Observations

[larryJ]

The memorial service for my nephew who passed in April was held Sunday at a friend's house.  This house is a multi-million dollar mansion.  There were 20 or 30 there.  The day began with a gathering in a large room where my sister-in-law (his mother) gave a brief talk and then some of us said our thoughts and memories.  She had put together a rather large picture board covering his life from childbirth up to the last party we had there in November.  It was great.  On the picture board was a shot taken 37 years ago in the back yard of the first house we lived in after our daughter was born.  A young lady, probably about 12, came over to look at the board while I was standing there.  I pointed to that picture and said something like, "I really looked good then."  Without pausing for a breath, she turned to me and said, "You still look good!"  I didn't know who she was, but I am going to put her name on top of my list of people I like!

Once that meeting was over, everyone moved outside to the patio area so the kids could swim and the bbq was fired up.  There was lots of food.  My nephew wanted all of us to just share our good memories of him and not be sad. 

My observation today:  My wife is due for surgery on her back on Monday.  She had made a hair appointment for today because she doesn't know when she will be able to go again.  Lately she has been driving to Orange County to a hair salon that her brother goes to when he gets his hair cut.  I had never been there.  But she needed a passenger to go along so she could drive in the carpool lane, so I went.  Now.............I know I have said many times that I have seen just about everything there is to see, but I was not ready for this one. 

The hair stylist was an oriental woman in her late thirties.  Heavy, not obese, short dark hair with a tuft of blonde hanging down to the side of her face and.............tattooed from head to toe.  Well, I am assuming from head to toe because I could see her shoulders and her legs below the knees.  I have seen plenty of tattooed women in my life, but this was to the extreme. 

I did have a brief ego boost as I was sitting in a soft chair in the corner next to two other chairs.  They were empty when I sat down, but then women began to sit in them like they wanted to be next to me.  Several women.  It was like musical chairs.  One would sit for a while and then leave and another would take her place immediately.  There were other chairs in the room, but they tended to sit next to me.  I was feeling pretty flattered until I figured out they were hairdressers and that was basically their break area until the next customer came in. 

Ego shattered.

We chose to go home surface streets (40 miles) because on the way down there we noticed there was a mess on the return trip freeway and we wanted to eat at a steak house that we used to enjoy.  We had our lunch and the trip home was close to where my wife grew up so there was a little memory lane cruise through the old neighborhood thrown in. 

Ego shattered or not, it was a good day. 

I don't know if any of you have seen the car insurance commercial where there is a couple sitting at table outside and next to them was a small child in a carrier.  In the commercial, a mime comes up and says how much he saved by going with this company and then walks away.  The baby sees all this and turns and says, "Okay, did anyone notice that mime was talking.  FREAKY!"  That commercial was running through my head while I watched that hairdresser cut my wife's hair.  FREAKY!

A laugh a minute around here.

Larryj

[larryJ]

More fun..........

As it got decent enough to sit out on the patio, the three of us sat out there with our afternoon refreshments.  Both R.A.M.B.O. and Sir Charles joined us.  Almost all the years I can remember living here, there has been a family of lizards living inside the block wall in the back yard.  There is a crack in the wall which allows them access.  They leave me alone and I leave them alone.  I see them on occasion.  As we were sitting there chatting, the dogs came alive and were chasing something right near our feet.  It turned out to be a baby (2 inches long) was crawling along on the patio.  The mighty hunters attacked, but only sniffed at it not knowing what to make of it.  The cousin was ready to run inside and the wife was trying to see what and where it was.  At one point, the lizard chose to run up the inside of my pants leg requiring me to stand up and brush it down where it promptly crawled into my slipper.  I took my slipper off and shook him out and he just sat there letting the dogs sniff at him.  As the dogs gathered more courage and appeared to be more aggressive, I picked him up and carried him over to the crack in the fence and he slithered into home. 

Never a dull moment around here.

Larryj

[larryJ]

As mentioned in the "Slice of Wry" thread, my wife had back surgery yesterday.  Because of the choice of hospital by the surgeon, we opted to stay in a nearby motel as she had to be there at 6 AM.  It is a 40 mile drive from our house. 

We checked in Sunday afternoon and went to a local Olive Garden restaurant (Italian) for an early dinner.  She was not to eat after midnight and we decided the earlier the better.  Then it was back to the motel and we went to bed early.  Both of us set our alarms on our phones for 4:30 and woke up on time.  She got ready and we went to the hospital where her brother was already there.  She checked in and they took her to the prep area while we waited.  The doctor came in and went over the surgery with us and how she would be afterwards, pain wise (meaning lots of pain.)  They took her to the OR and we waited almost five hours until she was out.  We got to see her after she had been in recovery for 2 hours.  She was still loopy from the anesthetics.  She was transferred to her room and once settled, we were allowed to go to her room.  I stayed until I thought the rush hour traffic was over and went home.  Our son also came later on in the day.

Observations:  The hospital tries to maintain a policy of no cell phones except in the main lobby and the cafeteria areas.  While sitting in the waiting room, a family of eight oriental people came in at one point.  A whole family plus others for just one patient.  Each of them promptly got their cell phones out and began making calls.  One young lady opened her laptop and proceeded to "work from home" while making calls to clients and her boss.  Another older couple, waiting for their son's surgery to be done, both had cells and while did not talk on them, did look up things on the Internet.  So much for that rule.  The hospital staff didn't come in to say anything so I guess it wasn't that big of a deal.  But I turned mine off.

Her surgery went well.  In fact, the doctor said it was easier than he had anticipated and she was going to be in great shape once she is fully recovered.  But it took an hour longer than he had originally told us. 

Unrelated observation:  Our daughter is a JA (Judges assistant) at a local county court.  Her job duties include arranging the court calendar and swearing in witnesses and jurors.  Yesterday she had to swear in a jury.  She felt a little weird with this one as one of the jurors was a priest.  You know.........the part of the oath where it says........"So help me God."  Well, she said it felt weird.

Larryj

[Diane Amberg]

Great that things went well. Now for the recovery period... When can she come home and get away from the hospital germs?

[larryJ]

Earlier today she called and said that the doctor said she could go home tomorrow.  She is not happy about that what with the level of pain.  She thinks she should stay at least until Friday.  Tonight she called and said she had a 102 degree fever.  I would imagine because of the fever they will keep her there for a while.  I am going tomorrow for the day.  My son just called and said he had purchased a Nook from Barnes and Noble and will bring it tomorrow.  He will instruct us on its use.  The physical therapist suggested a body pillow which was picked up tonight at Bed, Bath and Beyond. 

Larryj

[Diane Amberg]

A body pillow? I thought that was what you were for!
A fever isn't uncommon, but hope it goes away soon so she can come home. Hopefully they have a comfortable chair for you. Thinking of you.

[larryJ]

As you have probably noticed, I did not get to make an entry for "A Slice of Wry" yesterday.  In talking with my wife on Saturday night, she said she could come home on Sunday.  I (and her cousin) went to the hospital and waited for the doctor to come by.  He showed up around noon and fixed her bandage which was coming undone and told us she could go home.  He gave us all the instructions for her care.  At 1:30, I began carrying her personal belongings to the car.  At 2, the nurse came in and took her vitals, and at 2:10, the RN came in and told us she was going to have some prescriptions filled (pain meds and antibiotics) which would take about 40 minutes.  In the meantime, she would process the discharge paperwork.  At 3:15, I tracked her down and she was just finishing up.  We finally were able to leave at 3:30.  Then it was a stop for a Starbucks coffee.  Then the hour drive home.  It was almost 6 PM by the time she was settled. 

Now the problems.........She was sitting in the passenger side of the back seat, requiring me to back the car in to facilitate getting out of the car closest to the front door.  I got a walker out and we managed to get her up two steps into the house.  We got her to her room where she could lay on her bed.  In the meantime, the waterproof, guaranteed to never come loose bandage, had rolled up exposing the bottom of the incision.  I patched that up and she changed clothes which had become soaked.  Drainage is normal and nothing to worry about. 

I have been promoted from loving husband and caregiver to a full time nurse for the time being.  I will be dispensing medications and making sure she walks as much as possible. 

I think that was in the vows somewhere.........oh yeah, in sickness and health part.

Larryj

[ddurbin]

You're a good man, Larry J.  I'm sure she'll get as good or better care from you there at home than she got at the hospital.

[Diane Amberg]

You get a gold star Larry.

[Catwoman]

Prayers are going up for strength on your part and for a speedy healing for your wife.  She is unbelievably lucky to have you as a hubby, Larry.  Good men are in short supply these days.

Cat