Driver Bill
Once again, neighbor Betsy Nordquist loaned us her late mother Carol’s car. Our friend Bill Grennan arrived a few minutes before 8:00 a.m. to accompany us to Vancouver for Nyel’s first post-operative exam. Two EMTs from the Ocean Park Fire Department arrived right on the hour to transfer Nyel from his hospital bed in our East Room into the car. Bill offered to drive and I said a grateful, “Yes, please!” And off we went.
We stopped twice along the way – once at Safeway (“Betty Paxton’s Place”) for sandwiches, chips and bottled water (Bill’s treat!) and then at the waterfront park in Kalama to eat an early picnic lunch. We admired Chief Lelooska’s totem poles and continued on to Rebound. Two strong men came to get Nyel from car to wheelchair and up to the third floor for his appointment with the amazing Dr. Southerland.
Nyel’s Knee
First came the X-rays. They showed (if you know how to look) the ‘wound’ with its 30+ staples, the tissue graft, the replacement kneecap, and the bone graft with its three wires-and-screws. It also shows his bionic knee and the pin in his tibia from a former surgery. All very impressive.
Dr. Southerland said everything looked great. He also assured us that the extremely swollen knee was to be expected and would be with Nyel for some time. “After all, your body is getting used to foreign tissue in there.” He identified the rash on Nyel’s back as heat rash – “Pretty common when you are bedbound in this weather,” and assured us that the forecast is for cooler. And he commended me for my paranoia about any inadvertent movement of the leg. “It’s the one time when paranoia is probably a good thing.”
Staples In!
A nurse came in to remove the staples. The cast-cleaner-upper trimmed the edges and covered them with moleskin, an appointment was made for a month from now and we were good to go. Two more burly guys put Nyel back in the car, Bill drove us home with a stop to top up the tank with gas at Betty’s Place again. The EMTs were waiting for us at the house.
Staples Out!
And shortly after our arrival, here came Greg with another dinner that Pat Fagerland had dropped off at the store for us – chicken, rice and quinoa, and yummy vegetables.
So many people. So many helping hands! We can never express how grateful we are!
I’m so glad you’ve got lots of help!
OMG that staple job looks gruesome !!!! And I’m so impressed w. Nyel’s bionic knee. You two are an amazing team. Keep up the good work.
Sidney. That explains why there was no one there when I stoped by yesterday morning. I’m glad to hear it was only a doctors appointment not a problem with Nyel’s knee. I imagined all sorts of things when I found you gone. I hope the cards I left were intact and that they will give you something to write on to all the wonderful friends who have helped you along the way. I’ll get my copy of your book when we return the first part of October. I’m looking forward to it. Glad to hear the patient and his “nurse” are doing well.