MUNCIE, Ind. (patriotnews.com) Rather than a clean bill of health, the doctor instead set me up for another series of doppler and echo tests on my right carotid. A week or so later, when I returned to discuss the results, I learned that I'd have to have an endarterectomy, a procedure that involves opening the carotid and removing the plaque that causes the problem.

That was quickly done, followed by about six weeks of "pain in the neck" recovery. I thought I might be over the hump for the year, but at my next visit the good doctor introduced me to another heart doctor, one who specializes in the implantation of pacemakers and defibrillators. I learned that my heart had weakened over the past year and that I was a candidate for a new instrument called a "cardioverter," consisting of an implanted instrument that records the heart's activity for regular download, and a single lead pacemaker/defibrillator.

That ws also quickly done. The procedure was a cakewalk compared to the endarterectomy and the recovery period was much faster.

All this by way of explaining my absence since early summer. The good news is that all of that's out of the way and I hope to be a little better about publishing regularly.

As always, if you'd like to seriously address anything you find on these pages, feel free to send email, subject, "Letter to the Editor," to patrioteditor@comcast.net. Your comments will be carefully considered and if meritorious will be published. We will not publish email that is hateful, disrespectful or otherwise inappropriate.

If you'd just like to  argue with me, you may catch me at the new Faded Glory Political Forum, where I am a regular.