Today Is ...

from husband Bill, May 9, 2026

My mother worked for the U.S. Navy as a civilian.

from husband Bill, May 9, 2026

I am quite fond of butterscotch.

from husband Bill, May 9, 2026

I'm partial to argyle socks.

from husband Bill, May 9, 2026

Pie & Coke

from husband Bill, May 8, 2026

I do occasionally like coconut cream pie.

from husband Bill, May 8, 2026

I like regular Coca-Cola because it is orange based, but I also like regular Pepsi-Cola because it is lemon based. I am referring to the basic versions, not any of the flavored versions.

from husband Bill, May 8, 2026

Surgery Video

from husband Bill, May 8, 2026

I created and uploaded this video onto my YouTube channel to tell you that I am home from the hospital after today's surgery (balloon angioplasty, left leg, no stent needed). (53 seconds) ... I am blessed to have survived my NINTH surgery since March 2022.

Home After Today's Surgery (May 8, 2026)

https://youtube.com/shorts/FCZtedBPfCA?si=ve6Ii7aq8jDs_kh3

Home After Surgery

Hello, folks. I am home from the hospital after today's (May 8, 2026) surgery (balloon angioplasty, left leg, no stent needed). I am blessed to have survived my NINTH surgery since March 2022.

Pre-Op

from husband Bill, May 8, 2026: in pre-op, awaiting surgery (scheduled for 11 a.m.)

Surgery Today

 from husband Bill, May 8, 2026

Surgery this morning, angiogram, collapsed artery, left leg, possible stent, related to artery-bypass surgery in November 2025 ... See earlier post for specific information.

11 a.m. : surgery
9 a.m.: pre-surgical testing: blood testing, X-ray(s), EKG

from husband Bill, May 8, 2026

I checked the tarot cards before this morning's surgery. BAD IDEA !!! Yes, I know that the Death Card typically means the end of an aspect of your life and the start of something new. Perhaps this will be the end of my long line of surgeries and the regaining of my health. (Hey, if it's my time, I wish you well.)

Surgery Tomorrow

YET ANOTHER SURGERY

Surgery (Angiogram), 11 a.m., tomorrow, May 8, 2026 ... arrival at 9 a.m. for pre-surgical testing: low blood flow in a collapsing artery in my left thigh that was connected to a three-foot-long vein graft removed from my right leg and inserted within my left leg to bypass a three-foot-long blockage within the main artery in my left leg during my artery-bypass surgery in November 2025 ... strong probability of placement of stent within narrow artery ... Surgery is most likely outpatient, "a-barrin' accidents," as Yosemite Sam said long ago. I mean, it's outpatient, unless there are complications.

May 5, 2026: ultrasound of left leg

May 6, 2026: appointment at vascular surgeon's office for results, with surgery scheduled for "as soon as possible," because of the chance of "losing" the vein graft

Between March 2022 and November 2025, I endured eight surgeries: 1 heart, 2 chest, 2 spine, 1 right ankle, 1 (both) legs, and 1 left foot. Other previous surgeries: three other surgeries on my left foot; nasal/sinus; and tonsils (in 1966, age 5). Also, two plural effusions (draining of fluid surrounding my lungs) and six weeks of dialysis.

I have had an angiogram performed several years ago, but at a longer distance in the opposite direction. It was prior to my quadruple coronary artery bypass surgery in March 2022.

Posted: May 7, 2026

Hare Krishna

Today (May 7, 2026) is National Day of Prayer: Namasté and Hare Krishna. I created this video on May 2, 2026, and uploaded it onto my YouTube channel today (May 7, 2026) as a blessing to you and for you. (55 seconds)

A Blessing to/for You (created: May 2, 2026; uploaded: May 7, 2026)

https://youtube.com/shorts/62XP4QhP5gI?si=4uZp-M2KdDcLXfHV

Boys Beat Women

High school boys (younger than 14 years old) competed against (adult) university women. We all know who won without verification. How? It's happened many times. (By the way, of course, the boys won.)

"U of Washington women's soccer team played a high school boys squad, and you'll never guess who won" 

https://www.foxnews.com/outkick-sports/u-washington-womens-soccer-team-played-high-school-boys-squad-youll-never-guess-won

May 7, 2026

Today Is ...

from husband Bill

Today (May 7, 2026) is National Paste Up Day. I was a journalist from September 1982 to April 2017, so I am quite intimate with the construction of pages of print publications by hand, particularly during my early journalistic days.

The outdated, yet traditional process is, basically: Just print out paper strips of stories, photos, captions, and headlines, (and advertisements), and then run them through a hot-wax machine, and then affix everything on pages of thin, gridded cardboard. Then, take a small, handheld roller to secure everything. Stick the pages in a printer, and there you have your print publication. Basically.

I must admit that I do miss constructing print publications using paste up, but I certainly do not miss burning my hands on the hot-wax machines and also often stabbing myself in the fingers with those X-ACTO knives. Both: Ouch !!! (You can see an X-ACTO knife on the table in the photo below.)

The first time I did paste up was in 1982, when I started as a writer, page designer, and paste-up guy with The Villanovan, the weekly student newspaper of Villanova University. After graduating in December 1984 with a bachelor's degree in communications with a minor in the French language, I then earned a master's degree in journalism from the University of Missouri in Columbia, graduating in May 1988. I then did paste up as part of my first salaried job for a newspaper in 1989 to 1990, along with writing, editing, page designing, and taking photographs.

Then, three jobs later, from 1992 to 1996, I was back, in part, doing paste up. For this new job, I was a reporter, writer, editor, and researcher for an international, weekly magazine on the financial and technical aspects of the chemical industry. During the first year or so of that gig, we constructed pages manually, using paste up.

On a rotating basis of our editorial staff, every other Friday, I would take the train with a few of my co-workers from New York City (Manhattan), where our office was located, to Westport, Connecticut, to put together the magazine in the old-fashioned way.

We would meet with a few composing-room people in an old, brick building and spend the day cranking out the pages. Luckily, we soon switched to a process where the pages were designed on computer screens in our New York City office, so we didn't have to take that fairly long, round-trip journey anymore. Still, it was nice getting out of "The City" to work in a different locale.

(Later in my journalistic career, I would have jobs that would afford me the opportunity to become again involved with paste up.)

from husband Bill, May 7, 2026

I occasionally enjoy eating lamb, but, please, NO mint jelly. I like to taste the lamb.

from husband Bill, May 7, 2026

I have been disabled (on disability) since April 2017. I have been using a wheelchair, and occasionally a walker. After eight surgeries between March 2022 and November 2025: [1 heart, 2 chest, 2 spine, 1 right ankle, 1 (both) legs, and 1 left foot], I am hoping that walking without support is in my future. However, I am expecting another surgery on my left leg, scheduled for tomorrow.

from husband Bill

Today (May 7, 2026) is National Day of Prayer: Hare Krishna and Namasté.

from husband Bill, May 7, 2026

***

Today (May 7, 2026) is National Paste Up Day. I was a journalist from September 1982 to April 2017, so I am quite intimate with the construction of print publications by hand.

The outdated, yet traditional process is, basically: Print out paper strips of stories, photos, captions, and headlines, (and advertisements), and then run them through a hot-wax machine, and then affix everything on pages of thin, gridded cardboard. Then, secure everything individually with a small, handheld roller. Then, print them.

I miss the paste-up process, but I certainly do not miss burning my hands on the hot-wax machines and also often stabbing myself in my fingers with those X-ACTO knives. (You can see an X-ACTO knife on the table in the photo below.)

The first time I did paste up was in 1982, when I started as a writer, page designer, and paste-up guy with The Villanovan, the weekly student newspaper of Villanova University. After graduating in December 1984 with a bachelor's degree in communications with a minor in the French language, I then earned a master's degree in journalism from the University of Missouri, graduating in May 1988. I then did paste up as part of my first salaried job for a newspaper in 1989 to 1990, along with reporting, writing, editing, page designing, and taking photographs.

Then, three jobs later, from 1992 to 1996, I was back, in part, doing paste up. For this new job, I was a reporter, writer, editor, and researcher for an international, weekly magazine on the financial and technical aspects of the chemical industry. During the first year or so of that gig, we constructed pages manually, using paste up.

On a rotating basis, every other Friday, I would take the train with a few of my co-workers, from New York City (Manhattan), where our office was located, to Westport, Connecticut, to put together the magazine in the old-fashioned way.

We would meet with a few composing-room people in an old, brick building and spend the day cranking out the pages. We soon switched to a process where the pages were designed on computers in our New York City office. Still, it was nice getting out of "The City" to work in a different locale.

YouTube Video: Prebiotic Soda

from husband Bill, May 6, 2026

I created and uploaded onto my YouTube channel a (very short) taste-test video for Bloom Pop prebiotic soda, flavor: Shirley Temple (cherry, lemon, lime). (57 seconds)

Taste Test: Prebiotic Soda (created: May 2, 2026; uploaded: May 6, 2026)

https://youtube.com/shorts/WvhRMvKYT_U?si=6TH0K46ET1Nw1Pao

Another Medical Procedure

from husband Bill, May 6, 2026

Here we go again. I require yet another medical/surgical procedure (probably outpatient) within the next several days. Here's the deal.

In November 2025, I had artery-bypass surgery due to a three-foot-long blockage in the main artery within my left leg. The surgeons removed a three-foot-long vein in my right leg and inserted it into my left leg to bypass the blockage.

Yesterday, I had a follow-up ultrasound done of my left leg. Today, I consulted with my vascular surgeon at his office about the results. (bad news)

The artery in my left leg that feeds blood into the vein graft/bypass and to the rest of my left leg has narrowed since my bypass surgery, which means not enough blood is flowing. The procedure needs to be done as soon as possible, or I could lose the bypass.

I require an angiogram to see what's going on, with the possibility of inflating a balloon within the narrow artery and/or installing a stent. A camera will be inserted in my groin area and pushed down my leg to the location of the problem. At that time, the surgeon will determine what needs to be done. (I had this procedure done several years ago, before my heart surgery.)

My medical "fun" just doesn't stop. Between March 2022 and November 2025, I endured eight surgeries.

*March 2022: quadruple coronary artery bypass surgery ... removal of a vein in my left thigh to be used in my open-heart surgery; broken sternum (breastbone)

*May 2022: first chest surgery to remove loose screws/sternal plate holding my broken breastbone together, and to clean out a staph infection within my chest

*May 2022: second chest surgery to close a 14-inch-long incision in my chest after it remained open for about a week.

*September 2023: first spine surgery to remove an abscess within an infected disk

*October 2023: second spine surgery to affix titanium metal rods to my "collapsing" spine due to a bone infection

*April 2024: right ankle surgery due to two fractures and a bone infection

*November 4, 2025: artery bypass surgery ...  three-foot-long blockage in the main artery in my left leg ... three-foot-long vein in my right leg removed and inserted within my left leg

*November 8, 2025: amputation of the third and fourth toes of my left foot due to my artery blockage.

Before all this, I had three other surgeries on my left foot to removed decayed bone and scar tissue, plus I had nasal/sinus surgery to remove eight polyps and to clean out and expand all eight of my sinuses. (Don't forget having my tonsils removed in 1966, when I was five years old.)

***

Here we go again. I require yet another medical/surgical procedure (probably outpatient) within the next several days. Here's the deal.

In November 2025, I had artery-bypass surgery due to a three-foot-long blockage in the main artery within my left leg. The surgeons removed a three-foot-long vein in my right leg and inserted it into my left leg to bypass the blockage.

Yesterday, I had a follow-up ultrasound done of my left leg. Today, I consulted with my vascular surgeon at his office about the results. (bad news)

The artery in my left leg that feeds blood into the vein graft/bypass and to the rest of my left leg has narrowed since my bypass surgery, which means not enough blood is flowing. The procedure needs to be done as soon as possible, or I could lose the bypass.

I require an angiogram to see what's going on, with the possibility of inflating a balloon within the narrow artery and/or installing a stent. A camera will be inserted in my groin area and pushed down my leg to the location of the problem. At that time, the surgeon will determine what needs to be done. (I had this procedure done several years ago, before my heart surgery.)

My medical "fun" just doesn't stop. Between March 2022 and November 2025, I endured eight surgeries.

*March 2022: quadruple coronary artery bypass surgery ... removal of a vein in my left thigh to be used for my heart

*May 2022: first chest surgery to remove loose screws/sternal plate holding my broken breastbone together, and to clean out a staph infection within my chest

*May 2022: second chest surgery to close a 14-inch-long incision in my chest after it remained open for about a week.

*September 2023: first spine surgery to remove an abscess within an infected disk

*October 2023: second spine surgery to affix titanium metal rods to my "collapsing" spine due to a bone infection

*April 2024: right ankle surgery due to two fractures and a bone infection

*November 4, 2025: artery bypass surgery (explained above)

*November 8, 2025: amputation of the third and fourth toes of my left foot due to my artery blockage.

I also had three other surgeries on my left foot, and nasal/sinus surgery.

May 6, 2026