With everything prepared for my sudden surgery, I spent my Sunday answering 300 comments and reconnecting with all of you. Thank you for keeping me occupied.
Back in November, I started this struggle with my heart. For years, I consumed pain killers which were not FDA approved.
Now, I am paying the price. I don’t want anyone to feel sorry for me. I did this to myself. I only mention it so no one makes my same mistake.
My surgery (double bypass) is on Monday at 7:00 AM
Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans. — John Lennon
Life is what happens…..
Monday of last week, I posted my first poem in two months (who am i). At that moment, I was feeling good, strong, and my recovery was going well. I knew I had open heart surgery on the horizon (Sept or Oct), but things were positive.
Then, my blood pressure dropped to dangerous levels.
This week, doctors have run more tests. They confirmed two arteries in my heart are deteriorating faster than they first suspected (one being the widow maker).
We are scrambling to get insurance approval, chest X-ray, EKG, carotid ultrasound, vein mapping, COVID test, and a meeting with an anesthesia team all complete.
I will do my best to answer all comments and read as many blogs as time permits.
This most likely will be my last post for a while.
Be happy. Stay inspired.
On a different note, I have updated The Man Behind The Blog. Please, feel free to drop a note there.
dancing are rays of moonlight on the ocean dancing are your verses upon my skin goosebumps slowly transform into prima ballerinas dancing an eternal allégro a pirouette of white plumes stirring me with passion tickling every crevice in my soul
a dry leaf dances when the cool wind drags and pushes her away reminiscent of the fashion you discard my love for every time we get close ‘til our souls are almost one you become a gentle breeze softly caressing my heart then, you’re gone
Hello. I never mention these milestones, but this time I felt I should.
First, I would like to thank the three men that are following me. Never would have achieved this without you. ONLY KIDDING.
I find this achievement remarkable because after two weeks of blogging, I only had one follower Eye-Dancers. By the end of my first full month, I picked up a second follower Carrie Rubin. Thanks to them for their early encouragement.
I have been lucky to make amazing friends who have been with me since the beginning of this incredible journey. Sweet and supportive Aruna @ Roseyevening, a special writer and funny friend John at FictionFavorites, the only blogger I refer to as my sister Diane at LadiesWhoLunchReviews , and a very special gentleman across the pond Derrick at DerrickJKnight.
This post wouldn’t be possible without the generous support of friends who reblogged my work and introduced me to so many wonderful people. John at ByTheMightyMumford, Chuck at TheReluctantPoet, John at JohnCoyote, Jack at HaveWeHadHelp, and Ian at AceNewsServices. They have all played a great part in my success.
When I started blogging, this corner was dedicated to novel and screen writing and humor. Then, I started reading poetry…..
Sadly, the poets that inspired me to start writing poetry are gone and only one remains. Let me tell you, she inspires me today just as she did four and a half years ago. Her work remains fresh, brilliant, and inspiring. Please stop by and visit Holly at HouseofHeart. She may kill me for this, but Holly is the only blogger who ever inspired me to write about her hair TheBeautifulRedhead.
I would like to thank you for your support, friendship, and the laughs. It has been an unforgettable journey. Hopefully, you will stay with me as I continue my trek to publication, dare I say, and find love along the way.
Just wanted to get in touch with you to let you know I am recovering slowly, getting plenty of rest. Thank you so much for your kind messages and prayers.
That is the view from my balcony. I have sat there watching sunsets and getting fresh air.
My daughter Catherine came down to Florida the day before my procedure. She surprised me with a special guest Ally. They have been cooking, cleaning and driving me crazy, I meant driving me around. Doing their best to give me a strong dose of laugh therapy.
On Sunday, they surprised me taking me to dinner for an early Father’s Day celebration (since they won’t be here for the actual day). Don’t worry, I drank water.
I am a very lucky man. A few ex-girlfriends from New York offered to come down to take care of me. Felt some stress imagining all these exes in my apartment. The fighting, the hairing pulling, the screaming.
I already get enough of that wrestling over the remote control with my daughter.
Oh, speaking of remote control.
Catherine and Ally promised me a Twilight marathon this week.
It seems like cruel and unusual punishment for a man in recovery.
Soon to start seven weeks of heart strengthening therapy.
Plowing through messages, emails, texts, as I receive tons of phone calls. I have prepped myself and fridge for my recovery after Tuesday’s procedure. Sorry if I am late getting to your blog posts and replies.
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Behind every great man…..blah, blah, blah.
Never liked that quote. If he is a great man, he would have his woman beside him and sometimes leading the way.
That has been my personal experience.
During the past 6 months of uncertainty, there were lonely nights. Days of feeling unloved. Nights where I swore to never write another line of poetry. Moments in the darkness asking God to have mercy and let me breathe my final breath.
Every one of these moments was met with a message from an amazing lady of WordPress expressing their caring thoughts. Little did these women know, they rejuvenated my heart, breathed oxygen into my lungs, and literally lifted me up by my collar.
They kept me going, even when I was trapped on the island in desperate need of this heart procedure. (By the way, the island extended the state of emergency another 25 days, I would have been trapped until late June).
Some of these wonderful ladies prefer to remain unnamed, so I will refrain from thanking them here. This song is dedicated to these women who REFUSED to let me quit. I am a better man because of them.
Tonight, I feel so blessed. During this sad period of pandemic, when the world was shutting its doors, the special ladies opened their hearts.
For my newer followers wondering about my choice of image for this post, ask my long time followers; they will explain.
“Everyone has ocean’s to fly, if they have the heart to do it. Is it reckless? Maybe. But what do dreams know of boundaries?” – Amelia Earhart, aviation pioneer, author, the first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.
a vagabond in love
i am a dreamer a lonely beachcomber wearing poetry on my sleeve longing to accompany the morning sun through the windows of your most intimate dreams aching to explore the lines of your palm roam the curves of your ripped jeans and should our paths never meet i will always be a vagabond in love remembering your soul wandering every cherished memory
you know me i am the mystery of a secret the bad boy you recognize but have never seen the lover who comes and goes through your hair disrupting your sanity i am an island breeze caressing your shivering skin blowing through your heart ever so gently like the wind
My heart procedure is in 10 days. This will be my last open comments post, so I can catch up to messages and my blog reading.
Everyone that knows me knows one of my all time favorites…….Ol’ Blue Eyes.
