Relief Trip

Yeah, I Make International Calls - What's the Big Deal?

I headed north again last night to check up on Keene Friend. In this day and age to have someone spend an entire week in the hospital means something serious. I was greatly heartened when I entered his room to find him untethered from both IV and oxygen. While still short of breath it was a significant turnaround from my first visit a couple days ago. The turning point occurred earlier in the afternoon when they administered some steroids which seemed to immediately help. I learned last night that part of Keene Friend’s fears was based in his mother who died at the exact same age he is now with remarkably similar symptoms.

Exploring the Latest Addition to "her" Corner

Her Corner

He still wasn’t passing the required tests but his scores are improving. Texting him this morning, he had his first good night sleep in weeks last night and his morning vitals while improved were still not within acceptable range. We had a good talk last night as some of his sly humor was starting to return. The Cantankerous Friend appeared for a visit which led to some laughs as he immediately took both of us to task. He didn’t need a reason it’s just what he does. It was the easy comradery formed more than forty years ago around a high school cafeteria lunch table; old friends are the best. When the nurse came in for vital signs she said they were good and Cantankerous Friend interjected that Keene Friend was still however short. He in turn promised the nurse that his blood pressure would improve once the Cantankerous One departed; like I said – sly.

The Backyard Gardens This Morning

Just before I left for Keene last night after work the FEDEX guy showed up with the first of my wife’s Michigan Bulb order. I’m glad I caught him when I did because it would have been frozen solid by the time I got home late last night if left on the doorstep. The quandary is what to do with the damned thing, a tall hibiscus plant, until my wife returns. The backyard gardens are certainly not ready for it since they’re still under more than a foot of snow. So, I have a flower pot I dug out from that snow slowly thawing in the bathroom. Hopefully it thaws out in time to plant the hibiscus before it expires.

The Thawing Pot and Hibiscus

The First Blog Reader is adding to her repertoire. Last evening she made her first ever international call all by herself. My daughter was in the kitchen and all of a sudden heard her mother (currently in Panama) talking. My granddaughter had obviously been watching intently as her mother made the nightly calls on her IPad. Since my daughter was busy making dinner and my granddaughter really wanted to talk to her abuela – she made the call. She comes by the ability naturally and this is eerily reminiscent of a time I was deployed to Kansas and answered the phone to hear my D.C. based daughter (not much older than her own daughter is now) who made the call unbeknownst to my wife. In both cases the person receiving the call could not have been more pleased, we’re talking seriously heartwarming.

Directing Snow Clearing Operations

Dad - You Missed a Spot