation facility)

I have never eaten lutefisk, nor do I have any desire to eat lutefisk.

December 9, 2025, Cascades at Delray Beach (my physical rehabilitation facility)