Letters

The real solution involves securing our southern border with Mexico. Under President Biden’s watch, millions of illegal immigrants have crossed. Now more are attempting the same at our Canadian border. Department of Homeland Security chief Alejandro Mayorkas has the nerve to claim the border is secure. With the ending of Title 42, which afforded us the opportunity to send many illegal immigrants back to their home countries, the situation will only grow worse. Regardless of how you feel about former President Trump, under his watch the flow of illegals was less and border security better.

We have spent billions to help Ukraine secure its border against the Russian invasion. It’s time we spend whatever it takes to secure our borders with Mexico and Canada.

LARRy PENNER Great Neck

Democrats favor felons over disabled veterans

To the Editor:

First our Democratic state government gave us bail reform, which puts the criminals back on the street before police officers complete their paperwork, and Democratic district attorneys lower felony charges or completely dismiss them.

Now the Democrats, who also decriminalized marijuana, have given over 200 licenses to open stores and sell marijuana to convicted felons who were mostly drug dealers. Not one disabled veteran has received a license. In the eyes of our Democratic elected officials, convicted felons are more important than disabled veterans.

STEvE GROGAN Lynbrook

an intravenous tube in my arm, answering questions from doctors and nurses, including the ones you’re asked 100 times: name, date of birth, surgery you’re there for. Sometimes I had to spell my name.

Then I was wheeled into the operating room, a science fiction-style enclosure filled with doctors, nurses, bright lights and a table with what seemed to be an endless supply of knives and scissors. An epidural was painlessly inserted in my spine, and an anesthesia mask placed over my face.

The next thing I knew, I was in the recovery room, and Rosemary was saying that Weiss had told her all had gone well. I felt pain across my stomach, but nothing severe.

Soon I was in my own room. There was no steady pain as long as I lay motionless, but any attempt to move, or even reach for something, was very painful. Every day, though, the pain receded. The day after the surgery, I was walking up and down the hall. I slept pretty well at night, despite being awakened every few hours to have my blood pressure taken and blood drawn.

Each morning began with a team of doctors coming through at about 6:30 to ask how I was doing and to take turns admiring the 9-inch-long scar from my chest to my navel. Their words of praise made me feel proud, almost as if I had something to do with it. Weiss came by several times, always upbeat and reassuring — a total pro.

Northwell chief executive Michael Dowling, whom I’m proud to work for as a Northwell consultant, visited me for almost an hour, and we chatted about everything from my surgery to County Limerick’s hurling team in Ireland. Besides Rosemary, who was there for hours each day, visitors included my son, Sean, my daughter, Erin, my sister, Barbara (a nurse), NCPD Commissioner Pat Ryder, former Deputy Commissioner Bill Flanagan, the Zimmermans, and former Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Fred Cambria. There were phone calls from Mets greats Ed Kranepool and Art Shamsky and getwell wishes from political luminaries including Joe Cairo, Bruce Blakeman, Al D’Amato and Jay Jacobs. The warmest conversation was with my grandson Jack. The most unexpected call came from House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and Representatives Anthony D’Esposito, Andrew Garbarino and Nick LaLota, who had a layover in Shannon Airport, in Ireland, on a trip to Jordan and Israel. I almost felt as if I were back in Congress.

Five days after the operation, I walked out of the hospital unassisted.

I can’t say enough about the people at Northwell, especially the nurses and aides who did everything to make me comfortable and keep me relaxed. Northwell was top shelf before, during and after this entire process. (For those who might wonder, I was covered by Medicare and Rosemary’s insurance plan. I gave up congressional insurance 20 years ago. It was too expensive.)

Now I’m home and feel great. No real pain; just soreness. I’m eating well, and walking a few blocks each day. Weiss expected an almost full recovery in three to four weeks. There were some tense moments along the way, but I’m a lucky guy.