Happy New Year!

This is the beginning of a new year.

The only resolution I made this year is to survive the year in relatively good health.

We all hope for the best (at least better than last year). However, we need to prepare for the worse (my new email signature includes the quotation from Sun Tzu , "To rely on rustics and not prepare is the greatest of crimes; to be prepared beforehand for any contingency is the greatest of virtues.")

What normally happens though, is that things comes out somewhere in between the two extremes - thus by preparing for the worst and hoping for the best we are both delighted and disappointed. This is OK.

I have these things to look forward to this year:

1) Continued improvement to my health, including increase in hemoglobin count, and protein levels, and continued good results with dialysis.

2) Elizabeth's Birthday Party later this month, and Diana leaving to go back to school after a nice visit home.

3) Given my improved health, we are planning to have to have heart surgery after Elizabeth's birthday and Diana's departure, and not before.

4) Survive this surgery without dying.

5) Given my surviving this surgery (remove and replace aortic valve with pig valve, handle two partially blocked arteries), recover from the heart surgery which take a nominal three to six weeks.

4) Rehabilitation and regaining some semblance of a "normal" life in relatively good health.

These things might not seem like much to the ordinary person, but are a big deal to me.


Disclaimer: SORRY - This is only what I know from my point of view. No lies, just what I see as the truth.