From Patrick Queen

Hi, everyone --

Some good news about Greg.

Early this morning (Wednesday, May 20), physicians at Westchester Medical Center will give Greg an LVAD: a Left Ventricular Assist Device.

From the American Heart Association:

“A left ventricular assist device (LVAD) is a battery-operated, mechanical pump-type device that's surgically implanted. It helps maintain the pumping ability of a heart that can't effectively work on its own.... This device is sometimes called a ‘bridge to transplant....’ An LVAD can help a weak heart until a transplant becomes available.”

According to Greg’s mother, Joan, his sister, Lori, and his brother, Jeff, who have been with Greg since Friday, doctors will insert the LVAD on Wednesday morning, and in measured intervals afterwards, they will wean him from the ventilator and then slowly allow him to wake up. Which means that our friend Greg may be on his cell phone this weekend laughing about what’s in the New York Post. Here’s to the twenty-first century.

My favorite LVAD story (we all have them) from Wikipedia: “... Since receiving his LVAD, Peter Houghton has completed a 91-mile charity walk, published two books, lectured widely, hiked in the Swiss Alps and the American West, flown in an ultra-light aircraft, and traveled extensively around the world.”

I’ve never heard anyone with an LVAD sing a song, and I’m looking forward to it.

More later.

-- Patrick