DONOVAN’S LONG AWAITED FOLLOW UP

DONOVAN’S LONG AWAITED FOLLOW UP
By Jonathan Hogan
December 11, 2013 New York City  

Jonathan Hogan, a wonderful actor, musician, and friend with whom I recorded TOGETHER AGAIN, recently had knee replacement surgery. I asked him for a post-op update. I’m still laughing.

 Ow.

I went in last Tuesday, and came home Friday afternoon, kneeless. Actually, the first night wasn’t terrible – Dilaudid and nerve blocker working splendidly.

Wednesday, more drugs and remarkable success and consequent kudos with P.T. cuties. Wednesday night, however, THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN ARM – Dilaudid swapped for Oxycontin, nerve blockers un-blocked. You got your pain, you got your methamphetamine hallucinations, you got a sweaty sleepless me telling my Doctor Thursday morning, “I’ve got to get out of here, I have to go home.”

“I can’t let you go today,” he says, all Nurse Ratched. “Work some P.T. today – blood work, Doppler Test for blood clots, more blood work tomorrow, and I’ll release you (sounding like a Korean masseuse).”  

Thursday night, Nurse says “What’s that on your tray?” I say, “Foster’s Lager.” “What’s that?” “Beer”. “Is that alcohol?” “Duh”. “That’s not allowed in hospital, didn’t you know that?” “No, I’m too high on the hillbilly heroin you’re feeding me.”  

Anyway, after everyone went home, my ancient roommate became incontinent. The nurses piled on incredibly compassionately despite the opprobrium piled on them by him. Another bizarre hallucinatory night, making me more certain of my anti-legal drug campaign.  

They let me out Friday. I’m home, sore, trying to arrange visiting P.T. They said I’m a very fast healer – it seems to me to be slow, but… I just noticed that I’ve got my legs crossed, here at the desk.  

Ow.