As many of you may know, I had open-heart surgery on Monday, September 21st, and spent 19 days in the St. Cloud Hospital. I’m certainly glad that chapter is behind me, and I’m really looking forward to getting back to work by the end of the month.
I’ll spare you the gritty details of the surgery and hospital stay. What I truly want to share is how this experience restored my faith in humanity. With all the noise and division in today’s world, the last few weeks gave me the chance to meet some truly incredible people. There are still so many good, caring souls out there.
If you know me, you know I love people and I love hearing their stories. I had a lot of doctors and nurses, and I made a point to ask almost every single one of them about themselves: How long have you been a nurse? Why did you choose this field? Do you have a family? What do you do for fun?
It was fascinating to hear their answers. The diversity was amazing—nurses from Somalia, India, Korea, Ukraine, Mexico, and beyond, including a impressive number of men in the field. Every single one was kind and compassionate.
One wonderful nurse from Calcutta, India, stood out. She had just arrived in St. Cloud three months ago with her three children. After earning her nursing degree in Calcutta, she applied for the St. Cloud Hospital job online, got accepted, packed up her life, and moved her kids here for school. When I asked why she made such a massive leap, she looked at me and said, “I’m doing it for a better life for my kids.” Her care and compassion for me were remarkable.
Then there was Christian in the Intensive Care Unit. I was in the ICU for seven days, and Christian cared for me for three of them. He was smart, compassionate, and fantastic with my family. Plus, I liked him because he kept my pain managed—as Jim Carrey would say, “Drugs are good!” Christian explained everything in ways that were easy to digest and took great care of me.
Another ICU nurse, Courtney, offered a different kind of comfort. When the pain meds wore off, she would sit and hold my hand. In the ICU, it’s just you and your nurse—they focus entirely on your care for their 12-hour shift. When I asked about her passion, she said she chose the ICU because those patients need help the most. As we said goodbye, she told me I was the kindest patient she’d ever had—and thanked me for not biting or spitting at her like some patients do! That certainly put things in perspective.
My surgeon was equally incredible. He’s performed over 700 open-heart surgeries, and his bedside manner and skill are off the charts. The talent required to perform a procedure like that is mind-blowing. I must have thanked him and his team a hundred times.
Beyond the medical team, God is good—and my family was everything. My wife, kids, their spouses, and my grandkids were by my side constantly. Being confined to a hospital room for 19 days was a real mental battle for someone like me who can’t sit still, but my family kept my spirits up through the darkest moments.
To my friends who drove two hours to visit, thank you. My church family at Calvary Baptist in Madison, I love you all! To my coworkers, the crew covering sports broadcasts, and especially Maynard for taking on my workload on top of his own: Missy and Kris, thank you. To the area high school sports teams that sent flowers and cards, and everyone who texted or called—Roxie read every single message to me.
As a side note, I went almost three weeks without looking at my phone or social media. Honestly? It felt freeing to disconnect.
I’ve missed my job terribly—especially broadcasting football and volleyball—but I’ll be back in the booth soon. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers!
