Apartment Life

Welcome to apartment 20.  Our home base here in Cleveland.  The floors creak, the paint is two inches thick, and the stove might have been new when Ford was in the White House.  But there are no bugs, the window A/C unit works like a champ, we don't hear a single neighbor, and we have all the privacy you could ask for.

The hallway looking towards the front stairs. 
Our door is on the left, you can only see the little rug out front.

The whole building has beautiful wood floors and I think the original oak stairs in the front and back.  The owner has some wonderful art hung on every floor.

Living room

It would be nice to have a couch.  Then again we haven't been in the apartment long enough to actually miss not having one.

After our first trip to the store.

Yes that's a McDonald's bag.  It was the first (only) restaurant that we found when we got here.  And...you can buy 50 chicken nuggets for $10.  That's a lot of nuggets!

Our first dinner.  Leftover nuggets chicken noodle soup and tea.
We're living large up here.

Jeff and I feel like newly weds (which we are) in our first apartment (which it is).  Hand me down furniture, mis-matched dishes, I am loving all of it.

My "Office"

First Bedroom

Second Bedroom, the one we're using

Why?

Well that's all the photos I've taken of our pied a terre.  It's cute and quirky what more could we want?  There's a pretty good storm going on right now.  The wind is really howling and the rain is coming down in sheets.  It's like being at home.  And like true Northwesteners we did not bring an umbrella with us.  I bought one in the bookstore at the hospital.  Within 5 minutes a huge gust of wind broke it.  Jeff spent a half hour trying to fix it when we got back home.  No luck.  Sigh.  It's suppose to rain the whole weekend.   

As promised, Pictures

Some of the pictures I've taken so far.  It's been fun doing the little bit of exploring that we've been able to do.  Every corner has a church or two on it so I have a lot of pictures of those, but I have only uploaded a few of the better ones.  An update on our day has been added to my earlier post First Day Done

Front door

Our home away from home

Just outside the building's front door is the Health Line.  The buses run every 5 minutes and are uber convenient.  It only runs up and down Euclid Ave.  So far we've found everything we need along this one street so that isn't a big deal.

One of the many churches

Italian Chinese food.....hmmmm?

Another view of the church

Architectural details like this is what give a boring grey brick building some character

Jeff walking to the apartment.  It's the building covered in ivy.  We are on the 3rd floor middle 5 windows.

Another church across the street from the supermarket.

Cardiology wing of the Cleveland Clinic

Colonial Arcade - Downtown Cleveland by Quicken Field

Upstairs at Colonial Arcade.  Can you see the stained glass ceiling through the shop windows?

Parking Garage

First Day Done

Well we're done with our first day of appointments.  Nine hours of doctors and tests and blood draws.  And we get to do it all again tomorrow.

I am going to keep this short and send in a longer update later tonight.  Jeff wants to go downtown tonight and have a real dinner.  We got some disappointing news today so I will do anything to perk him up. 

Turns out this valve repair he's agreed to have isn't as final as he was led to believe.  Sadly we'll be doing this again every 15 or so years for the rest of his life.  To say Jeff is pissed is to woefully understate it.

View of the main hospital from the 9th floor of the Pulmonary Clinic

Update:
I hated to leave anyone who read the blog earlier hanging but I was eager to get out and do some more exploring and give Jeff the chance to vent.

The day started off really well, even though we were running a few minutes behind.  When are we not?  We made our first check in right on time so it was all good.  My fingers were crossed the whole time we were being checked in and Jeff's insurance was being entered into the system.  I kept waiting for flashing red lights, sirens and a commanding voice to announce that Jeff still does not have insurance.  I think those of you on the west coast would have heard my head explode.

Jeff getting his echocardiogram

From registration to the blood lab, through the EKG and Chest X-Ray everything went great.  Then we met with Dr. Stewart the Cardiologist.  What a nice guy.  Very thorough.  He spent a ton of time with us and even brought in an intern and used Jeff as a teaching opportunity.   The sight of two men with their hands down Jeff's underpants checking for a groin pulse is not something I ever thought I'd see.

After the exam, and once Jeff pulled his pants back up, Dr. Stewart said Jeff is a good candidate for the repair surgery.  His blood pressure, while normal-ish in his upper body is 60 systolic points higher in his lower body.  I think he called it Hills Sign.  He also said Jeff showed positive for Durozier's Sign.  Neither one of these signs is horrible, they just point to Jeff having severe Aortic Insufficiency.

Jeff rockin the Cleveland Clinic green

Dr. Stewart said he believes there is a 90% chance that Jeff was born with a bicuspid aortic valve instead of the normal tricuspid.  He doesn't know why Jeff had such a sudden onset of symptoms but hopes to have more answers for us after surgery.

About that surgery.  When Jeff last talked with his regular cardiologist he was told that if this repair was successful, it would eliminate the need for a replacement valve - TRUE.  And that it would be a permanent fix - FALSE.  Turns out, repairs last about as long as replacements.  The benefits of a repair over the replacement is 1) the proceedure is less invasive, they don't cut down the full length of your sternum, just three inches of it. 2) you do not need to take blood thinners for the rest of your life.  And that's really about it.

So we're here, on the other side of the country, and find out that as far as Cleveland Clinic is concerned we'll be coming back every decade or so and doing this all over again.  Dr. Steward said there is no way to know how long the repair will last.  Could be a month, could be a year, could be 20 years.  What he did know is that it wouldn't last forever.

What I know, is that when I get home I am calling Swedish Hospital to find out more about there valve repair program.  Oh yeah did I mention that?  Jeff was told that no one in Washington does the repair.  The Monday before we left, while driving home I heard a Swedish Hospital commercial on the radio advertising their cardio clinic which does valve repair and replacement surgeries.  I don't know if they do the exact proceedure that Jeff will have, but I am going to find out.

Cleveland, you're awsome, but I don't want to come out here for the same thing I can get at home.

Hello Cleveland

Well we made it.  Our flight out of DC was delayed about 30 minutes.  The passengers all showed up on time but the pilot and flight crew didn't.  I didn't mind because the line I was in outside of Starbucks was huge and the delay gave me time to stand around and breathe in that wonderful coffee aroma.

First impressions - Cleveland is a nice mellow town.  The architecture where we are staying, Midtown area, is a good mix of old and new.  I took a few pictures but have to wait for Jeff to show me how to get them off the camera since we didn't bring the USB cable for it.  The area is in transition.  Lots of new clean buildings next to boarded up old ones.  Like cities everywhere good parts and bad.  Jeff and I are the minorities around here.  Taking a walk today, I felt like we stuck out like a sore thumb.  Never felt scared, just very conspicuous.  Certainly a new experience for me.  Sheltered Seattlite that I am.

The Brownstone Inn is beautiful.  I wish I'd gotten the chance to see more of it though.  We were there for all of about 5 minutes.  The owner, after realizing/remembering that we are staying for 2 weeks took us right to the apartment building he owns and set us up in Apartment 20.  The apartment will have to be the subject of another post.  I'll start by saying; it was the first specifically built apartment building in Cleveland.  And it certainly has that old building "charm".

Both Jeff and I have airplane colds.  Itchy red eyes, dry cough, and starting to get stuffed up.  Jeff is worried that this will delay his surgery date.  To be honest, so am I.  Thankfully in our wanderings today we found a CVS pharmacy just a few stops down on the Health Line. 

We went grocery shopping this afternoon before hitting the sack for some much needed sleep.  We were both going on over 30 hours with no sleep.  Groceries are limited, PB&J ingredients, Blackberry Tea (I will be filling my suitcase with boxes of this to bring home) Eggs,and Chicken Soup. 

Going back to bed now, if I can get Jeff off of the phone with his brother.  We have to be up early for Jeff's first appointment of the day.  It just hit me, this is really happening.

On Our Way

We are currently sitting in the N Gates terminal waiting for our flight.  I made a rookie mistake and left my debit card and some cash in my pocket as I went through security.  As a reward I got the special TSA pat-down service.  What a noob as my son would say.

I flew out of work today.  But not before double and triple checking that Jeff had been added to my medical coverage.  He is now the proud owner of a temporary insurance card and printouts from the UHC website showing him as a Covered Person.  I can not tell you how relieved I was.  

William cried when we got to the airport.  He isn't one for tears so when they come they are especially effective with me.  If I ever wanted a cloning machine it was then.  He's sad and he's scared and he feels abandoned during a stressful part of his life.  That tricky transition to middle school.  It breaks my heart and I feel like a terrible mom.  However this is an exceptional time for all of us.  And I am not going to be gone forever.  Jeff worked for a couple of hours today getting a webcam set up on William's computer so we can video chat everyday. He'll recover and probably even enjoy time away from us.

Panic

I am in full panic mode right now.  I logged onto the website for my insurance agency to print out a temporary card for Jeff since we haven't received one and found that he was not listed under Covered People. 

The paperwork to add him was turned in Monday of last week.  So I called UHC.  Nope they didn't have the paperwork.  The nice lady on the other end of the line said Jeff would be covered back to the date of our marriage but that we would have to pay for any doctor visits now and could submit claims for reimbursement.  Okay, no problem I'll just write a check for everything and wait to get paid back.  Yeah maybe if my last name was Gates or Buffet.

Panicked email to our benefits department uncovered the fact that they submit paperwork to UHC every other week.  The next packet goes out this Thursday.  Now go down and look at the list of appointments he has this Thursday.  My panic kicked into a higher gear.

End result; Jeff is being manually entered into the system now and I am impatiently waiting on confirmation.  I don't know what to tell him when I get home.  He's going to want to have the temporary card.  All I can give him is the email confirmation that he's been added.  I know this will work out and when the hospital calls on Thursday to confirm coverage he'll be in there. 

I hope. 

OMG I am panicking again.

Gonna be busy

We received the list of all Jeff's pre-surgery appointments today.  They included a handy map, which is good because Jeff feels much calmer if he knows where he's going and how to get there.  I am more the wander around until I bump into it sort of person.  However I am usually the better map reader.  The only thing not marked on the map is where the Health Line shuttle/bus stop is.  Guess we'll find out.

I forgot to mention in my last post that the photos from brunch were all taken by the lovely and very talented Ashley.  I am lucky to have her as a sister-in-law.

Oh, one more thing, I don't know if you can read it on the appointment schedule, but the last appointment on Monday is with the surgeon.  We were told to pack a lunch, show up, and be prepared to wait all day to see him.  It feels like we have an "appointment" with The Wizard of Oz.

Blessings Great and Small

We've all been told that red wine in moderation is good for your heart.  The antioxidants and resveratol help lower bad cholesterol and improve artery health.  What doesn't get mentioned in those health reports and news stories is that wine is often drank when you are part of a gathering of friends and family.  You open a bottle, pour a glass and let yourself relax and enjoy the people around you.  And I think this part is just as important as antioxidants for a healthy heart and your overall health.  Doesn't matter what you drink, it matters who you're drinking with.

We did have Champagne however

We had Sunday brunch this past weekend.  While no wine was served, I know that both Jeff and I felt happier and more content that we have in weeks.  And isnt' that a key ingredient for good health?

He knows the secret to being happy

Having great people in your life is a blessing.  They share your burdens, make you laugh, give you confidence, keep your feet on the ground, and make your life worth living.  Be open to the people around you because you'll never know what good things they will bring to your life. 

Jeff is working late tonight.  It's his last day before he's off for 6 weeks.  I don't think his company is prepared for him to be gone that long.  He joked that he might have to take tech calls from the hospital and work from there.  I told him I was going to confiscate his phone and disable the wireless connection on his laptop.  Cleveland, and all of Ohio, will be work free zone for him.  I don't have a plan yet for when we get back home.  I'll probably just have to resort to threatening to tell him mom on him if he starts working from home.

Here on the home front, William is doing his homework, the kitten is chewing my toes, and I am living in the moment.  So open up a bottle of your favorite red, give a toast in celebration of life, and hug the people you hold dear to your heart.

B&B vs. Hotel

Neither Jeff nor I travel a whole lot.  When we do it's usually business related so a corporate travel planner makes all the decisions.  This trip next week is our first long out of state "vacation" together.  I am using the term vacation with a heavy dose of irony.  And if we just ignore the whole hospitalization and surgery part, I am actually looking forward to it.  I am just going to focus on the first 5 days instead of the rest of the trip.

For everyone that is following along, we will be staying at The Brownstone Inn,  The Cleveland Clinic gave us a list of places to look into for accommodations and this place was on the list.  I've never stayed in a Bed & Breakfast before so was reluctant to call them.  I am used to the anonymity of chain hotels.  However I wanted a place with a kitchen and laundry and I found both at The Brownstone.  As an added bonus the owner was very friendly when he called me back and offered to take us to the apartments he owns on the next street and rent us one of those for the two weeks if we want.  Same price - Yippee!

Jeff and I will be flying out Tuesday night, the 27th.  If all goes well we'll be coming home Wednesday October 12th.  Jeff has two pre-surgery appoints with Dr. Svensson and Dr. Stewart.  Surgery is scheduled at The Cleveland Clinic - Number 1 in Cardiac Care for 17 years -  on Tuesday October 4th pending the outcome of those earlier appointments.  I suppose if Jeff gets sick or they find a sign of infection on the heart they'll postpone but I really don't know what else would make them change the surgery date.

If anyone is curious and wants to know more about the aortic valve and it's role in your hearts overall health, here's a great link courtesy of The Cleveland Clinic.

Paperwork

When did getting sick start causing so much paperwork?

Do you have your referral forms?  Is your hospital authorization paperwork completed?  Need to take time off?  Here fill out this form.  Have your doctor complete this paperwork.  Give this to your supervisor to approve.  The paperwork hoops are endless.

Jeff has FMLA paperwork to bring to Cleveland and now so do I.  I am starting to wonder if I should pack a scanner/copier/fax machine with our luggage so we can send in all the piles of paper we're bringing with us.

Sigh.  I really shouldn't complain.  We both have jobs that will allow us to take extended absences, and in my case I have permission to work remotely.  My whole department, and my boss in particular have been very supportive.  They have shouldered some of my work load when I took days off this summer when Jeff first got sick.  They politely ignore my red watery eyes when I get back to my desk after crying in the ladies room.  And last week they threw a belated wedding shower complete with money tree so Jeff and I would have cash for cabs, tolls and whatever while in Cleveland.

Thank you everyone



Can't believe I am doing this again

A blank screen is pretty intimidating.  I am remembering all the reasons I quit blogging in the first place.  This summer, however I found that I needed a quick and efficient way to send out updates to my family and friends.  Emails are great but I found that I was creating long email chains of updates and side conversations.  Plus I have some family email address in my Hotmail address book and some at work.  And none in my memory bank.  So I am resurrecting this old blog where I can post photos and updates on Jeff and his recovery.  Yes I could also do this on Facebook but not everyone uses Facebook.

So here we are.