I am posting early this week because I am having a surgical procedure done tomorrow morning. I have had an open wound on my hip for several months, so now I have to go in to have it surgically repaired. There is also some infection on the hip bone, so that will have to be cleaned up also.
It's outpatient surgery and I will be discharged with a pic line and a wound vac. And I will be allowed to sit for only 4-6 hours a day for the next month or six weeks.

Most of you have been there. I was there 15 years ago when I needed a rotation flap on my ischium that resulted in my spending many months in bed. At that time, my wife had just left the marriage and my daughters were at college and I was truly alone.
Of course I was angry which gave way to depression which gave way to anxiety which gave way to despair. And then I felt hopeless-that this was going to be my life. Something happened after that. Alone in that room spending much of my day looking out the window at a magnificent ash tree that must be 150 years old. Everything inside got quiet and peaceful. There was no longer an ego railing at the gods, just a being laying in bed feeling part of nature-no more important and no less, just a small part of part of this universe. At the end of all of those emotions I found the quality of peace I have never experienced before.

So as I face tomorrow, I know I will feel anxious and depressed. I also know that I will feel loved and loving. The Dan Gottlieb that is going to bed tomorrow is different than he was 15 years ago, but I am not sure how. So in addition to my anxiety and sadness, I am both confident and curious. Confident that in the long run I will be okay. Very very curious about what these six weeks will be like.

All my life I have always loved just watching people. Thank goodness I have become one of the people I enjoy watching!

Please take care and I look forward to "seeing" you next week.