The Westbrook superintendent of schools is back to work part time, just six weeks after heart surgery.
Stan Sawyer, 62, went through a three-hour surgery on June 24 at Maine Medical Center to have a valve replaced in his heart.
He started working part time last week and said he’ll gradually increase his hours. His goal is to be back full time when students and teachers arrive at the end of the month.
“I’m feeling really good,” Sawyer said Tuesday.
Though he said he suffered a fever and the chills during his recovery, according to his doctors, everything is “progressing very nicely.”
“He said I have a happy heart now,” Sawyer said about a trip to his surgeon two weeks ago.
According to Sawyer, the valve that was replaced was “80 percent not working” and that his new valve is 100 percent functional.
He was given the choice of having his aortic valve replaced with a mechanical valve, which is guaranteed to last forever but requires patients to be on medication that thins the blood, or a tissue valve, which lasts only about 20 years until it needs to be replaced again.
He chose the tissue valve to avoid being on the medication, and said the only thing he’s taking is one aspirin a day. Though he said he slept a lot during his recovery, he’s already cut out his naps during the day.
Aside from sleeping, reading and watching movies at his home in Harpswell, Sawyer said he spent some of his recovery time staying on top of school business through mail and e-mail, though he still has plenty to sort through.
“I’m pretty much up to speed,” Sawyer said, adding that his responsibilities were left in the “very capable hands” of his executive assistant Jayne Barnes, assistant superintendent Jan Breton and business manager Michael Kucsma.
Sawyer said he’s not eager to see what effect the high oil prices are going to have on the school department this year, but, other than that, he’s excited about getting started with his 10th and final year as superintendent in Westbrook.
“It’s just great to be back,” he said. “I’m looking forward to a very productive year.”
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