What a week!

It’s nearly impossible to believe exactly seven days ago, my father was admitted to the hospital. Six days ago, he was in surgery for aortic valve replacement. Yesterday, he was home just in time for my parents’ 51st Anniversary. I have no doubt the marvels of modern medicine, the amazing team at NYU Langone Medical Center and the power of positive thinking made it all possible.

Needless to say, the past week was probably one of the most emotionally draining periods of my life so far. However, thanks to the support and countless prayers from an amazing network of family and friends, my parents and I knew we had a lot of good vibes working in our favor.

This week also reminded me of the importance of listening to my body in an effort to stay healthy through the stress, the fear and the sleepless nights. I did escape to the gym to release some tension, but also slept an extra 30 minutes on a couple of mornings when I knew my body needed the rest in place of strenuous activity.

Now that dad is home, his recovery continues. As a physician, he’s always known about the importance of eating a heart-healthy diet and getting regular exercise. Now that his heart has been “fixed,” I’m convinced that at 77-years-young, he’ll be stronger than he has been in a long time. That means he’ll only have more energy to put into being more active and taking care of himself.

I close this short post with a huge thank you. Whether you left a voice message; sent an encouraging email or witty text; or posted an uplifting Facebook message or tweet, your positive thoughts helped me stay strong. They kept my mom strong, too. I now look forward to watching my dad regain his own strength over the next four to six weeks. It will be great to see him get back in his groove and truly be able to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!