New & Improved

So yes, I’ve been gone for a while and I owe you some kind of explanation. It turns out I was born with a wonky heart valve. This was news to me – it had never been mentioned before my rounds of various doctors here on the East Coast. It does explain a lifetime of low blood pressure and my complete lack of interest in anything remotely cardio (definitely not a jogger).

The cardiologist announced that the wonkiness had progressed to the point that the only solution was a valve replacement and this would require open heart surgery. I replied that this wasn’t on my Bucket List. It may shock you as much as it did me that this argument carries absolutely no weight with the medical establishment. sigh

On Feb 1 they opened me up and installed a metal aortic valve. My great hope, apart from actually being able to get some exercise again, is that some (OK at least one) superpowers will manifest. After all, if magical things can happen after a spider bite then I think I deserve some new talents.

The whole process and its aftermath have been relatively smooth. This, it must be noted, is in spite of what is perceived to be my unrelenting stubbornness (I don’t see it myself) and entirely thanks to the amazing team at the Heart Centre of Saint John Regional Hospital, my friends (there isn’t room to name them all but a special shout out to Ahuva, Stanley, Norm, and Ana), and the medical staff both here on the Island and those willing to visit from the mainland.

The worst part about it is the length of time needed to recover. For the first 6 weeks you can’t lift more than 5 pounds, you can’t use your arms to brace yourself and scooting isn’t possible on my pillow top mattress so I sleep on the couch to avoid imitating a beetle stuck on its back, I’m not allowed to drive, and the vacuum cleaner is off limits.

My reputed stubbornness is matched by that of my cats who think that me on the couch is an open invitation to sleep on my chest. We’ve had some discussions. I’ll move onto Phase II in a couple of weeks and eventually (just in time for warmer weather I hope) be able to operate normally.

For obvious reasons I can’t wander around the Island taking photos. I don’t have the energy to be honest, even if wandering was on my list of acceptable activities.

I took the above photo before I left of the work I told you about dismantling the old wharf in my Cove. I assumed that by the time I returned it would all be done. Ha!

The weather has not been terribly cooperative – the winds have been howling for days. There have also been a few glitches. One of those big orange machines was parked at exactly the wrong place on the hill, slid backwards down into the water, and wound up with a motor as useful as a bricked cell phone.

I know of two other teensy tiny unfortunate blips in the otherwise smooth progress of the project. The first occurred when they parked the ferry (yes that blue barge is the ferry which might eventually run between here and Deer Island again) next to the Jackson Breakwater.  The surface of the Breakwater now looks like photos of a road just before the sink hole fully opens. I’ve heard estimates of $100K to repair the damage.

The other obvious problem involved all the logs and bits of wood which don’t wind up on dry land. There is a lot of large litter falling into the Cove which is then swept out by the tides into the Bay. This is going to make the Fishermen and other boaters a trifle annoyed.

I’ll update you when the work is finally complete and if anything else exciting happens. Regular posting will return when I can actually get out and about and when I can stay awake long enough to accomplish something. Right now I’m going to have a nap. 🙂