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Good news!  I came home on Day 2 -- Thursday evening!  You're on the "fast track," Dan the physical therapist told me.  When I voiced concern to the case manager, I was told, "Don't worry, we won't kick you out of the hotel Baptist."  My doctor's nurse stopped in and suggest that I wait to see how I feel on Thursday.  Sure enough, I woke ready to go, especially knowing that I could spend the whole day at the hospital before Gary picked me up at 5:30pm.  It's all the physical therapy I had pre-op.  And the great care I received at New England Baptist.

Now, I'm sitting at my computer looking out to a snow-filled sky and wintry marsh.  The full moon high tide over the weekend covered the marsh and one of the local great blue herons was standing just a few feet from our kayak yesterday afternoon, surrounded by winter ducks -- all fishing for food in the shallow waters.  Looks kinda like this shot below, minus the birds!

Before surgery, I had been thinking of going to rehab as a great jump start to recovery, yet when the different nurses, physical therapist and case manager all commented on my strength relative to their other patients, I realized that going home would be the better option.  Especially when I thought about the fact that I wouldn't have a private room and more importantly...the risk of INFECTION!!!

NEB has a low infection rate.  First, they do not have sick patients, it's all elective surgery and no emergency room/trauma.  So they keep the infections out.  Then, they alter procedures to reduce the risk of infection.  For instance, I don't have stitches. I've been glued together and tomorrow I take off my bandages and that's it.  Just supposed to leave it dry and open to the air.  Guess they'd rather see me come unglued at home than get an infection in the hospital when the stitches are removed.

Another post-op highlight:  I walked around the middle school track one time yesterday!!!  Gary says it's a 1/4 mile...maybe.  Whatever it is, it feels good.  I felt it this morning more than yesterday, so I went for a shorter walk on our street before it started snowing.