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Today was mostly sitting and chatting with the medical folks at Mount Sinia West to figure out how to get home. I am a bit rushed this morning so I hope there are too many typos.

I started the day packing up the books and some other items that I could easily ship to Oregon. It was another night that I slept better even with the heat raising the apartment into the 80F a few times. I counter with a fan and an open window.

I was out of the apartment just about ten after writing the blog, it was a longish one, and dressing and all that jazz.

The Tuesday subway was busier than the Monday load of folks. Everyone had on masks, and all the regulars had phones and earbuds and just ignored everyone else.

I walked to the UPS store and then had the privilege to pay more than $13 for a box and packaging to send the books to Oregon. One less heavy thing to get home.

It was a cold, dry October day with a wind that promised to make anyone not wearing a heavy coat regret their clothing choices. Later, I saw one guy in the subway using it as a warming place. Season changes are hard on the homeless and poor of NYC.

When I got to Mount Sinia West third floor–3G, Susie was not dressed and the PT person was helping Susie to get ready. Susie seemed more tired and even a bit depressed. The room was dark. Susie does not do well in the dark and I got the window open and lights on later. She was better after she got started that day.

The day was busy for Susie as soon as one thing finished, lunch or dinner showed, and then there was more intensive therapy. I waited for the official word and talked to the staff often. I needed to know what I needed to do and whatever else they need from me. Finally, about 4ish we met with Dr. Kline and he officially told us Susie is being discharged on Friday.

I then remade Susie’s nail color to yellow to represent victory and returning home.

I learned I have to arrange for pick-up at the hospital and that the discharge will tell me what else I will need.

I left Susie at Mount Sinia West just after 7PM. I walked down 10th Avenue to a Mexican place, Mamasita Bar & Grill. There you can spend almost any amount of money on a margarita (or a pitcher or a huge column filled with a drink that you pour yourself) of many different kinds. You can also mix them up to have a near-infinite number of versions of their flavors. They have been in this location for more than thirty years the owner told me. It is actually a small family biz. I asked for a medium-sized, regular flavor, moderate quality booze, with salt, on the rocks margarita.

Kat was there just after 7:30 and I ordered her first Pina Colada (with no rum). I asked Amy the bartender and our waiter “to only wave the most expensive rum bottle around the drink.” That got the point across and smiles too.

Dinner was burritos for Kat and I had a combination plate of three items for me. The food was more expensive than I expected, even in NYC. It was also better than I expected, exceptional actually.

Kat and I then walked back to Columbus Circle and I took the 1 train back to the apartment.

Aside: Some of my medical problems are returning so it is good to get back home soon.

Monday started with me sleeping almost to 8ish. I had no laundry and was again a bit lazy and reached the trains about 10ish. The look and feel of the trains are much different on a workday. By 10sih people are already at work, and those on the trains are mostly wearing masks and using their phones. Nobody hears anything as they all have earbuds in.

I was with Susie soon after chatting with security and the nurses on All Saints Day and 50 minutes passed 10 when visiting hours began. Susie was in the chair, dressed, and sleeping when I got there.

The PT folks, two of them, had worked Susie hard. Susie was very tired. The OT decided it best to move the therapy out to the afternoon.

Lunch came, and Susie thought she already had lunch. The days are merging for Susie, which I have also experienced in hospitals. It is really time to get home.

I decided to see the bookstore The Strand in NYC, so I headed out about 1ish. I walked the three long blocks to the 57th Street Station and popped on to the N train. I was soon at Union Station at Washington Plaza.

I was going to find lunch along the way to the bookstore. I discovered Carl Brenner’s Chocolate Bar within sight of The Strand. The restaurant serves food and chocolate.

I asked the waiter what was good, mac and cheese adding bacon (!) and mushrooms; I ordered it with a cup of hot chocolate. It was to die for.

I then managed to escape without getting any chocolate to go. Susie may not have chocolate with her racing heart.

Next to The Strand is a comic book and game store, Forbidden Planet. They had a full-sized Terminator in the window with gay pride flags. I went in and had a look. It is a friendly shop.

I had backpain out-of-nowhere. It made the trip to The Strand shorter than I planned and made the walk back to the subway and the hospital unpleasant.

The Strand is, like Powell’s in Oregon, a new and used bookstore. Used and new copies of the same book can be found on their shelves. They have four floors of books (the fourth floor–rare books–is still closed), including the basement. It is neater than what I am used to for used book stores. There were many good deals, and it was quite busy for a Monday afternoon.

I drank a whole bottle of water and got to the hospital, and sat for a while. I was better soon. Too many carbohydrates and not enough water and rushing a bit seemed to cause the back issue. It went away almost as fast at it started. I will be more careful.

When I got back to Susie’s room, I had missed her as she was now in OT. But she was back soon, and we chatted for a bit. The PT folks talked to us and ordered a walker to have with us when we returned home. They think Susie is safer with a walker, and we might need it for the airport.

I then called Wayne and Anne Weld-martin. We had an over-the-phone prayer for going home.

Susie’s dinner came and waited until about 7ish to head out. I met Kate at 7:30, and we had dinner at Westville Hell’s Kitchen. We just walked in, and they had a table in the very back. It was a cold but dry October day, so inside seemed a good idea.

Kat had a burger, and I tried the Cobb Salad. Both were good. It being Margarita Monday, I had one of those too, with Kat staying with just water.

We then headed to Columbia Circle, and I said goodbye to Kat and off on the 1 train, empty almost on a workday Monday.

I got a text from Clint from Susie’s family, and he is in NJ, so I will try to hook up with him on Wednesday. Clint is the husband of Susie’s niece, and thus like me, an inlaw, we stick together.

Returning to the apartment, I managed to reconnect to United Airlines and, via various twists of logic, have reanimated my previous reservations. I was given credit for the canceled flights (two of them) and added a flight home to my original plans. Really, it is like reanimating a long-lost travel plan, and it even uses the same designator codes. Thusly, we are now scheduled, again, to return to Portland on Friday, November 5 at 6:45PM EDT on flight UA1760 from Newark (EWR).

I received emails to match and nearly hyperventilated. It showed a round trip, but I soon understood that we had reanimated the previous trip, and the first flight was our original flight here and was already in the past. Just like many Halloween stories, reanimation is not without its scary moments!

This is a bit earlier than I hoped and will require attention to travel times and getting to the airport, but it is the only non-stop that arrives on Friday (there is a red-eye flight). Therefore, I will have to revise the “Escape From New York City” to be home at 10PM PDT and that our transfer from Mount Sinai West needs to be in the early afternoon.

I was about asleep when the phone rang. It was Expedia Travel Services who I asked for a call-back before I managed to do it all by myself. With the disaster that was American Airlines yesterday, they were still trying to connect me with an agent. I had asked for a call back as it was an hour’s wait time. The call was 90 minutes later, and the polite computer voice told me they still did not have an agent for me and asked if I wanted to wait. I let it go as I had managed to get the flights without help.

I hope that you are enjoying the story as we approach the epilogue, I hope, soon for this story. I cannot express our thanks to all the people that have helped us to get this far. NYC is cool and kind, not its usual reputation. Mount Sinai West is an inner-city hospital but works once you get used to it. The rehab department is happy and capable. NYC is an incredible place.

 

This is the last week of my 25th Year At Nike Sabbatical. It certainly has been a chance to learn what it means to give up control. Yet, here I am in New York City in a studio apartment drinking instant coffee from a Moulon Rouge cup, hoping that I can go home soon. Indeed, nothing I could have imagined.

Working backward for today’s story, I reached the apartment about 11PM last night and just went to bed. Not a complex process in a studio apartment is a day bed. I had traveled back with Kat part of the way on the subway on the Q train. We then walked over to Columbus Circle. I said goodbye to Kat (she lives a few minutes away in Hell’s Kitchen) and took the 1 train back to the Upper West Side where I reside, accidentally, in the apartment on loan from the United Methodist Women.

The 1 train included people in slightly crumpled costumes. One undead chef with “Hell’s Kitchen” while slightly crumpled was still impressive. It looked like a fun night for everyone. Most people had masks on and tried to be careful of the virus even in a busy train.

Before this, we had traveled to the Upper Eastside to meet Tasha and Jason for a game of Concordia. We played for a few hours, and I could see my lead being lost as Tasha and Jason exploded their scores with building trading posts at the very end of the game. Jason had the wine card, and he took the game with it. And, Tasha knocked me out of second place with the farm card. So my chance for Roman conquest failed, again. Next time!

Notice the number of blue houses (trading posts) from Tasha!

We ordered out Indian food. It was a great night.

Before this, Kat and I met at Columbus Circle in the afternoon. We then walked to the 57th Street Station to find the Q train. The smell of smoke, actual smoke, and the firemen on the other platform was a hint that something was wrong on this Halloween travel. An announcement explained that Q trains were no longer running to this platform. We then caught the R. We popped over to 59th street and found the 6 train there.

Aside: Kat had brought some amazing cupcakes with little bats on them. They just crushed a bit in the travels. Our joke was it was not a fire but a cupcake incident that caused the Q train issues.

The platform for 6 is somehow deeper than the other trains! We found this subterranean platform after Kat spotted a tiny sign pointing us to walk up the platform that led to more stairs leading down. The impossibly deep 6 train was there and an express to where we needed to be. Off we went.

We reached the Upper West Side and then walked four huge avenue blocks. Kat explained to me that avenue blocks are huge while street blocks are short in this area. Although my feet were calling out to me at this point, “Uber!”, I ignored them.

We did walk by the station we usually use, which is only two long blocks away from Jason and Tasha’s place.

Before meeting Kat–still going backward, I was helping out at Mount Sinai West. Susie’s nurse was too busy to help (Sunday is a bit stressful for the nurses as they are short-staffed). So a nursing aide and I walked Susie down the hallway. I explained to the aide how Susie needs to walk more straight and inside her walker; Susie is really tired of being told what to do and can growl at her husband (she is friendly to everyone else), and we all got down the long hallway safe. I got Susie in the wheelchair and brought her back 2/3 of the way. Susie decided to walk the rest of the way. So I followed the aide with the wheelchair as she helped Susie.

Cora, one of the PT people, stopped Susie and pointed out her feet were not in her walker. Susie had the weekend off, but Cora was on duty and provided some reinforcement for Susie. I tried not to smirk.

The other staff was laughing as I followed the five-month pregnant aide with the wheelchair. They suggested that it was time and the aide said she had four more months. It was fun to see the Sunday staff joking.

Before this, I ran out to the CVS and got Depends and pads that we use at home for incontinence. The hospital does not use these products, but they work for us better than their supplies.

I also picked up some yellow nail polish which I will use when we hear, likely Tuesday, that we can go home. The color yellow is the color of victory for bicycle racing and also the color in the USA for a homecoming: Tie a yellow ribbon ’round the Ol’ Oak tree. So we will go with yellow!

Just before this, I slipped out for lunch. Susie had a peanut and jelly sandwich, and we had a friendly call with her Mom, sister Barb, and niece Emma. Over at the closeby Paris Baggette place for soup and a chicken salad sandwich. I brought Susie back a dessert that was covered in powdered sugar and cocoa powder. The mess was spectacular and the dessert thus less enjoyed than I had hoped. Oops!

While buying lunch, I asked for napkins, and they told me to get them over with all the other supplies. There were none. A gal tried to find some, and then the gal disappeared into the basement. Next, the gal then came back with a stack of napkins to load the dispenser. I thanked the staff for the napkins. Then I pointed out that the spring-loaded push device needs to be behind the napkins, not in front. The gal smiling and slightly embarrassed, removed all the napkins and loaded them again. Finally, I got three napkins. Everywhere is understaffed, and any break seems to introduce chaos.

Returning now to the morning, Susie was still resting in bed when I got there, I found the last of our supplies for pads and a Halloween shirt (I packed it not believing that we would need it, but thought it might have some use), and the aide and nurse got Susie cleaned up and dressed.

I started late and stayed that way through the morning. I managed to write the blog and get going after sleeping to 7:45ish without only a few interruptions. The window is always open, and the city’s sound, which changes around 7ish, wakes me.

The 1 train was packed and I had to call out, “Move to the center,” a few times. Halloween costumes were everywhere.

Again, I hope you enjoy this blog.

 

The day started with me sleeping almost to 8ish. This is an improvement as I am now getting more sleep and not collapsing in the daybed at the end of each day here in NYC. I have the window open, so I can hear the chimes and all the city noise. At night, I like to listen to the sounds of a city I visit. It is strange how loud NYC is in the Upper West Side near 104 by Amsterdam.

I was a bit lazy and did not do anything but get dressed and head out. Banana for breakfast with instant Maxwell House is my new start every morning. I before was having more of an eastern-styled breakfast with olives and sausage and bread with hummus. Now, I just want a few simple items.

I was at Mount Sinia West right on time (10ish) after riding a half-empty but busy 1 train. It is Saturday, and it has been cold and rainy. Not as many people are headed for NYC in the morning. Susie has a rest day; no therapy today. She is still in bed and trying to find something to watch.

The stroke was about three weeks ago. This is our third Saturday at Mount Sinai West.

It is 30Oct2021, and the main items on the cable supplied are home shopping opportunities and dismemberment. Every possible horror and Halloween movie, cartoon, or episode with a horror or Halloween theme is now playing on cable. Susie was not amused.

I put the Vampire movie with all the young sexy folks falling in love as I remember liking the film and the first book in the series (I also remember never reading any more after the second book–terrible). Susie was Ok with that.

I stopped by the Greek Kitchen and tried a new item on the menu, little beef patties. While excellent, the lamb is better. I had a light dinner the night before and just a banana for breakfast, and thus this called for a nice plate at Greek Kitchen. I am spoiled by their quality and interesting time of sitting on 10th and 58th and watching NYC folks go by. I will miss Greek Kitchen when I am home (which, with luck, should be Friday).

Susie had lunch and then napped for a bit–it was her day off. So I headed out at 3ish to meet with Kat. We meet in the Roosevelt Garden in front of the hospital; it is all that is left of the original name of the hospital, Roosevelt.

We headed to Columbus Circle, and I discussed with Kat, and we changed our direction to downtown. We also discussed movie options. Ghost Busters is back in theaters for Halloween and playing in Times Square. Kat has not seen it (but had to model the Stay Puff monster in one of her animation classes).

So we pop down to Houston Street Station on the 1 Train and find the crowds. Folks are just getting started on Halloween Eve. There are folks dressed in costumes or fine clothing with a hint of darkness for more formal events.

A few blocks, and we find a shop that has seen better days, Chess Forum. The paint is peeling, there is moss on the sign, the wood here and there turning to dry rot, but the store is packed. All the tables outside are engaged in chess. The narrow, dusty, and almost Harry Potter-like shop is stuffed full of people, and there are more chess tables in the back with more games in play. Chess sets are everywhere for sale, and some are old.

I look around a few times. I ask if they have a Soviet set for sale. “Only the single color version,” says the guy at the desk with a knowing look. I decline to see it. He approves of my choice. We look at a few books. He picks out his fav beginner book after I tell him I am not rated. I buy it as I always try to buy something in a gaming store (support your local store!). It is translated from Russian, My System: 21st Century Edition. And the first chess book in a long time in larger print! Perfect!

Kat and I circle on our navigation, so easy to do with iPhones, but finally, reach The Uncommon a few blocks from Chess Forum. It is busy and confusing at first. The Uncommon is a place to rent a table and play games, they have a huge collection that you just take, play, and put back.

I ask about getting a reserved table and then purchase a nice table for two for three hours ($10 each). Kat is surprised that we bought space, but I have been to many gaming places before. They also climb up, get on top of a bench, and balance and tease out of their stacks of games the Istanbul board game for me. It is an old well-played box under five other boxes.

Kat orders some food. I set up and teach her Istanbul. This game is more experience than a teach. So I play it with her and get most of the rules right. We fixed one mistake, and play continues. Kat watches as I make very efficient moves and learns how to play. I won by a significant margin. She was ready for the next game. She won by one gem (I was so close).

In Istanbul, the board game, you have resources to collect and then use them to get gems by buying them, exchanging for them, or increasing your capabilities and earning a gem (up to three). Six gems ends the game with a win (five for more than two players). Your moves are constrained by a unique process that is too hard to describe in writing but easy to lean on the board. Thus, you are simulating running around the markets in Istanbul, collecting resources, trading, buying, and investing. It is a race. It is a fav for me as it plays fast once you get it down, and everything you do is essential. In most games, you are only a move or two away from winning when someone else pulls that last gem.

We played two games, and Kat got a taco. We then thanked our hosts. It was a nice place but a bit packed for a pandemic (vax status must be proved to be inside). While I taught Kay Istanbul and played two games, and Kat ate a taco, another group was still trying to learn Fall of Rome, Pandemic. This suggests that maybe that version of the Pandemic series is not needed in my collection.

We need more fuel. We headed back to the direction we came and found a pizza joint and just ordered pizza. The pizza place had Amstel Light Beer, so I had one of those (I only see this on the East Coast as on the West I would just have a lighter local craft beer). My first ever NYC pizza was perfect with the famous gooey cheese and meat and veggies. Even with the earlier taco, Kat and I downed all but two pieces.

A heater caused the red coloring.

And then we got lost. We had spent a bit more time than we should have enjoying NYC pizza and needed to quickly find and travel the 1, 2, or 3 train back to Times Square. We could not find the Uptown entrance for the trains! We must have walked by the subway entrance without seeing it. Kat called an Uber, and then in the car, we ordered tickets, only $13 for two, and still had to jump out and hoof-it to the AMC. The pre-Halloween parties (and traffic) had descended on NYC. Folks were either in tight formalish wear or costume or both.

We managed to make the movie, after a seemly endless number of escalators. We enjoyed the film, and there were a lot of laughs, even for such an old and often inappropriate movie.

I headed back, limping from one blister, and Kat joined me for a one-stop ride to get closer to the Kat Lair on the 1 train. I got off at 104th a few stops later and was home about 11ish.

Again, I hope you enjoy the stories. We had a very fun day doing many things.

I managed to almost oversleep for the first time in NYC. I managed to wake and roll over and sleep most of the night. As usual, I open the window so I can hear the clock chimes starting at 8.

I had laundry to do for Susie and had to write the blog. This takes the morning. I was not out the door until about 10ish and heard the chimes three times.

I decided to stop by the local McDonald’s to see how that works out in NYC during a pandemic. It was chaotic and slow. Online orders were coming in, and drivers picking up those orders. Others were ordering and waiting. As usual, I went over to the touch screens and ordered my fav of Egg Mcmuffin with an extra hash brown and small coffee with cream. Somehow I ordered three, I discovered later (explaining the higher price for breakfast).

I waited 15 minutes, I think, for the fast food, and one man was irate that his order never appeared. The manager, who easily switched from Spanish to English and back, waved his hand to calm the man and got him his breakfast. The disappointed guy cursed out the place and talked on Facetime with someone explaining why he was late.

My order was reached, and I had to remind them to give me my coffee. The staff looked demoralized, and the manager was holding all together with his energy. My heart went out to them. They were also beginning the switch to lunch, so it was true chaos as I turned to eat.

I ate in McDonald’s, but they did not check my vax status (there is a sign requiring it). I also had to clean up the counter a bit. Nevertheless, I still tried to relax, and others sat in the same area. I gave away one of my spare hash browns, and it was well-received.

I thought the food was good and not too salty as I find it locally in Oregon. I finished a hash brown, half my coffee, and cleaned up. One hash brown did not find a home.

It is a cold, partially cloudy, windy October day. I had to hold on to my hat a few times.

I took the 1 train and walked the three blocks to Mount Sinai West. The staff at security welcomed me, and we went through the same ritual. I got a sticker saying that my vax status was checked and my temperature was suitable for entrance. Security then scans my passport and makes a sticker with my name and what floor I can visit. My vax status is proved by a sticker over the void on unprinted stickers.

Next, I take the elevator to the 3rd floor and sign in at the nurse’s station; they all welcome me for entrance to 3G as I have been coming for weeks now. I then wave and say good morning to the nurses and staff.

Susie was in her bed and unhappy. A new test requires an IV. On the fourth try, her nurse got it. Once that was over, I learned Susie was having a CT (cat) scan. Her heart continues to race, and her white count is still increasing and is abnormally high. So the doc wants to check for a cause with a CT scan (with contrast).

Mount Sinai took two days last time to find a slot for a CT scan, so I am trying to wait and not worry.

Susie was dressed, but they put a gown back on her for the CT. She kept her pants and shoes. PT showed, and Susie was off for exercises and evaluation. We are approaching the next decision day (Tuesday) that decides if we are headed home on 5Nov2021.

To that end, I have started on my plan to “Escape From New York.” I have picked flights and will ship some luggage out ahead of time. Then, we will fly First Class on a late flight non-stop to PDX. This will get us access to the First Class Lounge to wait and help if things go sideways (like a canceled flight). I speculate on all of this, but I will have only a few days to settle the details once a go for “Escape From New York” process starts.

Susie was done for the day, and the CT scan will happen when there is an opening. Susie and I both nodded off while waiting.

I headed back to the apartment at 3ish as there was little more to do, and Susie was likely to take a nap. I stopped by the local market to get a few supplies.

I made French Toast for dinner. I had to use the pans and the stove. I would make hash go with it, but the apartment supplied can opener broke on the first use. I will acquire a better one tomorrow. I have no new laundry to do; Susie had a better day, so I should have time in the morning to get a real whisk and a functional can opener to donate to the apartment. The stove and pans are good.

I am resting a bit today. I finished one of the magician history books I bought here today. After that, I have moved to a Doctor Who novel as a cookie-for-the-brain reading. Mariah and Kat purchased it for me as something to do during the extended stay.

Internet at the apartment is kaput. So instead, I am using my iPhone 5G hotspot to access the Internet and write this blog. I am surprised by the limited free access in NYC. Makes me miss rainy Portland sometimes.

I hope you like the story so far. I am hoping to finish it on Saturday with us home and an epilogue. But, we will see. So far, the whole thing has been an exercise in letting go of control.