HEARNES AT HOME AFTER HAVING BYPASS SURGERY

CHARLESTON -- Former Missouri governor Warren E. Hearnes is recuperating at home from six-way heart-bypass surgery performed Nov. 27 at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau.

Hearnes, 73, was admitted to the hospital Nov. 24 after complaining of chest pains. He underwent surgery two days later and was released Tuesday afternoon to continue his recovery at home.

Wife Betty Hearnes said her husband was doing well Friday. His doctors have told him to take it slow, she said, explaining full recovery is expected within four-to-six weeks.

"He's confined to home but everything looks very good," she said. "It was not a heart attack; only warning pains. There was no damage to his heart." The hardest part of his recovery has been keeping the Charleston native away from televised football games, she said. Keeping him away from other sports interests hasn't been as difficult, she said. "He watched football Thanksgiving Day at the hospital, and he's all excited about the Army-Navy game, but I don't know if he'll get to see that yet," she said.