Story 27Nov2021: Some Goodbyes

The night was difficult for me as my asthma was out of control. I was wheezing; I could hear the banshees screaming in my chest. Around 4ish, the Benadryl and inhalers finally worked to stop the post navel drip and the unlocked lungs. I slept into 9:30ish, and that helped with the Benadryl hangover. Likely this mess was caused by exhaustion brought on by the booster shot and stress. “What does not kill you makes you stronger” should be the motto for the Moderna Booster.

I managed to pick up my Rx at RiteAid after all the excitement of being filled in New York City and rejected to refill it here in Oregon. I did not manage the laundry as I was slow this Saturday morning.

I spent a bit of time in Air Volvo going across Beaverton and exited 26 at Providence Park instead of using the tunnel as the traffic was too messy. I was surprised that the noon traffic was heavy, but it was Thanksgiving weekend.

I relieved Barb and Leta (the new nurse, Jenn, put up with two people not quite following the rules), who went off to find lunch again in Beaverton and pack. They leave on Sunday morning, and I will not see them on Sunday.

Susie was more animated and alert on Saturday. She seems very relieved to see me. I have been doing this daily visit for more than a month now. Some days are short visits, but I am there every day.

We spoke to the doc, the doc asked to have a meeting and reviewed the future care options for Susie. The doc said we have to ensure that care has a goal, and we agreed to have Susie thoroughly cared for, but resuscitation was no longer a good option due to the multiple strokes. Resuscitation will just cause more strokes or worse. It was a sobering discussion but a good one. Our current goal is to get Susie back to her near pre-stroke self.

Barb was feeding Susie when I came in, and I continued until Susie was a bit worn-out and had finished half of her lunch. We do not want a feeding tube for Susie, and so she must eat. So Susie slept for a few hours finding a few hours without pills, blood draws, tray delivery for dinner, and all the things that happen at hospitals that prevent you from getting any rest.

Barb and Leta returned to the room after 5ish. Jenn was polite but pointed out that three were too many people in the room. I always hate leaving, but you need to get rest and a break.

This is my last dinner with Barb and Leta for this visit, and we decided to try out a place in Portland. Barb picked Elephant’s Deli on 22nd. They were open for another hour, and there was parking! I had a pop pie. Barb a grilled cheese. Leta tried the soup. It was a bit of a sad dinner, although the busy place as this was our last dinner today, and we all missed having Susie with us. We said our goodbyes.

I returned home enjoying the extra dark and wet that is driving in the Pacific Northwest in winter.

I have arranged that Ann Weld-Martin will visit Susie in my place on Thursday, and Wayne Weld-Martin will drive me to and fro for my colonoscopy on Friday. So I have to do the prep (yuck) on Thursday for a morning peek-a-boo on Friday. So Thursday will be the first day I will miss seeing Susie since all this started in New York City.

It was quiet at the Volvo Cave, and I decided not to read and rest but went to the new Ghostbusters movie. Yes, they made another. This one harkens back to the original two films and manages a successful tap-dance of mixing horror and comedy. It also respects the material and manages to tie the movies past movies to this movie well. It is primarily a high school and younger flick, but I laughed and was startled a few times. So cool! I even liked how it dragged a bit like the first film. And a 12-year old kid using a proton pack and a 15-year-old illegally driving the Ecto-1 was just fun. So not terrible, not great, but fun–precisely like the first movie.

I managed to sleep without issue after finally falling asleep near 1ish.