A Big Thank You to Dr. Aubrey Claudius Galloway
It seems like only yesterday, but seven years ago today I had quadruple bypass surgery under the skilled hands of New York University Medical Center's Dr. Aubrey Claudius Gallloway.
Since then, our firm has imported 4.732 cases of Romorantin, 3,272 cases of Pineau d'Aunis, 338 cases of Grignolino, 462 cases of Poulsard and 84,323 cases of Les Hérétiques (made from the Carignan grape in the Minervois).
The surgery was rather traumatic but things turned out well afterward. I had several spiritual revelations before, during and immediately after the surgery which have greatly changed my life. Since this is not a spiritual blog, I will not go into detail here, but readers might want to consult my spiritual blog for more information:
Discovering Our Lord and Becoming a Better Wine Importer Through Quadruple Bypass Surgery
Pictured below is the actual surgery:
I had hoped to have a live cam cast, but the NYU administration reneged on a prior commitment as I was being wheeled into the surgical theater. What a lost opportunity!
Of course, in those days we didn't have podcasts and my heart is filled with regret when I think of the marvelous podcast I could have made out of my surgery. All told, I was on the operating table for five hours and thirty-eight minutes and I would have had to find capable compression software to get the entire surgery on an IPOD, but I'm sure it could have been done without sacrificing the graphics quality.
I need to thank some people. Foremost, my wife Denyse Louis and my kids (who wish to be anonymous because there is nothing more embarassing than having a father who writes a blog) and my parents, Sam and Irene Dressner. I'd also like to thank Kevin McKenna, my partner, who kept our business running during and after my convalescence (and who wrote a bitter letter to NYU complaining about the thwarted cam cast of the surgery). I'd also like to thank my dog Buster who went out of his mind with joy when I finally returned from the hospital. Lastly, I'd like to thank Céline Mantovani, my niece in France, who took care of me in Poil Rouge as I recovered.
This is an embarrassing column to write, but try having quadruple bypass surgery and you'll see....every so often you get sentimental.
The other advantage of having had quadruple bypass surgery is that I milk my surgery for every little advantage I can get. In particular, I ask to board airplanes with passengers needing special assistance, given my heart condition, so that I can get on the flight before the teeming masses fight to get to their seats and stuff their oversized luggage into the overhead storage bins.
I'd be able to afford business class if only we sold more Poulsard.
return to: Joe Dressner The Wine Importer
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