One year ago today, on October 29, 2024, I did what I once thought was unthinkable. I moved from the Gravesend section of Brooklyn, where I’d lived my entire life. I didn’t go far, though. I now live in the Madison neighborhood of Sheepshead Bay.
I will always be a Brooklyn boy. I love New York City. And I adore Brooklyn. I was born and raised here, I have always lived here, and it will be my final resting place—a long, long time from now, if I have any say in the matter.
Unfortunately, from the day I moved in, I’ve faced one challenge after another. Aside from the physical demands of the move, I underwent seventeen medical procedures from January through September 2025. And then, in early October, I had a huge setback that required two emergency surgeries within four days. These surgeries are all related in some way to my congenital gastrointestinal condition. I’ve been in the hospital for nearly a month now, as I have faced various complications and a difficult recovery. I expect additional procedures in the coming months.
I am thankful to all those who have expressed their support over these many months. I count my blessings that I’ve had high quality medical care and a nursing staff second to none. I also count my blessings to have been nourished by the love of family and friends and even a wonderful super who has been so responsive to my needs.
While convalescing, I put together a slideshow of photos, taken over the past year from my apartment’s picture window. The pics are arranged chronologically from mid-September 2024 through early October 2025. I’ve chosen “You’d Be So Nice to Come Home To”—composed by Cole Porter, sung by legendary jazz vocalist Anita O’Day—as the musical backdrop to this slideshow.
I look forward to the day when I am stable enough to return home to my apartment. Indeed, it will be “so nice to come home to.”
Notablog 