Recovery process begins for Hartsburg

Craig Hartsburg, the head coach of the Everett Silvertips, is recovering at Providence Regional Medical Center Everett after undergoing open-heart surgery on Wednesday.

Hartsburg had surgery to repair an ascending aortic aneurysm. Hartsburg, 51, underwent a heart catheterization a couple of weeks ago. Doctors then scheduled surgery during which they replaced a section of the ascending aorta with an artificial graft.
Nick Patterson of the Everett Herald reports that the surgery began at 7:30 a.m., and that Hartsburg “was awake at noon.”
Doug Soetaert, the Silvertips’ general manager, told Patterson: “It was very successful. Everything’s going well. He’s alert and feeling pretty decent.”
Soetaert said had spoken with Hartsburg’s wife, Peggy, and “she said he’s doing better than they thought he’d be. So he’s in recovery mode. They actually say he’ll be sitting up and walking (today).”
If all goes well, Hartsburg should be back with the Silvertips early in 2011.
In the meantime, associate head coach Jay Varady and assistant coach Chris Hartsburg, Craig’s son, are running the team.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
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