On Thursday, January 3, 2008, after two months absence, the blogger returns to his nest at Our Lady of Victory parish.
The two months absence have been a most unusual time in this man's life. The need for the quick surgery was a complete surprise. The length of time need for the repair has been much longer than anticipated ... and even now the fullness of rehabilitation is not complete. Three days each week for the next twelve weeks there will be an hour and a half at the cardiac rehabilitation clinic at Suburban Hospital.
I cannot speak highly enough of the relatively new cardiac center at Suburban Hospital and the surgeon who performed the triple by-pass and then followed up with very regular and concerned care for me.
Likewise I cannot even begin to share with you how marvelous Msgr. Donald Essex and his staff have been for me during the seven weeks at St. Jane deChantal Parish. I was treated as if I were paying the top dollar at a resort. I will always be grateful to Molly, the parish secretary, to Sister Martha the receptionist who kept some of you from getting to see me during the early days of recovery, to Daisy who handled my laundry and kept my room in order and to Wilma who made sure that I had the correct kind of food for dinner each evening. John, the plant supervisor, always asked if there was anything I needed. Likewise, volunteers who helped in different positions were as concerned about the "recuperating priest" as the full time staff. Again, I cannot say thank you as loudly or as frequently as I could. This has been an extraordinary experience.
My return to OLV does not mean that I am returning to 24/7. There is still much care that has to be taken to guarantee the proper healing.
Now, let me express my genuine thanks to Msgr. Duffy and the priests of the parish who have covered for me so well; to Wanda, my secretary and Sheila, the principal, who did so much to make sure operations continued well and did not overburden Msgr. Duffy. And, of course, any pastor has to thank the finance team, the accountant and his assistant, for making sure that all financial matters were handled properly.
Lastly, I thank all of you for your prayers and concerns.
