Walk About

Yesterday and today were spent at the hospital with Jeff.  I hope no one worried because I hadn't posted anything.

Today was rough.  Okay let me qualify that a bit.  This morning was rough.  Jeff's neck is stiff, which is giving him headaches.  He's trying to stretch out the time between the pain pills, silly boy,  So when I arrived this morning he was an hour overdue for pain medication and obviously in need of it.  He hasn't slept much still and he's getting a bit stir crazy.   He is in desperate need of some Legos.

Once his pills arrived I got him up and out for a walk around the hallways.  Moving around is so much better then sitting, or worse laying in bed all day.

Ready for a stroll

That thing in his mouth is "exercise equipment" for his lungs.  Jeff has started taking it with him on walks and using it as he goes along.  The nurses are very impressed.  He's such a show off.

After our walk, he took a nap.  Showing off for nurses his hard work.  Wink.

While he slept I took my own walk about, and explored the hospital campus.  It was another warm day, 77 I think, so I stayed pretty close to the main building.

Main entrance as seen from the water garden garden across the street

Entrance to the Glickman Tower

Atrium between the Glickman Tower and the Cardiac Center

There are skybridges everywhere

I was fascinated by the facade of this building.  These bricks are not painted.

After my walk I bought lunch and when back upstairs to check on Jeff.  He was still sleeping.  I woke him up so he could eat his lunch, which had arrived by then.  He was still feeling kind of crappy but he made an effort to eat some food.

After lunch, a physicians assistant came in to remove his stitches (from where the drain tubes went in) and to take out the temporary pace wires from his chest.  Stitches, not to bad.  Wires, horrible.  Well duh!  You put two 30 gauge wires next your heart, run them down your chest cavity to just under your sternum and then have someone pull them out.  Youch!   The good news is, now he can take a shower.

After the PA left, we met with a physical therapist who gave us a book of exercises Jeff should try doing over the next couple of months.   He's started Jeff on some shoulder shrugs to help loosen up the muscles in his back and neck.  When he left Jeff took another nap.  I took the following photo with his permission but I am warning everyone right now.  It's not pretty and if  you're squeamish close your eyes and scroll down past it.

I made it black and white to limit the impact. 

Okay all better now.

Before dinner we went out for one more walk.  This time I took him up the roof so he could get
some sunshine and see the views.  He felt kind of like a mole but I think he appreciated seeing something other then the same hallways he's been walking down for two days now.

Checking out the view

The trees are just starting to change color

Aaaargh!  Bright Light!

It's a big world out there Pa

I have been trying to get a pictures of these guys since I first saw them on Tuesday.  I wish their wives and the rest of group were with them today.  I saw them the first time as I was waiting for Jeff while he was being prepped for surgery.  Oddly a valet was leading them into the hospital.  I went to the front of the hospital as fast as I could but I did not see a valet parking a horse and buggy anywhere.   Late Tuesday night as I was leaving the hospital I saw them again.  The women got into a shuttle bus for The Comfort Inn and the men were waiting on a cab.  I never thought about how the Amish traveled before.  Did they fly here?  Take a cab?   How far away is nearest Amish colony (is it called a colony?  Town?  Settlement?  Farm?) from Cleveland?

So that was our Saturday.  How was yours?