“I expect to be back soon…”

“I expect to be back soon once the procedure and recovery period are over,” says Dr. Mike Lucas as the Oconee superintendent of education prepares for a heart valve replacement. Lucas released the following statement to reporters on the announcement that he’s taking medical leave of one to two months: “It seems I have a congenital defect of my aortic valve (which is a very common birth defect that’s often identified by a heart murmur). My doctor has monitored it over the years, and it seems, now is the time for the valve to be replaced. I am a good candidate to become the owner of a new and improved aortic valve (thanks to the sacrifice of some barnyard animal and the workings of medical science.” Lucas goes on to say that he has great assistants and is confident that, in his absence, Dr. Michael Thorsland will do well in the role of acting superintendent.