Today marks two months since my transsphenoidal brain surgery to remove tumor regrowth. I’m happy to report I’m getting stronger every day. I’d say I’m about 80 percent back to normal. I have returned to work and jumped back into the maelstrom of marketing projects, deadlines, and responsibilities.

Eight weeks post-surgery.

My nose still throbs, and I needed a round of antibiotics for a recent infection of the cartilage. I had a follow-up appointment with the ENT surgeon; he mentioned it will take about three to six months for me to be fully healed—not surprising considering they rolled part of my septum and used it as a nasoseptal flap to patch where the cerebral spinal fluid leaked during surgery. But the good news—the seal at the back near the opening of the sphenoid sinus is holding.

My nemesis: the twice-daily nasal rinse bottle.

I still need to do twice-daily saline rinses and take Tylenol for the pain. I lifted “weights” yesterday for the first time in eight weeks—don’t laugh at my little five-pound dumbbells. I hope to resume heaving fifteen-pounders in a couple of weeks.

Hitting the “weights.”

Two songs have been repeating in my head during my recovery.

Elton John’s “I’m Still Standing.”

And Steve Winwood’s “Back in the High Life Again.”

And here’s a photo from a Walgreens: the gift of a beautiful sight revealed to me on a mundane Friday night.

Sublime sunset from a parking lot. Photo by Francis DiClemente.