I will need to undergo open heart surgery on January 27, to replace my aortic valve and to repair an ascending aortic aneurysm. Needless to say, the news of this came as quite a shock to me when I was told this by the Cardiologist on December 2nd. I will be taking a medical leave from my ministry as Director of Franciscan Retreats and Spirituality Center for about 7-8 weeks after the surgery.
Heart disease runs in my family; my dear Dad died of a heart attack in 1973 and my dear Mom needed angioplasty in 1986. My older brother, John, had to have by-pass surgery in 2014.
I have great confidence in my surgeon, Dr. Karol Mudy and the rest of the care team at Abbott-Northwestern. Due to Covid-19 restrictions I will not be allowed any visitors, for the days that I am in the hospital. I hope that I will qualify for residential Rehab for a couple of weeks after my hospital stay. I will then spend some time with my brother, Pat, and sister-in-law, Joyce, at their home in Mahtomedi.
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