Richard's Journal

Susan Lynn  Richard - When I read Diane's post,  I remembered that Adam addressed the EF question a few years ago.  I was also told mine dropped after surgery.  

Here's the link,  Donna. 
https://youtu.be/pIphZGL7kyU

Kath Duggan  Thanks for posting….I never understood this number. Now my numbers worry me but at least I understand them.

Richard Munson  Its easy to believe that though because lets face it, who wants ohs. Plus the old insurance co battle. Death is cheaper for them. 

Marie Myers  No. Your ejection fraction will be abbreviated as EF on your ECHO results. 55% is considered normal. 

Patty Parrish  LOL.  I am amazed that after a few days my post-surgery pain has been very low.   My friends say I must have a high tolerance for pain, but the truth is I have felt primarily discomfort rather than pain, just an achy back and itchy sore incision.   I believe I have a low tolerance because when I have fallen on my tailbone the back pain was agonizing and a toothache makes me want to die.

Richard Munson  I still think ladies are way tougher than us regarding pain. My wife missed a couple of days  of work after breast cancer surgery. She would drive from radiation to work. I would be in a hospital bed. After todays dog walk she complained her ankle hurt. I said she was not limping and she said not in front of you i won’t. Tough as nails. 

Richard Munson  On this afternoons walk i might give her a little kick in the ankle and see if she flinches. Just kidding of course, i want dinner tonight.

Richard Munson  Before my cortisone shot last week in my hip i said to the doctor don’t tell me how bad this shot is going to hurt. ( they do by the way). He said its going to hurt. I said i told you not to tell me that. He laughed but it still hurt. Better today though. 

Robert Miller  I like that last part of your initial post... I have not read any studies about pain but it seems to me it is very subjective. But even if it wasn't subjective, I think a lot also depends on each individual. The pain after OHS isn't from the bone that they cut (they don't have any nerves) but because of your rib cage being stretched out. So I would assume(!) that a lot depends on how much the rib cage was stretched (a more experienced surgeon might have to stretch less), how flexible your muscles and tissue was before surgery, etc. In my case I think I only asked once for pain meds in the hospital after my first surgery and no pain after both surgeries after I left the hospital. Do I feel/know my chest was opened? Yeah, sure, no kidding but it never was enough where I thought I need pain meds (not trying to be the tough guy). 

Greg Lewis  Robert, I can also guarantee you, that "how long" the chest is kept open, makes a huge difference in the long term pain/problems etc. 

Greg Lewis  Richard, my wife is verrry tough! Only seen her limp a few times. Leg cramps, and when she flew off the back of the treadmill...😱

Angela Meletiadis  I have a very low pain threshold. Check out my pain issues in my previous posts. I think the weather plays a part in the pain. It's getting warmer here (Greece) and I'm feeling a little better.

Robert Miller  @Greg Lewis are there any studies about this? It kind of seems logical. On the other hand, if you overstretch a muscle for 1h or 5h does it really make a difference anymore? You already overstretched it and the "damage" is done. 

Greg Lewis  Robert, I don't know about any studies, I can only say, that, after having mine open for a very long time, the doctors, and physiotherapists tell me it likely has played a roll in the pain, and cartilage issues. Having said that, I don't imagine they have many test subjects to go on, either. 
PS i dont mean like 5 hours, i mean 3 days. 🤷

Civita Fahey  Richard here is one for you. I fell one time ( happens a lot a I'm a klutz). Landed on my wrist. it swelled but didnt hurt ( by my definition) so I assumed it was fine. 6 weeks later the wrist is crooked so I decided to see what was up.. two broken bones.. needed surgery to rebreak and put it back togethers, so to answer your question maybe women have a higher pain tolerance.. IDK.. the surgeon was amazed I didnt feel a displaced fracture.. I said it hurt a little but not enough for me to think it was broken..

Robert Miller  @Gerg Lewis, you said "PS i dont mean like 5 hours, i mean 3 days." What do you mean with "3 days" I am not sure how long my first surgery lasted but I think it was close to 4h. But 3 days? 

Greg Lewis  Ya, I wrote about it, in My Story. But basically, a major complication resulted in my chest being open for 3 days, during that time there were 2 surgeries on my heart. I was unconscious for 6 to 7 days. 
They say this resulted in a very long recovery, and, so far what seems to be cartilage issues. 
It will get better, just taking some time. They did a lot to me, but it saved my life! You just never know what life will hand you. 

Richard Munson  Not sure what all my fellow heart valve warriors have at their doctors office but in my case, i have a portal i can access that displays a number of different headings such as future appointments, blood work results and helpful in my case is a detailed result page of my recent echo. If you know what to look for, it allows you to pick out questions to ask the cardiologist such as : status of mitral valve repair, aneurism size, etc. 

Rose Madura  You are very well prepared Richard. We have a similar portal called My Chart. It's very helpful. I trust that your echo was fine.

Timothy Andre  Good luck Richard! We are similar, they look at me weird when I question everything I'm told
I just had an allergist try to put me on asthma medicine when I went in to see if I was allergic to bees! Lol
Once the doctor heard I used to smoke I think she had her mind made up. I literally sprint on the treadmill 5 days a week and have had many doctors listen to my heart/lungs in the past year. Not one of them mentioned anything about my lungs. And, I breath just fine with no issues, even after exertion. Advocate for yourself always!
Keep us updated

Richard Munson  Plus i have a list of questions written down. “ hide, here he comes”. Bringing along wife for first time for protection.

Robert Miller  I can understand that they don't like recording and as a result get reserved and very careful with their answers. They have to  deal with lawsuits and while many doctor have very expensive insurance against lawsuits it still takes a lot of their time when it happens. You might not have any such intention but... complicated subject but I can understand your cardiologist. 

For my appointments with a surgeon I also come in with a list of questions. For the longer answers I write down what they are saying. For the rest (where I got the answer I expected or where it's easy to remember) I do it right after the appointment. My second surgeon, Dr. Castro, is actually great and takes his time. When I come in with my list I first go by memory. At the end when I wanted to double check my list to check if I got everything, he asked me to go through all the questions I wrote down (again) just to make sure we addressed everything. Before  my second surgery I also saw another surgeon. Well, I first saw his knowledgeable assistant who explained most of the things. Then the doctor came to address other questions but he avoided pretty much all questions (we don't know,  we find out during surgery, not enough research, etc). It was a waste of time (and insurance money). So how tries to answer questions makes a big difference. 

Richard Munson  Well, i had a 2 fer. Cardiologist and hip/ bursa injection after,  ugh. That hurts going in. They do it ultrasound to guide the needle while i watched the screen. Did not pass out however. Victory. Lots of heart news but a recap. Mitral valve looks great, ascending aneurism is 4.1 still and unknown to me before is even better because i am freak size. Bigger folks can have larger size and not as serious. Next echo one year. Now the really good news as life is a compromise including health. No a fib incidents after one year wearing the implant soooo, stopping elliquis completely, going back to baby aspirin, staying on metropolol and keeping the implant for another year. All in all a good day to celebrate tomorrows birthday party. Yuck, 81. 

Rose Madura  Great news Richard. I know you've wanted to get off Eliquis.  And.... Happy Birthday 🎂🎉🎂🎂🎂

Richard Munson  Thanks all. For anyone contemplating a steroid shot in their hip bursa sack. Its not pretty but now a few hours later it feels great. One forgets the pain of entry since the last one. 

Richard Munson  Yes rose, no elliquis so time will tell. It is a med to eliminate stroke after a fib so yes, its a gamble to some degree if i have another a fib incident but its playing the odds. Cardiologist will continue to monitor the implant in case i have one. Nancy sat with me and took notes. He said i had one spike over the year but it was not a fib so no clue. I said it might have been a scantily clad woman i looked at on line. He laughed, nancy did not. No sense of humor. Of course we were all masked.

Rose Madura  My Richard has had five Afib attacks in a years time and is currently taking Eliquis and Metoprolol. He's having an echo and stress test next week.....

Richard Munson  Keep in mind i had mitral valve surgery and the maze procedure as well. I assume he has not. Has he had ablation? 

Greg Lewis  Good for you, Richard! And happy birthday!! I have been off of blood thinners for months now, after the afib and heart failure. Just on beta blocker, like you. It's ALL a gamble, my friend!  No guarantees on this ride. But I do know, I hated the anticoagulants! 
I am happy for your great day!!

jonette kruk  Absolutely! I am all about being my own advocate, and to date, I have not disappointed myself and have actually thanked myself several times. There is nothing wrong with asking zillions of questions. They are the experts, we want to be educated by them, share the knowledge docs! :) 

Susan Lynn  Woo-hoo! Glad to hear that it all appears to be good! Your heart is in great condition and your sense of humor remains intact!

Kimberly Eisenhut  LOL!!! Good one about the light bulb!
My aneurysm is also at 4.1 and staying same for past few years. Just try not to lift super heavy objects is all I was told, so I am sure it is fine No shoveling Richard! Good to see your results look good

Kimberly Eisenhut  Richard, of course we all want to get to be 80!!! You have a beautiful home, wife and that amazing dog! Oh, and lets not forget the rest of your beautiful family! Not to mention how much you mean to all of us here!

Greg Lewis  Nice to hear your heart is thumpin along! How are you making out? I haven't been on here much lately. Got some stuff going on.  Good job with the light. Work smarter, not harder...lol

Ana Brusso  Hi Richard, I’m afraid that beautiful city will never be the same again. I hope I’m wrong. We left right on time. It’s been managed very poorly and they keep voting for the same kind of people. 

Richard Munson  You are correct. One can only guess at the loss of business that must occur due to ordinary folks like us choosing other options. The inmates are running the asylum. 

Deena Elani  Richard, you leave a (good) footprint everywhere you go.  I bet you made your roomie smile many times.  

Deena Elani  I bet the nurses weren't used to anyone singing any type of song after heart surgery.  You know how to cheer yourself up.  Special talent, Richard!

Ana Brusso  Wow Richard, two years………..awesome. God is good. So glad you found us and are keeping us laughing now for two years. God bless dear, dear friend. 🙏❤️👍🎉🎊🥂🍾❤️❤️❤️🙏🙏🙏

Rose Madura  Well, that was a very nice gesture. It was nice of him to think of you. Congratulations on your anniversary!

Cathy Byrne  That’s so cool. My Mt Sinai roomie and I text at least once week. Having her as a roomie made the whole experience a bit more fun. 

Susan Lynn  Happy Second Anniversary, Richard! You have certainly brightened our lives and made us laugh (many times) since then!!! You're a ray of sunshine! Wishing you many, many future celebrations!

Ginny Turner  Richard, a belated Happy 2nd Anniversary! I've been awol on the site lately due to a crazy schedule but hope to get back in the groove!

Marie Myers  I agree with sympathy towards the patients awaiting surgery. But is not safe for nurses or patients when nurses are forced to care for too many patients at one time. Having 2-3 critical ICU patients , or 10 emergency room patients is not a safe thing for patients. It is a bad situation all around…Nursing is a tough job with bad hours, and we just don’t have enough people willing to do it. I get dozens of job offers every day in my email… Sad and scary…

Richard Munson  I know, i hesitated writing about it because i am a nurse lover for sure and i do not want uncle sam stepping in for every strike like they did to avert a train strike but when peoples lives are at stake. I only know about the heart surgeries, there are no doubt others like cancer, etc not being performed. Its like a hostage situation. I agree sad and scary. 

Danielle Elizabeth  I was wondering how  everyone felt about this. I am a nurse assistant, but I cannot imagine a nurse having more than 6 patients. A nurses work is difficult and non-stop even at normal staffing. 

Ana Brusso  We all agree that nurse’s job is hard and sometimes unappreciated. I heard here in California the minimum wage for restaurants and coffee shops staff went up, but EMTs wages remained the same and is less. They are quitting in high numbers. Let’s pray for a quick and fair settlement for New York nurses and all medical staff and first responders. 🙏❤️

Richard Munson  Tough situation. Chances are the hospital rates will not be going down anytime soon. My nurses at mgh were fabulous and very knowledgeable. Not sure why health care professionals are quitting in high numbers but hope its not the national trend of i’d rather stay home in my pajamas. Yes, i was in the grocery store this week and there was a person shopping in their pajamas. I just kept my unfiltered mouth shut but thought about a few great comments on the tip of my tongue. I must be too old. 80 and still working.

Steven Methot  Me too.  My sister is a nurse and they don't get anywhere near the recognition nor the remuneration they deserve.

Richard Munson  In many cases i have received better info from a nurse than a doctor. They might see more being in the trenches every day.

Richard Munson  Yup, i could not have posted after my ohs for a few days but i did not know about you guys till i got home. My loss for sure. I would have been better prepared.

Amy Berger  I’ve been praying for Mindi too and checking for her update every day. Richard I also look forward to reading your posts everyday - love your humor and also your genuine concern for others - thanks!

Klara Čičić  That is good to know, good advice for those having surgery. Last thing you want is slip and fall after ohs. Or ever. 

Richard Munson  Yup, i suggested meals in the tub and nancy reverted to a religious connotation about hell freezing over.

Rose Madura  Thanks for the tip Richard. Nancy is a hoot!  If you think of it, let us know how you like the may after using it regularly for about a month...

Richard Munson  I actually have used it for a month, just got around to posting it. Comes in a couple of colors. I chose tan. It was also a little wide for my tub but i trimmed it easily with scissors. And also cut a hole in it for the drain. I can be pretty picky but i love it. I especially found it handy after my eye surgery as they warn about soap in the eye so i am less steady on my feet with an eye closed. My tub has a non skid coating but it is not the best. Plus i have no hand holds as our tub surround is granite tiles with a glass door entrance. A more secure feeling. 

Greg Lewis  Thanks, Richard. I have almost killed myself getting in our tub more than once! More grip would be nice! ...I got my BBQ in there now. It was a bitch to get in there! I went with a 'lid toward the shower' set up. .. handy when the meat is still frozen! 😂

Richard Munson  Amy, your big day is approaching, a week after mine 2 years ago. You will be great. Make no mistake about it however, it will play a big role in your mind in the days ahead. Unless you pig out on jack daniels. For me, it was always the elephant in the room starting about 2 months prior too and that elephant got bigger as it got closer. Yes, i tried to get back in my wife's car as she dropped me off but she locked the doors and drove away during covid, ( she never heard the word i called her or saw my hand gesture ( our secret ) yes, when they called my name in the waiting room i hesitated raising my hand, and yes i asked the anesthesiologist while he was inserting the iv if i could leave. ( he said no by the way). How cold.  Safe to say, i had it, so far so good, i wish you nothing but the best and hope after surgery you become a regular like me. What an array of wonderful people that i feel i know better than some folks i see in person. 

Richard Munson  Afterthought: i have the greatest wife any man could ask for and she was incredible after the surgery, before , not so much. She even stopped by the side of the road on the way home as lasix they give you can cause “ i’m gonna go right now sweetheart” . She said i would be arrested and put on a watch list but it never happened.  To this day she mentions it to people and cringes. I told her then, i did it all the time after a beer nite. Her answer was, but its daylight. Oh well. 

Greg Lewis  Richard, yours and all humor that makes us smile is exactly what the doctor ordered my friend!! I agree with you! Look forward to reading every word you post! 
So. If you ever decide you want to venture out here, you can certainly stay here!  
Am In Calgary today. Went to my Sister's party last night. I behaved, though (what a strange thing, this behaving on New Years! 😁) no drinking on these meds. But I feel great. 😂 I don't think my Sister is having the same morning experience...ouch 🤢

Happy New Years to all!! 🥳🥳❤️‍🩹✌️⛄️🇨🇦🇨🇦

Greg Lewis  Ohhhh Lasix. What a drug! Made the mistake of taking it later in the evening, once,..I repeat.. Once!!    I also say, stop...gotta go! ..." can it wait"  to which I say...hahaha ha... no.  😶‍🌫️

Mindi Wieseman  I don't even have to go on YouTube to watch Dean Martin Roasts to find the humor I need to get through the Big Wait! It's right here! Richard, I will hold your warmth and humor close to my heart, all the way through surgery and recovery

Ana Brusso  Agree with Mindi, Richard has been our humorist for a long time here on this site and his humor is totally a welcome remedy for us. He was joined by Howard for a while and now he has a new comedy partner, Greg. You guys have no idea how welcome your humor is and I totally appreciate it. Keep it up. Thank you and blessings, good health and much love. 

Leona Resch  Richard you have made me me Laugh and smile from when I first joined this group pre- surgery. Now 11 days post, you are doing the same!! Bravo!!👏👏

Susan Lynn  Richard - You certainly have been the HVS comic and have reminded many of the folks in the waiting room and in recovery that there's always room for a little humor. Happy New Year! Thanks for the laughter!

Deena Elani  Richard and Greg, better than the Sunday comics strips. What gifts to make us smile and laugh so. Thank you.

Richard Munson  Well greg i just listened to an old sgt preston of the yukon tape from the radio with his dog king arresting the bad guys in a place called skagway. Near you perhaps? Is that a town named after ugly people? That may no longer be politically correct.

Richard Munson  Wow, mindi dean martin roasts. Funny stuff. Sadly perhaps all dead. Dean used to sing a song parody from a great movie i forget the name but it went like this. “ our love affair was a wondrous thing, until she noticed my wedding ring” that cracked me up. I loved him.

Donna Casaletto  I’ve been on lasix since June and it has made a tremendous difference. Was anyone else prescribed Lasix prior to surgery? 

Rose Madura  You guys are great as are all the people in this site.  It's good to bring a little levity into the serious business of heart valve surgery.  Keep it coming!! 😂😂

Mindi Wieseman  I don't remember that DM song, Richard...that's funny. My favorites were the Man or Woman of the Week episodes...Don Rickles and many more. Let us all laugh between the scary times! 😂😂😟😂😂

Greg Lewis  Richard, I think your good 👍 you can call someone a skag. 👍 As long as they're tied to the bottom of the boat. Apparently they keep it from tipping. 😂 so you won't be canceled for treating someone unkindly.  Lol

Greg Lewis  Skagway, however is nowhere near here. It is in the US.  Alaska.  Much North. Cold 🥶 too cold for mooses!  think gold rush. I think maybe Skagway is where people had to carry all their stuff up a mountain, then leave it there, and go back down for more. If anyone messed with your stuff, you could shoot em!  
I think that's the place. 

Richard Munson  Nice to hear the skagway feedback. Anyway, on king, on you huskies sponsored by quaker puffed wheat and rice shoot from guns. Those were the days with a little toy in each box. Probably made in the usa. 

Patsy Stewart  Richard, I look forward to your 2023 antics. It wouldn't be the same without your deep, comedy thinking. .... and having Greg as your right hand man in case you leave something out. Lol!! Keep at it, boys!! 
Donna, I was on lasix for several years before surgery and I'm still on it. Much like Richard, when it hits, you better be pulling the car over! This might be TMI, but one day, in the Walmart parking lot, l found an empty McDonald's cup and a blanket to cover myself.... need I say more?! At least I had been parked over in the garden center area and not right up in the main entrance.  It liberated me and I don't sit in the car and suffer anymore. One click of a button on Amazon, and I had myself hooked up with a tool for emergency use in the car. One time, my son CARRIED me into the library because I couldn't walk. What an adventure I've been on these last few years! Pride & dignity has about went out the window. Thank God for blankets, McDonald cups and urnials!! 

Richard Munson  Love the mcdonalds cup story patsy. Fortunately we guys have an easier go by the side of the road ability. Was that cup a small, medium or large?  Is there a giant economy size ? TMI for sure. I have a “ i love to pee outside “ t shirt i wear at car shows that people seem to like. I promise not to pose in it for this site. 

Brady Busch  Richard,I grow fruit and really like to have a few of those T-shirts,for some members on a forum.There is even a topic someone started about using urine as fertilizer.Apparently,it is fairly high in nitrogen.I'll admit,I have discretely done it a little,but mostly collect some in plastic jugs.

Richard Munson  I think urea is made from urine brady but now when i buy fruit in the store i’m looking for a non human urine sticker. I sometimes wonder about the crop pickers they bring into the country. Do they use a mcdonalds cup ? I think not. You can buy those t shirts on line from amazon actually. Google i love to pee outside t shirt. 

Brady Busch  There actually is a professional orchardist on that forum,that takes care of rich people's trees,in New York.He uses,endorses and stores it in gas cans.I told him to watch out and not to pour the stuff in his chainsaw.
I did look online and there are many different designs.

Greg Lewis  Some of the guys would pee on the steam pipes at the plant where I worked! For a joke, because man would that stink! They needed cups too!  

Marie Myers  Wise choice, my Richard. Shingles in the eye can lead to blindness. Shingles on the body can lead to chronic pain, so vaccination is a great idea. I had a really sore arm from it, also…

Tom Everson  Good idea.  Next year Medicare / Govt  will cover the cost of the shots. I had shingles a year ago ( chest). Not something I want again.  Happy New Year

Richard Munson  Thanks for the feedback, sounds like i made a wise choice. Shingles is no joke.  Medicare covered it although i had a co pay. I should have called up my local roofing company. Might have been cheaper. Whod a thunk that chicken pox causes this. 

Greg Lewis  Ya, Richard, I hear ya! I went and got mine after my buddy told me how bad his shingles were! He said he could only wear a silk shirt, and he had shingles on one side.  Could only lay on the other side. 
He said his granddaughter asked him why his shirt only had one sleeve. I asked why he didn't get a new shirt..🤣

Greg Lewis  Our shingle vaccines here, cost us like 800 bucks, for me and Diana. No idea why they aren't covered. 

Richard Munson  That’s a lot for a country that touts free health care. They might think shingles means a new roof.

Richard Munson  Well, i found a polish hen in my bathroom so i called 911. They asked what it was doing and i said the polka.

Patsy Stewart  Richard, don’t you dare go getting all serious on us in ‘23!! Although, I don’t see that happening at all. Lol! 
Sybil is still in the bathroom, but she hasn’t done the polka yet. 😂She’s a much better guest than the new puppy we just got a few days ago. Those teeth are razor sharp when he slips up on you and nabs you on the ankle or toes!! He’s an Australian/German Shepherd mix. 4-6 weeks old and so cute! He’s supposed to be a farm dog, but he’s all dressed up like Santa and on a Walmart run right now. 

Richard Munson  Puppies rock patsy although i am hoping shadow finally enters adulthood. No more cuts and bruises for awhile

Klara Čičić  I am glad everything is going well, Rich. I certainly hope to live that long to need a cataract surgery, would be very happy if that day comes. 

Cheryl Mann  Good news!  I am sure shadow will be glad to hear it too.  Hopefully you can enjoy some walking before the weather gets super cold?

Richard Munson  Yes, great to get back on the trail. Deena, not sure nancy is ever happy but we can only hope. She retired in march and aside from driving me crazy, the young woman (64) that took over her job as the head of her agency was found dead at her desk this week. I’m thinking it could be a stroke but you never know. Its why we enjoy every moment of the time we have on this earth. 

Ana Brusso  Oh Richard, glad you are doing well after cataract surgery. Sorry to hear that awful news about that lady at Nancy’s old job. May she Rest In Peace. Continued good health dear friend and glad you and Shadow are walking together again. God bless you 🙏❤️👍

Richard Munson  Yes robert. Good to be back walking but one forgets the challenges out there from my fellow dog walkers. Loose dogs, leashes 90 feet long etc etc. shadow loves other dogs but can go a little crazy and the fear of tangling me up and dumping me exists. Cassie on the other hand hated other dogs and her menacing growl kept dog walkers away which was good. Lots of inconsiderate people out there. I never blame the dogs.

Greg Lewis  Richard, after the valve job, first heart operation, something was wrong, and to limit the trauma of closing, and then having to open you up again, they keep your chest open. Wide open. Like surgery open.😬 With a kind of saran wrap stuff there. It took 3 days to find the problem. I was wheeled back to Diana twice, thinking i was getting better. Then they operated a second time on my heart, and did an emergency CABG. They even woke me up once, because i had been under so long. But i tried to stand up (apparently) so they knocked me out again. After the second op it took another 3 days to wake up. 
The second time the wrap was see through. I asked Diana if she looked inside. She said only for a second...i asked what she saw in there..."Nothing. ..cold and empty." 😂

Ana Brusso  Funny Greg, what a trip you went through with your surgeries, and you still have your sense of humor. Wow God wanted you in our world. 

Greg Lewis  Thankyou Ana. That means more than you know. 
I think my head is gonna start leaking. Have a good night!

Greg Lewis   I am very lucky to be here. A lot of people worked night, and day to get me here. They take that on, emotionally for all of us. I saw it in their faces. Something i dont take lightly, and am eternally grateful for!

Richard Munson  We are all lucky to have you here. I enjoy reading your posts. Having your chest open for 3 days sounds incredible. Easier to eat i suppose. We just had a snow squall and they called it an alberta clipper. Can we thank you for it?

Greg Lewis  Hahaha.."easier to eat! " 😂😂
Alberta clipper eh? Never heard that before. You may not thank me for that! I am afraid I aint got that kind of power! If i did, it would be +30 in the shade!

I worked with a guy once that was a devout Catholic. When somebody would barge into the control room, angry, yelling " jeeesus chuurist" he would calmly look up, and reply " oh no please, just call me Ron. " 😁

Susan Eckermann  Wow! That is just incredible. I agree with Ana. God wanted you in this world! What am amazing recovery you are making, Greg! I recently read the notes from my surgery and found I was on bypass quite a long time, and read the different things the team did to try to get a good repair on my valve. It creeped me out in a way, but I kept going back to it, reading the notes, and feeling overwhelming gratitude for my surgeon and the entire surgical team. So thankful for these miracles.

Greg Lewis  Thanks all. It was just  a nice long sleep, with the craziest real dreams. 
Dont remember them waking me up during it. 
I tried reading my surgery report. Didnt understand a word, really. The only report i have is from my wife.
When they did get me to wake up, they asked me if i knew where i was. I said " of course i do! CALGARY!" they said ummm nope... go back to sleep. 😆

Klara Čičić  Yeah, Dino is a national icon. Very respected here, a synonim for basketball. Don't know if you've heard of Drazen Petrovic. He was a Mozart of basketball and died in a car crash very young. It is a wound that will never heal for us. You might remember him. My husband watches NBA, there are some good Croatian players out there, Bojan Bogdanovic most prominent maybe. But soccer is a opium that makes people go crazy🙈 I still struggle with a question why is that so! 

Richard Munson  I think basketball is just coming late to croatia. Did not know drazen  was dead. I think i read dino dumped his wife and kid for a pretty face but we can all be weak. 

Richard Munson  Wow, greg, but i was thinking more like a 2 legged eye drop installer. I would conduct an in person interview of course with very strict qualifications. The womans lib patients must be cringing at our posts. Its all in fun of course or my dearly beloved wife would punch me in the eye. Looks like my other eye may be repaired in early january. Had to move upstairs for now as shadow keeps trying to lick my face. 

Greg Lewis  All in fun, my friend, of course!! I just like humor!! So glad to hear its going good!! But...i would consider the glasses! Pretty spiffy!! 😂

Greg Lewis  There was this guy from where i grew up, and he was driving down the road one day. Three neighbor ladys came walking down the road, each had a broom in their hand. He pulled over, and said " out for a ride are we, ladies? " 😂😂

Klara Čičić  Richard, I am glad all went fine. I am currently eye drop installer for all of us  (kindergarten infectious viral conjunctivitis) 😁

Richard Munson  Greg, funny witch story. Our dog trainer is a certified witch, true story. My neighbor ( don’t advertise this) looks like a witch. She puts out her american flag out every morning and i secretly call her the flag hag. My evil side.

Richard Munson  Klara, i think conjunctivitis can be super contagious. Looks like croatia is still rocking on the soccer field, sorry football. My son played it in high school to keep in shape for basketball. 

Ana Brusso  So good to hear everything went well dear Richard. Continued good health and recovery. I enjoy both you and Greg going at it and making me laugh. Whatever happened to your old partner of comedy?klara can’t imagine what you are going thru (respect!).love you guys🙏❤️🤗🥰

Klara Čičić  Rovinj is beautiful. I used to spent my summers there, back when I was young 😆 Rovinj is on the  Istria peninsula which is Croatian little Toscany. Arguably the most beautiful part of our country.