Saw my surgeon Wednesday in a building across Utopia Parkway from St. John’s U.; Shelly drove us.  He cleared me to drive!   I drove home.  

While he suggested I can go live my life I realize I need to be judicious about my activities and make rehab a priority.  VNS provided in-home rehab through Friday.  Wednesday afternoon my therapist Willie provided a cane (See pic at upper left.) that I named for him.  

My first solo drive involved a short foray midday Thursday to TD Bank to authorize a wire from my People4Peace 501c3 to The October 8 Foundation for which P4P serves as a fiscal conduit (Recommend you view The October 8  documentary.). Friday as any Gothamites who reads their Fredslist emails knows I ventured out to The Towers Cafe at North Shore Towers for an unusual open (meaning non-competes waived) breakfast meeting of Gotham Queens.  Before I got cleared to drive GQ chair Fred Morante of Minuteman Bellerose — my printer — planned to drive me; I advised Fred and group coordinator Dan Schwartz that I intended to drive over.  The next evening my Bellerose neighbor who is in Gotham’s Encore group offered a ride. I accepted in part to catch up with Amparo Connors on the short ride.  Later GQ member and fellow Bellerose civic leader Lourdes Hartrick with whom I serve on Queens Community Board 13 reached out to offer a ride as well; I thanked her but explained I was covered.

After the breakfast Shelly and returned some devices provided by my local senior center — SNAP — where I chair the board. Yesterday, we drove up to north Yonkers to visit with our son recently returned from a conference in Australia where he represented the  Guttmacher Institute. Jonathan also helped his mom order a new iPad which may arrive by the time many read this commentary.

Everyday I strive to get back to a prior self, or maybe find a new, better version.

Blogs last Sunday and the Sunday a week prior offered earlier updates following my left hip replacement surgery.