Column: Dick Trail: He’s Baaack! (3/3/20) – McCook Daily Gazette

Dick Trail is recovering from heart surgery.

Courtesy photo

Well that is at least how Johnny Carson used to say it. A warrior a long time ago and the wounded was voluntary so not quite the same as a “Wounded Warrior” but your old columnist endured quite a medical procedure to get back to being among the living again.

Seems that my heart was overworking because both the major valves had bad leaks. No history of bypass or afib but the surgeon did trim the septum considerably. For the mitral valve the surgeon replaced it with one from a pig and the aortic the new one came from a cow. The road to recovery has been painful and difficult (I can stand anything but pain) but there is so much to be thankful for.

Starting the journey from home was sweet sorrow with such a large number of friends offering prayer and best wishes. Honestly I was a bit overwhelmed to know that I and my column enjoyed so many friends. Phone calls continue to Grannie Annie and I so God Bless you all too.

One thing about being laid up it has been a good time to watch the Democrats in the action of running for the office of President. It is not the Democrat Party that I knew as a youth. I served in the Air Force in combat duty successfully serving to protect our country from a Communistic country, the USRR, taking over. Now one of the front runners in the election in November will be a close cousin of the Communists. Democratic Socialist Bernie Sanders makes no sense and could be dangerous.

About the only Democratic candidate I could even consider voting for would be Tulsi Gabbard and my thinking might be a bit macho plus the fact that she is also servicing honorably in the military. She has some goofy ideas though and the “Green New Deal” would be one among them. Shut down the use of all fossil fuel in this country. Good Lord. Climate change which about every candidate has endorsed makes no sense.

Cold, hot how much either way and the impact such change would have any all have no clue. Our beloved country deserves better!

In planning class reunions and other functions for old guys we laugh at ourselves as we observe that after about a certain age all they want to do is sit around and talk about medical problems, trials and healings.

Theirs, the family’s and about everybody they’ve known in life. Right now I’m laughing at myself as there was so much that I didn’t know about current practices. Skip it if you’ve been there recently, update me if I’m wrong or open your eyes if it is in your near future.

Make a date with your surgeon and show at the hospital on time.

Well the insurance company may have their finger in it so be a bit flexible. Do the operation, stay in the hospital until you are well and go home. Close but no cigar!

Turns out that once you come out of ICU and can travel you are transported to a “rehabilitation” facility.

The one chosen for me was “Hillcrest Millard” not far from our daughter’s home in Omaha. A pretty modern facility they provide a large array of services “Enhancing the lives of aging adults. “ In my case “Post-acute Rehabilitation” which was like being in the hospital with skilled nursing care, laboratory care, lots of pills and blood draws, physical and occupational therapy and yes good food to eat also.

It will be great to be home again and back to life as normal.

That is the way I saw it.

Dick Trail