Hey Dave thanks for sharing and sorry to hear about your MRI. Chess will help and it's also a beautiful game.
I'm around 1840+ and will even go as low as 1500 if I don't keep playing or do puzzles for a while.
Would recommend you also check out the puzzles because they will help your in a passive way where you're not pressured for time.
Also Gotham is okay and the biggest channel on youtube but I would suggest
https://www.youtube.com/@ChessNetwork if you really want to learn. Agadmator is also great (he's got playlist or sagas for a bunch of players from the past that you might like)
Wish you all the best