Yesterday's Medical Update

Medical Update, Boca Raton Regional Hospital, May 29, 2022

Wow !!! I experienced yet another even higher level of severe pain here in my hospital bed this morning. A plastic surgeon associated with my plastic reconstructive surgeon changed the bandages on my chest. He removed the drain within my chest and replaced the wound vacuum within my chest. He told me that I am healing well, and that the wound vacuum may be removed and also my chest closed, both on May 31, 2022.

I have been experiencing constant, severe pain, even after receiving around-the-clock, intravenous and oral pain medications. However, my pain level seems to be slightly lower since he removed my chest drain this morning.

My surgeon's associate took these two photos of myself this morning for myself and also took two similar photos for my plastic reconstructive surgeon to evaluate. The left photo shows my chest after he removed the drain and removed the wound vacuum. The right photo shows my new bandages after he replaced the wound vacuum.

Recent Medical Events (2022):

MARCH 9: I had Quadruple Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery.

MAY 13: I entered the hospital emergency room with severe pain in my chest and in my central back; also, I was admitted to the hospital on the same day.

MAY 19: I had surgery to have metal sternal plates removed from my chest; and to have a wound vacuum installed to suck out a severe staph infection within my chest from my recent open-heart surgery.

MAY 25: My plastic reconstructive surgeon removed the wound vacuum within my chest; cleaned out the remaining infection within my chest; and mostly closed my chest by clipping off the tips of my ribs and reattaching my chest muscle flaps to my body. At that time, he installed a drain and wound vacuum.

Medical Update

Medical Update, Boca Raton Regional Hospital, May 28, 2022

(PHOTO: myself taken by one of my day nurses in my hospital room today)

Hello. I am still in the hospital following my most recent chest surgeries this month. While I am doing better, I am still in constant, severe pain with immobility in my chest area; and I am dealing with intestinal and urinary difficulties. I have been engaging in very little walking with physical therapists. I am expected to be discharged from the hospital in a few days, maybe.

Recent Medical Events (2022):

MARCH 9: Quadruple Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery

MAY 13: entered hospital emergency room with severe chest and central back pain; also, admitted to hospital same day

MAY 19: surgery to have metal sternal plates removed from my chest; and to have a wound vacuum installed to suck out severe infection within my chest from recent open-heart surgery

MAY 25: surgery by a plastic reconstructive surgeon to remove the wound vacuum within my chest; to clean out the remaining infection within my chest; and to close my chest by clipping off the tips of my ribs and reattaching my chest muscle flaps to my body

SOON: removal of small drain in my chest that is connected to a wound vacuum

Day After Surgery

May 26, 2022 - My surgery went well yesterday morning, but I surely am in severe pain and have difficulty moving due to very limited chest movement. It feels like I am wearing a chest cast. The middle of my back also aches, and I have a slight bandage on my buttocks.

My intravenous and oral pain medications, plus my heart and other medications, seem to be helping a little.

PHOTO: Sitting in my Intensive Care Unit room, Boca Raton Regional Hospital, Boca Raton, Florida, Thursday, May 26, 2022, the day after one of my three recent surgeries

I continue to inhale oxygen through a nasal cannula; receive nebulizer (breathing) treatments due to my asthma/COPD; receive many finger pricks to test my blood-glucose levels; and receive insulin injections due to my diabetes.

I also receive continued intravenous antibiotic for my lingering chest infection and lingering osteomyelitis (bone infection) in my left foot. While I receive the antibiotic through a double-port PICC line in my left upper arm throughout veins in my chest, I also have an intravenous port in the back of my left hand.

To prevent blood clots, I continue to receive injections in my belly of a blood thinner and also wear massaging cuffs around both of my lower legs.

More pills include heart pills, a stool softener, a diurectic, a small iron tablet, and a low-dosage aspirin.

I urinate through a Foley catheter, and I always have a blood-pressure cuff around my right upper arm for many readings every day. My temperature is also take often each day. I constantly wear a cuff around the middle finger of my right hand to monitor my blood-oxygen levels.

I try to exercise my legs and arms in bed as a form of physical rehabilitation, and I breathe in through an incentive spirometer to strengthen my lungs and to prevent pneumonia.

SURGERY: Yesterday morning, a plastic reconstructive surgeon removed the wound vacuum within my chest; cleaned out the remaining infection within my chest; and closed my chest, except for a small drain connected to a wound vacuum.

I entered the hospital emergency room and was admitted to the hospital both on May 13, 2022, with severe pain within my chest. By that time, I had been living at home, had completed physical rehabilitation, and for a few weeks, had been engaging in cardiac rehabilitation on the mornings of Wednesdays and Fridays.

On May 19, 2022, I had follow-up surgery to have my metal sternal plates removed from my chest and a wound vacuum installed to suck out the severe infection within my chest from recent open-heart surgery. On March 9, 2022, I had quadruple coronary artery bypass surgery, including the insertion of sternal plates instead of wires to hold my purposely broken sternum (breastbone) together.

As of now, the sternal plates will NOT be replaced. I am expected to soon have the wound vacuum removed from my chest and return home from the hospital, unless I am going to live in a physical/cardiac rehabilitation facility for a few weeks.

I received a blood transfusion. I am expecting to be moved later today from my Intensive Care Unit to a Step Down Unit for further care. I am even expected to sit up, which doesn't seem possible at this time, but actually is possible ... because I certainly am sitting.

UPDATE: I engaged in a little physical rehabilitation (walking) during the late morning and then received even more pain medication, this time intravenously.

Discussion With The Chaplain

Discussion With The Chaplain

May 24, 2022 - This early evening, I had another discussion in my hospital room with the Chaplain at Boca Raton Regional Hospital. I had already spoken with her once (twice?) since I arrived at the emergency room here on May 13, 2022. I was admitted later that day with severe chest pain.

On May 19, 2022, I had follow-up surgery here to have my sternal plates removed from my chest and a wound vacuum installed to suck out the severe infection within my chest. On March 9, 2022, I had quadruple coronary artery bypass surgery here, including the insertion of sternal plates instead of wires to hold my broken sternum (breastbone) together.

l am scheduled for yet another surgery at 8 a.m. tomorrow (May 25, 2022), when a plastic reconstructive surgeon plans to remove the wound vacuum within my chest; clean out the remaining infection within my chest ("washout"); and then close my chest. He may decide to leave part of the wound vacuum attached.

Because of my upcoming surgery tomorrow morning and my flirtations with death in recent years, the Chaplain decided to speak with me about any psychological, emotional, and/or spiritual concerns that I may have been experiencing in this regard. I told her that long ago, someone told me that everyone dies from something and that when your time is finished, it's finished.

This evening, I taught the chaplain the basics of my religion, "Gaudiya Vaishnavism" ("Hare Krishna"), which is a sect of "Sanatana Dharma" ("Hinduism").

I explained to her my beliefs about life, death, reincarnations, and where one ultimately goes after all reincarnations have been completed. The idea is to go "Back To Godhead," which is where Lord Krishna (God) resides. Godhead is somewhat like Heaven.

I told her that when someone dies, it is said that the person has "left his or her body." The body is merely a disposable covering for the soul. When one dies, the body is just discarded as one would discard old clothes or an old coat that no longer has any use.

After corporal death, the soul soon re-enters another living being (a blade of grass, a tree, a horse, a man, a woman, etc.) and lives within that living entity until that reincarnation has been completed. When the soul experiences everything that there is to experience on Earth throughout these many thousands of reincarnations, the soul returns to Godhead (Heaven) to live eternity with Lord Krishna, His consort Radha, and the Gopis (dairy maidens).

As a young woman, the Chaplain was quite interested in my explanations of my religion. I told her of the Maha-Mantra (Hare Krishna Mantra), which I need to but do not recite at least 108 times per day, but is constantly within my brain. I told her my favorite quotation, which is by Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu; He is a reincarnation from the 15th Century of Lord Krishna, who is God from about 5,000 years ago). This quotation below best explains how I live my life.

I also told her about my spiritual master (His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda) and how He founded my religion in New York City in 1966.

I also told her about my pilgrimages to the Hare Krishna Temple in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and also to the Ratha Yatra Festival that I attended in Toronto on July 19, 2008. During the summer every year, these festivals in honor of the Hindu God "Jagannath," a representation of Lord Krishna (God) who lived in India about 5,000 years ago, are celebrated in small villages up to large cities all over the world. The first festival was held in the year 1558.

During the festival in Toronto, using ropes, I helped to pull one of the three colorful chariots for a few miles throughout the streets of the city. These chariots are about 45 feet high, and about 35 feet in length and width.

About an hour after I pulled the chariot down to the lakeside (Lake Ontario), I was taken to the hospital by an ambulance with heat exhaustion. My wife and I were to take a ferryboat to the islands near Toronto to enjoy spiritual, vegetarian food.

(After all of these years, I continue to thank my wonderful wife for accompanying me on my spiritual pilgrimages.)

Prayers & Well-Wishes

PRAYERS & WELL-WISHES REQUESTED

Today (May 24, 2022) - l am scheduled for yet another surgery. At 8 a.m. tomorrow (May 25, 2022), a plastic reconstructive surgeon plans to remove the wound vacuum within my chest; clean out the remaining infection within my chest ("washout"); and to close my chest. Because I have been dealing with osteomyelitis (bone infection) in my left foot for about 10 years, including many surgeries to remove infected bone and a tumor, the infection in my left foot can be the cause of my current chest infection and possibly any future chest infections.

My surgeon told me that he has "one good chance to close me up." If he is unable to close my chest tomorrow, he will have to reinstall the wound vacuum and remove it when I am stronger. He implied that could be in a few days, but he wasn't specific, meaning that could be when my osteomyelitis is ultimately cured.

I entered the hospital emergency room and was admitted to the hospital on May 13, 2022. On May 19, 2022, I had follow-up surgery to have my sternal plates removed from my chest and a wound vacuum installed to suck out the severe infection within my chest. On March 9, 2022, I had quadruple coronary artery bypass surgery and the insertion of sternal plates instead of wires to hold my broken sternum (breastbone) together.

PHOTO: Selfie, Boca Raton Regional Hospital, Boca Raton, Florida, Tuesday, May 24, 2022

CORRECTION: I meant to write that the infection within my chest could have been caused by the bone infection in my left foot, which could also possibly cause future chest infections.

Medical Procedures

Today (May 23, 2022):

*Insertion of a dual-port PICC line in my left arm through veins near my heart required for yet another six-weeks-long daily regimen of intravenous antibiotic for my continuing (long-term) osteomyelitis (bone infection) in my left foot and for continuing infusions of antibiotic for a severe infection within my chest following my recent open-heart surgery

*Removal of a needle and a tube in a vein in the right side of my neck used for intravenous antibiotic (no longer required)

* Removal of a needle and a tube in a vein in my right forearm used for intravenous antibiotic (no longer required)

Recent:

*May 22, 2022: Removal of a needle and a tube in a vein in my left wrist to constantly monitor my blood pressure (no longer required)

*May 19, 2022: follow-up surgery to have my sternal plates removed from my chest and a wound vacuum installed to suck out the severe infection within my chest

*March 9, 2022: quadruple coronary artery bypass surgery and insertion of sternal plates instead of wires to hold broken sternum (breastbone) together

Upcoming:

*March 25, 2022: (scheduled) surgery by a plastic reconstructive surgeon to remove the wound vacuum within my chest; to clean out the remaining infection within my chest ("washout"); and to close my chest

*(probably) March 25, 2022: removal of my Foley catheter

More Hospital Fun

Today (May 22, 2022) - Here I am still at the hospital, ready to eat dinner. I arrived at the emergency room on May 13, 2022, with severe pain in my chest due to a bad infection from my quadruple coronary artery bypass surgery on March 9, 2022. On May 19, 2022, I had follow-up surgery to have my sternal plates removed from my chest and a wound vacuum installed to suck out the infection in my chest.

Today (May 22, 2022), a nurse removed a painful needle in my left wrist that was constantly monitoring my blood pressure. I no longer require it, so she switched the blood-pressure cuff from my right upper arm, where my intravenous needle/tube for antibiotics is, to my left upper arm. She reattached a small cuff around the middle finger of my right hand to constantly monitor my pulse. 

UPCOMING: Tomorrow (May 23, 2022) = removal of an intravenous needle/tube in the right side of my neck; removal of an intravenous needle/tube in my right forearm; and surgical installation of a PICC line in my right arm and fed through veins near my heart for yet another six-weeks-long daily regimen of intravenous antibiotic for osteomyelitis (bone infection) in my left foot. I have been dealing with this infection with intravenous antibiotic regimens and many surgeries to remove a tumor and bone fragments for about 10 years. One regimen in January and February 2021 caused kidney failure followed by six weeks of daily dialysis. I recovered.

On May 25, 2022, I am scheduled for surgery by a plastic reconstructive surgeon to remove the wound vacuum in my chest; to clean out the remaining infection; and to close my chest.

(In this photo, you can see part of the wound vacuum in my chest; the tube in my neck; the cuff around my right middle finger; and the nasal cannula and tube for me to continue to inhale oxygen). I use the heart pillow to support my sernum when the nurses move me in bed. I also continue to take nebulizer (breathing) treatments due to shortness of breath and also a little physical rehabilitation in bed. I also breathe in using an incentive spirometer to strengthen my lungs and to prevent pneumonia. I had been engaging in cardiac rehabilitation for a few weeks before re-entering the hospital on May 13, 2022. I also continue to receive finger pricks to test my blood-glucose levels and insulin injections for diabetes. I also have a Foley catheter. Both of my legs are wrapped in massagers so that I don't get blood clots. Also, injections of a blood thinner, and pills for my heart and for pain also help.

Photo Of My Chest

My chest/heart surgeries:

WARNING: Below is a link to a graphic photo of my chest following my recent surgery. I recent uploaded the photo on my blog. If you wish to see it, just click on the link. Be forewarned. My wife took the photo. I was shocked when I saw it.

* Photo taken (today) of my chest, 1:28 p.m., May 21, 2022
* Surgery to remove sternal plates and insertion of wound vacuum in chest due to infection, May 19, 2022
* Quadruple Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery, March 9, 2022
* Expected surgery by plastic reconstructive surgeon to remove wound vacuum, clean remaining infection, and close my chest, May 25, 2022

2022 Medical Procedures

2022 Medical Procedures (done and upcoming): Boca Raton Regional Hospital

March 9 = quadruple coronary artery bypass surgery

May 13 = entered hospital emergency room with severe chest pain

May 19 = surgery to remove sternal plates and installation of wound vacuum to suck out infection

Today (May 21) = A nurse was going to install a PICC line, but she decided that due to difficulties with my previous PICC lines over the years, that it is best to have it done by the Interventional Radiology Department rather than her do it in my ICU hospital room.

May 23 = removal of needle/line in my neck

May 23 = surgical insertion of PICC line in right arm and fed through veins near my heart for yet another six-weeks-long daily regimen of intravenous antibiotic for osteomyelitis (bone infection) in my left foot. I have been dealing with this infection with intravenous antibiotic regimens and many surgeries for about 10 years.

May 25 = surgery by plastic reconstructive surgeon to remove wound vacuum in my chest; further clean out my chest infection; and probably reclose my chest

Medical Issues

May 13, 2022 - Hospital Emergency Room: severe pain across entire chest; pain in middle and upper back; diarrhea; nauseated; shortness of breath; trouble seeing; chills; rash on left forearm and left hand

I had quadruple coronary artery bypass surgery on March 9, 2022. In recent weeks, I have been engaging in cardiac rehabilitation (exercises of legs, arms, back, and chest).

UPDATE: 4:20 a.m., May 14, 2022: I am finally in my hospital room after many hours of testing in the emergency room.

1. Blood Pressure: 94/54
2. EKG: good
3. CAT Scan (chest): good
4. X-ray (chest): good
5. Blood Tests: good
6. Two low-dosage, intravenous doses of Morphine for severe chest pain, some back pain
7. Inhaling supplemental oxygen due to continued shortness of breath

This morning (May 19, 2022), I am having further surgery to my heart and my chest areas. On March 9, 2022, my Cardiothoracic Surgeon and his Cardiothoracic Surgeon's Physician's Assistant initially performed seven-hours-long, quadruple coronary artery bypass surgery. Upon re-entering the hospital on May 13, 2022, with severe pain within my chest, it was determined that I required further surgery to have my sternal plates removed from my first surgery because of a blood infection that had developed and install a wound vaccuum. I require further surgery on my heart and chest areas on May 23. Unrelated, I will also require another six-week-long, daily intravenous antibiotic I has been also determined that the require

Today (May 19, 2022), I required follow-up surgery to my initial quadruple coronary artery bypass surgery that I endured on March 9, 2022. The sternal plates from my first surgery needed to be removed due to a painful blood infection. A vacuum pump needed to be installed within in my chest to remove/suck out any excess infection. Following today's surgery, I was switched from a ventilatory to a nasal cannula, so I am breathing more easily. I had been OK, engaging in weeks of cardiac rehabilitation, but I had to enter the hospital due to severe chest pain on May 13, 2022. On May 23, 2022, I am expected to have further chest and heart surgery. Unrelated, my podiatrist told me that I require another six-weeks-long, daily antibiotic regimen to be administered intravenously due to continuous osteomyelitis (bone infection) in my left foot which I have been fighting for about 10 years. In recent years, I have endured many of these regimens, plus I have endured many surgeries to remove infected bone fragments in my left foot and to remove a benign tumor within my left foot. Also, my failure of both of my kidneys in January 2021 with the subsequent, six weeks of daily dialysis into February 2021 prior to my first heart surgery (on March 9) proved to be mostly OK. I have been told that my kidneys are functioning well now. My kidneys initially shut down due to one of those six-weeks-long antibiotic regimens.

May 20, 2022 - I am experiencing severe pain in my chest following yesterday's surgery to remove sternal plates and to suck out an extreme infection caused by my initial seven-hours-long, quadruple coronary artery bypass surgery on March 9, 2022. I re-entered the hospital emergency room on May 13, 2022, with severe chest pain following weeks of cardiac rehabilitation. During my surgery on May 19, 2022, a wound vacuum was installed to remove any remaining infection. Soon after my surgery was completed, I was taken off of the ventilator and switched to a nasal cannula. On May 23, 2022, or thereabouts, a plastic reconstructive surgeon will remove the wound vacuum and reclose my chest. Unrelated to my heart/chest, my podiatrist told me that I require another six-weeks-long, daily antibiotic regimen to be administered intravenously due to continuous osteomyelitis (bone infection) in my left foot which I have been fighting for about 10 years. In recent years, I have endured many of these regimens, plus I have endured many surgeries to remove infected bone fragments in my left foot and to remove a benign tumor growing within a diabetic ulcer in my left foot. Also, my failure of both of my kidneys in January 2021 with the subsequent, six weeks of daily dialysis into February 2021 prior to my first heart surgery (on March 9) was a cause for concern, but proved to be mostly OK. I have been recently told that my kidneys are functioning well now. My kidneys initially shut down due to one of those six-weeks-long antibiotic regimens.

Heart Surgery: Two Months

May 10, 2022 - I am quite happy to have forgotten that yesterday was the two-month anniversary of my seven-hour-long, quadruple coronary artery bypass surgery. That makes me realize that I am well into my healing process and that my surgery no longer governs my main thoughts. As you can see from these two photos, I am doing much better.

My surgery was during the morning into the afternoon on March 9, 2022. Healing typically takes six to 12 weeks, but could take much longer. While I am still weak and am still experiencing moderate pain, I am healing well. I am regaining my strength through several weeks of physical rehabilitation which recently ended and my current cardiac rehabilitation which began about two weeks ago. I am expecting one month of cardiac rehab, but it may be extended for another month. I go to the rehab center to exercise at 8:30 a.m., Wednesdays and Fridays, but I may add Mondays.

Miami Grand Prix

May 8, 2022 - I am watching live coverage of the inaugural Miami Grand Prix on Sky Sports F1 (on WABC from a feed from ESPN ). The race started at 3:30 p.m. local time (Eastern Time in the United States).

Below is a diagram of the Miami International Autodrome in Miami, Florida, the circuit (track) for today's race. Each circuit around the world has a different configuration, therefore a different dynamic.

This is the fifth race of the 22-race, 2022 Formula 1 racing season. The first four races were in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Australia, and Italy. There is another race in Italy on September 11, 2022.

With the addition of the race in Miami this season, there are now two races in the United States. The other U.S. race is in Austin, Texas, on October 23, 2022.

In Formula 1 racing, there are 20 (male) drivers, none of whom is from the United States. There are 10 teams with two drivers on each team.

Formula 1 racing is the only sport that I actively follow.

Mother's Day At Mom's Home

May 8, 2022 -  My wife and I visited my mother for a bit of confections on Mother's Day. Mom's boyfriend was there, too. My mother made the cheesecake using her Aunt Laura's recipe.

May 8, 2022 -  My mother made this cheesecake using her Aunt Laura's recipe.  While I do not enjoy cheesecake all that much, this one was absolutely delicious.

This afternoon, my wife and I visited my mother for a bit of confections on Mother's Day. Mom's boyfriend was there, too. 

May 8, 2022 - Here I am enjoying several sips of Kahlúa. This afternoon, my wife and I visited my mother for a bit of confections on Mother's Day. Mom's boyfriend was there, too.

"Mothers of Invention" Day

May 8, 2022 - Happy "Mothers of Invention" Day !!! The Mothers of Invention, or simply The Mothers, was Frank Zappa's band in the late 1960s into the 1970s. I am a huge Zappa fan. I attended one of his solo concerts in 1984 with my cousin Scott at The Pier, an outdoor theater in New York City. That's Zappa with the pig tails and wearing the blue-and-white dress.

Free Comic Book Day

Today (May 7, 2022) is National Free Comic Book Day.

I became a big fan of Jughead comic books (digests) in the early 1990s, when I was in my early 30s. During that time, I was writing, editing, and researching for a weekly, international magazine on the financial and technical aspects of the chemical industry, and I needed to read something simplistic for a change, so I chose Jughead.

Jughead Jones and I are very much alike. He's lazy, awkward, clumsy, and a free spirit, plus he likes to eat, especially hamburgers, and is not popular with the ladies. He is just kind of ... "there," being somewhat superfluous.

I have been a fan of Jughead since I was a kid in the 1960s. I enjoyed the comic strips, which I still do, and The Archies Show cartoon TV series that aired for one season in 1968.

National Paste Up Day

Today (May 7, 2022) 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.

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 (Exacto) Knives. Both: Ouch !!!

The first time I did paste up was in 1982, when I started as a writer and paste-up guy with The Villanovan, the student newspaper of Villanova University. After graduating in December 1984 with a bachelor's degree in communications with a French minor, I then earned a master's degree in journalism from the University of Missouri in Columbia 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 writer, editor, and researcher for an international, weekly magazine on 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 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.)

Cardiac Rehab: Day 4

Cardiac Rehabilitation, Day 4:

8:30 a.m., Friday, May 6, 2022
(one hour, every Wednesday and Friday)

Exercise:
5 reps, 5 minutes each - seated stepper with moving arm handles
1 rep, 3 minutes - recumbent bicycle

Blood-Glucose Levels (mg/dL):
Before: 228
After: 167

Vital Signs:
Blood Pressure (before): 108/62
Blood-Oxygen Level (percent): 98
EKG Monitoring: good

Date of Quadruple Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery: March 9, 2022

National Hoagie Day

My favorite is turkey and provolone cheese with mustard and mayonnaise with a dusting of ground black pepper. I will sometimes add pickled jalapeño peppers or pickled banana peppers.

Women Prefer Wealthy Men

May 4, 2022 - Here is something I found to be interesting and personal:

This newly uploaded video on YouTube analyzes a scientific experiment that proves women prefer wealthy men to low-salaried men. A group of women were shown individual photos of men. Each man had two photos of his face that were presented to the women. In the first group of photos, each man was presented as having a low-paying job. In the second group of photos, the same men were presented individually as having very high-paying occupations. Even though the men were exactly the same, women deemed the men more attractive when they were told the men had the high-paying occupations.

My point: While this is often denied by women, here is your scientific proof.

Thinking back to my single decades as a relatively poor man, I can attest that women are definitely more attracted to wealthy men. Unrelated to this video, in the mid-1990s, I read a newspaper article about a scientific study that asked women to rank professions in order of "sexiness." Doctors, lawyers, and investment bankers were ranked as the top three. My profession (journalism) was ranked second lowest on the "sexiness" scale. Men who work in public relations were ranked the lowest.

https://youtu.be/vonkKRPLZBc

National Days Today

I wonder why I never rode my bicycle to school when I was a kid in the 1960s and 1970s. To and from school, I either took the bus or I walked with Andy Flowers, the neighbor kid who constantly talked about the weather in semi-technical terms.

One of my favorite candies is chocolate-covered orange peels. They typically come in strips rather than chunks. I also like chocolate-covered marzipan.

Dinner: Fettuccine Alfredo

LMay 3, 2022 - For dinner, my wonderful wife made Fettuccine Alfredo with provolone cheese, shrimp, and green peas. She slightly sprinkled crushed red pepper flakes and seeds on top for a little spicy heat. When I enjoy it this evening and beyond, I will sprinkle on top even more red pepper flakes.

Dinner: Salmon, Asparagus

May 2, 2022 - My wonderful wife made dinner for me: baked salmon and baked asparagus. I enjoyed it with tartar sauce.

Wires Attached

I can definitely relate to this. In March 2022 in the hospital for heart surgery, I was constantly hooked up to many wires to monitor my heart, received intravenously bags of saline solution and two pints of blood, and was given nebulizer breathing treatments with a mask attached to my face. Luckily, during my current cardiac rehabilitation sessions, I am hooked up to only three wires to monitor my heart.