As NASCAR Winston Cup Series fans would
expect from "tough guy" Mark, the driver of Jack Roush's Valvoline/Cummins
Fords is making good progress in his recovery from back
surgery he underwent Monday morning at Bert Fish Medical
Center.
And also what is not
surprising is the outpouring of prayers, concerns,
cards, letters and other offerings on Mark's behalf
from his contemporaries and fans.
"I'm feeling better today,"
Mark said Wednesday in a statement relayed through
his business manager, Benny Ertel. "I really want to
thank everybody for their prayers and concern, and
their cards and letters and fruit baskets.
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"I want to let the fans
know it's (the recovery) going to be a long process."
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Mark underwent a successful
lumbar fusion Monday morning. The procedure was
performed in an attempt to relieve a majority of the
back pain Mark has dealt with for several years. Mark's
orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Chuck Kollmer, said most
patients who undergo the procedure are usually sitting
up in bed by the next day.
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Mark, Ertel said, walked
down the hall outside his hospital room Tuesday with
the aid of a walker.
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On Wednesday Mark had much
of the major bandaging and "electrical accessories"
removed, Ertel said. The 40-year-old athlete was able to
shower and shave and in the afternoon he began a program
of getting out of bed for 20 minutes every two hours to
begin the process of preparing him to leave the hospital
by some time Friday, Ertel said Dr. Kollmer told Mark.
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Ertel said Mark's bedroom
at his home has been set up to include all the amenities
he is used to at the hospital. On Saturday a full-time
nurse will begin daily visits there.
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Also on Saturday, a physical
therapist from Dr. Kollmer's office who lives near
Mark will start a limited program of upper extremity
workouts, Ertel said. Next week Mark plans to begin lower
extremity workouts as well in what is planned as a heavy
five to six-week rehabilitation schedule.
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In the meantime though, and
again predictably, Mark has let no grass grow under his
feet. In addition to taking calls from NASCAR President
Bill France and his wife Betty Jane; Mike Helton, senior
vice president and chief operating officer of NASCAR; and
fellow NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver Mike Skinner;
Mark has also been on the phone with Roush and his crew
chief, Jimmy Fennig.
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Mark's teammate Jeff Burton
also rang Ertel's cell phone, looking for an update on
his racing partner and close personal friend. Ertel
said he handed the phone to Mark and one of the first
things the recuperating driver said, after exchanging
greetings, was "was your car pushing as bad as mine
was Sunday?"
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"I guess he's starting to
come around," Ertel said of Martin's progress.
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