Weekend update (5th & 6th): Having a weekend break from Radicava was nice. I woke up at 8 am and started my medication and workout journey, rather than 5:30-6:00 am. I am taking Nuedexta 3 times a day (Dr. Andrews said that some people need more to help eliminate the crazy laughter). For the first couple of days, I took the three pills over the 12 hours, and I started having real blurry vision, so I decided to spread them out over the 16+ hours I am awake – we will see how that goes.

My daughter and her kids came by … that little Teddy makes me laugh so hard that I cannot even eat when she is around – eating is already very difficult, and she makes it impossible cause she is always laughing and smiling. Had to wait until she left to finish dinner … and I want her and Benny here as often as possible!!

I started Monday at 5:30 am … back to the Radicava. I worked out, ate my waffles with a lot of syrup (gotta make things you eat as moist as possible, and in case you are wondering, the syrup comes from Kim Dailey). And then we were on our way to the gallery. I will say that my left leg seems to be getting weaker, a slower walk from the garage on 57th Street to the gallery on 55th Street. I spent the day working …. I needed to scan and color-correct many new Dunkel paintings! Headed home, had dinner (not an easy one), and then took the Nuedexta around 10 pm.

On Tuesday, I again started at 5:30 am (man, I miss those days when I woke up when the alarm went off at 7 am and headed to the city around 8 am). The day was the same as Monday; only dinner was a little easier — had grilled cheese.

I do another thing 5 days a week; I use EMST 150, an expiratory muscle strength trainer. The little device helps strengthen your breathing, coughing, swallowing, etc. I have been using it for a few weeks, which seems to help. At least, I think so.

Wednesday also began at 5:30 am. I got to the gallery around 10:10. The artist Leo Mancini-Hresko stopped by to drop off a few paintings for our upcoming BLOOM exhibition (which opens on the 18th) and came to my office to say hello … very nice guy!

There was also A BIG CHANGE that happened on Wednesday — I decided to step down from the Internal Revenue Service’s Art Advisory Panel, something I have been a part of for about 17 years. I will miss spending the day reviewing all those works of art with some of the nicest guys and gals in the art world and IRS. That night, my oldest and dearest friend, Dr. Donald Teplitz, and his wife, Hildy, came by for dinner … a very nice evening. We have been friends since we were about 5 years old – 60 years, and we keep on going.

Thursday was good; I woke up at 6:30! Wow. I took the Radicava, worked out, showered, ate, and made it to the gallery by 10:35 am. It is funny; before all this started, I had to be there before 10 am. My brain did not like it if I was late. Now, I do not even care if I am a little late.

Friday started at 6:10. Did my routine (now I am off the Radicava until we return from the Philadelphia Show – yes!) and was in the city by 10:05 … Fridays have a little less traffic. When I entered the gallery, Alyssa was at her desk (she has been out for about 4 months — a new baby). I finished working on the scans of new works by Carrie Goller, Jon Burns, and Stuart Dunkels. Tim Jahn stopped by the gallery with a new work … another very nice artist. Had my wife order pizza for lunch, and she had extra sauce included. I will tell you that dipping the pizza into a sauce made swallowing much easier.

We are heading home soon, and I wish anyone who reads this a wonderful weekend!