Hello from Whiskey Creek, where the rain we had over the weekend and the mid to high 80’s sun shine we’re having this week promises to coax into bloom the last hold outs. (That same one-two punch will also cause an explosion of tasty shoots from our lawn, to the sheer joy of Gwen, Claire, Dolcee, Olive and Chelsea, all of whom are on the payroll here as turf manicurists. Unlike some grazers, llamas show the good sense and self-restraint to nibble the shoots off at optimum elevation.)
So it’s my guess that many of you reading the Welcome this morning are aware of the little adventure Lynn and I have been on in the past five or six weeks. Long story short: 1) heart goes out of sinus rhythm and heart rate spikes so rushed to ER; 2) moved into Intensive Care, administered heavy-duty IV heart-slowing drug, works a little too well, and heart flat lines for eight seconds…BUT, when the old ticker starts, it starts itself IN SINUS RHYTHM; 3) return to hospital three days later for surgical implant of heart monitor—all goes well; 4) BUT rushed back to hospital two days later after another “pause”, this one lasting fifteen seconds; 5) cardiologists agree I need a pacemaker, ASAP, as in, like yesterday, but also agree that surgery has to wait a full seven days to get most of the blood thinner out of my system; 6) Lynn and I and our two sons spend the longest week of our lives watching for the first signs of any number of bad, bad things that can go wrong with weaker and weaker blood thinning protection; 7) make it the full seven days, pacemaker implanted, end of story…HAPPY end of story.
Okay, maybe not so short, but Lord knows, it could have been longer.
Hearing from so many of my friends during this crisis has been a humbling experience, but, even more, a life-affirming one. As my two sons grew up I never let a chance go by to reinforce the notion that above all else, heart to heart connection with those around us is, in the end, the only true path to contentment. Never hurts to have a little reminder and, boy of boy, did April bring mine.
So much bluegrass happening…from all accounts a sublime spring camp out, Parkfield coming up in two weeks or so, some great bands touring through our neck of the woods and, of course, scores and scores of people busily at work putting the last details on Festival Week…the 40th Annual, the two music camps, the Old-Time Gathering and everything else that goes along with those magical seven days in the forest.