Ready!

Today marks the thirteenth day of Nyel’s hospital stay this time around.  We are hopeful that it is Going Home Day.  At least for a while.

Yesterday’s attempt at giving Nyel a new, improved pacemaker didn’t work out.  His heart has enlarged to the point that one of the leads could not be placed where it was needed.  So,  we head back to Oysterville with a tuned-up version of the same old pacemaker and as much optimism as we can muster.

Set!

The cardio-team here at Emanuel has already put wheels in motion for a second opinion from OHSU’s team so Portland isn’t quite through with us yet.  But we hope we’ll be giving them a break for a week or so.  Meanwhile… we have our fingers crossed that we will be on the road by early afternoon.  Thirteen seems a good number to head home on.

Though the day is yet young – in fact, our night nurse is still on duty – we have already been talking about all the things on that ever-growing to-do list.  Bills to pay – some late, already.  Appointments to reschedule.  To say nothing of laundry to do, groceries to get, prescriptions to refill and on and on.  How did it get so complicated to be away from home for a couple of weeks?

Go!

In the 1960s and ’70s, I used to travel every other summer.  For the entire summer.  Ten weeks away from home!  I have a clear memory of where we went and what we did but no recollection at all of how we managed all those mundane household things.  Was I less responsible in those days?  Or, perhaps more organized?  Or less encumbered with life’s nitty-gritty?

Actually, from my current perspective, enough is enough.  We miss our friends and neighbors to say nothing of the chickens and the bay and our dear old house.  Fingers crossed that we’ll be on the road before this day’s thirteenth hour!