Jason, Jason "Wither Goest Thou?" II
Today was truly a very different day.
It was cold in the 40's with a very blue, no cloud sky.
A perfect day to move if one has to do it in February.
I would have bet my bottom dollar on a Mologne House move today. I was sure that Jason would be moved into Mologne House this morning. (In the civilian world what the insurance company says "GOES.") To prove that I do not know anything about military hospital bureaucracy decision making, Jason is still in #5833 and will move tomorrow. It was Jason's call and he decided to stay another night in the hospital for what reason I do not know, except that Jason was "hell bent" on completing the reading of his latest novel and, I think, didn't want to be disturbed. I figured, "What the heck, it is not my call, I wasn't blown to pieces by an IED to the point of near death 14 weeks ago," and neither were the MD's involved in the decision to go or stay. So this evening at about 8 PM I left Jason reading PJ O'Rourke's Peace Kills and laughing to himself.
To back up to the beginning, I arrived at the usual 7:30 and headed down to the mess hall as Jason got French toast instead of his usual bagel. I tried to toast in the machine, but got only heated bagel on the first go through on "dark." I was afraid to give it a second try and burn the "durn thing." So Jason got a "heated bagel" with cream cheese this morning. Got Jason headed to PT/OT and stayed to meet with the MD team for Jason. All the MD's were doing their rounds this morning, the students and the boss MD's. All the hospital TV show images come to mind and they are true. I worry about the young student MD's as I know the stories of their long hours and in this situation very demanding, challenging patients in the suffering they present in their many and horrific war wounds. I do have great respect for the MD's and medical staff and their compassion for their soldier patients.
The PM&R docs say "go slow on any decision for surgery" as they know Jason is to meet with the ortho docs on Wednesday about the excess bone in his hip. I had a good meeting with them (about 7 in number) going over discharge info; they seemed like a good bunch of docs but a little wary of me. I am sure my reputation for being a "raving mother/patient advocate" has proceeded me. I am sure the nursing staff is holding their collective breath until "they see the last of my backside." (I never did get the lower locker unlocked from the patient's side of the door on the ward, so I know I am not omnipotent.)
At one o'clock, after Jason's call to Jodi, we met with Bart who continued my training on home care for Jason. We asked Bart if he could call "Med Hold" to send over some help to move Jason's items to Mologne. Two soldiers quickly appeared without a dolly or any way to carry the boxes and storage case about 4'x2'x2' and super heavy, it had been shipped from Iraq to GA and a friend had brought it to WR. Jason headed for the afternoon session of PT and I waited for the men to return. They did in short order and we filled a wheelchair-yup great moving aide- and dolly and off we went to Mologne. I was glad they were pushing the dolly up hill and not me! It took about 10 minutes to unload it all "all over the room." The soldiers headed back to MedHold and I back to Jason cause he had a plan...
Jason wanted to walk up to Silver Spring since he found the wonderful Vietnamese restaurant while John was visiting on the weekend. We figured Martha wasn't coming till 6PM to get the van, we could get dinner of his favorite dish "Pho soup plus any cut of beef" Jason's eyes really light up when he thinks of the soup. He headed off N up Georgia and I headed off to Mologne. I had forgotten to move the van from its parking lot to the WR hospital parking lot underground earlier in the day. I figure I spend an hour a day walking back and forth from the hospital to Mologne or vice a versa. So Jason will get a lot of walking in from here on out. I drove to Silver Spring and parked the van in the parking garage. I finally figured out a system not to loose the car (we lost the car on the weekend. Being iNtuitives, sometimes we are not too connected to the practical.) Today I looked down and the spaces are numbered! so I now write the number on the ticket. It is one of those garages where you pay at a machine before you get to the "drive out gate." So 21st century and I am so 20th.
Heading S on Georgia I met Jason where I normally do, N side of the Metro tracks. I asked Jason if he clocked his time, he said "No" he'd forgotten so I don't know if Jason improved his time over his 45 minutes of last week's walk. We headed to Office Depot where Jason bought a new mouse. As you see this was the extent of Jason's work of moving to Mologne---getting ready to surf the net at his leisure. Jason was fascinated by the screen saver of a underwater scene, looked so real and even made sounds like an aquarium air bubbler etc. Jason wanted to know if he could change the fish etc. but we were locked out of the display computers.
Jason also met a St. Bernard on the sidewalk and immediately fell in love! "A beautiful dog" he told the proud owner. It was huge and acted like a puppy. Jason said, "Its paws were as big as my hands " with admiration in his voice. Jason has always wanted to have a really big dog as he grew up with a 12 pound cockapoodle (Lisa had chosen Poochie when he was one). Then on to a leisurely dinner at the restaurant where I do swear that the bowl held a quart of PHO soup and Jason ate it all with great relish. I imagine that Jason could remember what it tasted and smelled like as Jason said he ate it weekly when he lived in San Francisco. Neither of us liked the "salty soda" it tasted like salt water to us, and they didn't have any deserts. Jason said, "Let us stop at Starbucks for a drink." I think he ordered a cold latte, I ordered a hot decaf and shortbread cookies, thank you, it was cold outside and blowing a cold wind.
We arrived in plenty of time for Martha and Chuck to come to get the van. When they arrived, looking at a picture of Martha next to Jason (from her retirement party), Chuck said, "Next to Jason, she looks like she fell in a pot hole." I said, "We all do." Off we went to the van in the underground garage to reclaim Jason's cell phone, it must have fallen out of his pocket when we were driving home...
The end of our different day and ever so much closer, but not there yet, to Mologne House.
Please keep Jason's complete recovery in your prayers, blessings on you and your family and friends,
It was cold in the 40's with a very blue, no cloud sky.
A perfect day to move if one has to do it in February.
I would have bet my bottom dollar on a Mologne House move today. I was sure that Jason would be moved into Mologne House this morning. (In the civilian world what the insurance company says "GOES.") To prove that I do not know anything about military hospital bureaucracy decision making, Jason is still in #5833 and will move tomorrow. It was Jason's call and he decided to stay another night in the hospital for what reason I do not know, except that Jason was "hell bent" on completing the reading of his latest novel and, I think, didn't want to be disturbed. I figured, "What the heck, it is not my call, I wasn't blown to pieces by an IED to the point of near death 14 weeks ago," and neither were the MD's involved in the decision to go or stay. So this evening at about 8 PM I left Jason reading PJ O'Rourke's Peace Kills and laughing to himself.
To back up to the beginning, I arrived at the usual 7:30 and headed down to the mess hall as Jason got French toast instead of his usual bagel. I tried to toast in the machine, but got only heated bagel on the first go through on "dark." I was afraid to give it a second try and burn the "durn thing." So Jason got a "heated bagel" with cream cheese this morning. Got Jason headed to PT/OT and stayed to meet with the MD team for Jason. All the MD's were doing their rounds this morning, the students and the boss MD's. All the hospital TV show images come to mind and they are true. I worry about the young student MD's as I know the stories of their long hours and in this situation very demanding, challenging patients in the suffering they present in their many and horrific war wounds. I do have great respect for the MD's and medical staff and their compassion for their soldier patients.
The PM&R docs say "go slow on any decision for surgery" as they know Jason is to meet with the ortho docs on Wednesday about the excess bone in his hip. I had a good meeting with them (about 7 in number) going over discharge info; they seemed like a good bunch of docs but a little wary of me. I am sure my reputation for being a "raving mother/patient advocate" has proceeded me. I am sure the nursing staff is holding their collective breath until "they see the last of my backside." (I never did get the lower locker unlocked from the patient's side of the door on the ward, so I know I am not omnipotent.)
At one o'clock, after Jason's call to Jodi, we met with Bart who continued my training on home care for Jason. We asked Bart if he could call "Med Hold" to send over some help to move Jason's items to Mologne. Two soldiers quickly appeared without a dolly or any way to carry the boxes and storage case about 4'x2'x2' and super heavy, it had been shipped from Iraq to GA and a friend had brought it to WR. Jason headed for the afternoon session of PT and I waited for the men to return. They did in short order and we filled a wheelchair-yup great moving aide- and dolly and off we went to Mologne. I was glad they were pushing the dolly up hill and not me! It took about 10 minutes to unload it all "all over the room." The soldiers headed back to MedHold and I back to Jason cause he had a plan...
Jason wanted to walk up to Silver Spring since he found the wonderful Vietnamese restaurant while John was visiting on the weekend. We figured Martha wasn't coming till 6PM to get the van, we could get dinner of his favorite dish "Pho soup plus any cut of beef" Jason's eyes really light up when he thinks of the soup. He headed off N up Georgia and I headed off to Mologne. I had forgotten to move the van from its parking lot to the WR hospital parking lot underground earlier in the day. I figure I spend an hour a day walking back and forth from the hospital to Mologne or vice a versa. So Jason will get a lot of walking in from here on out. I drove to Silver Spring and parked the van in the parking garage. I finally figured out a system not to loose the car (we lost the car on the weekend. Being iNtuitives, sometimes we are not too connected to the practical.) Today I looked down and the spaces are numbered! so I now write the number on the ticket. It is one of those garages where you pay at a machine before you get to the "drive out gate." So 21st century and I am so 20th.
Heading S on Georgia I met Jason where I normally do, N side of the Metro tracks. I asked Jason if he clocked his time, he said "No" he'd forgotten so I don't know if Jason improved his time over his 45 minutes of last week's walk. We headed to Office Depot where Jason bought a new mouse. As you see this was the extent of Jason's work of moving to Mologne---getting ready to surf the net at his leisure. Jason was fascinated by the screen saver of a underwater scene, looked so real and even made sounds like an aquarium air bubbler etc. Jason wanted to know if he could change the fish etc. but we were locked out of the display computers.
Jason also met a St. Bernard on the sidewalk and immediately fell in love! "A beautiful dog" he told the proud owner. It was huge and acted like a puppy. Jason said, "Its paws were as big as my hands " with admiration in his voice. Jason has always wanted to have a really big dog as he grew up with a 12 pound cockapoodle (Lisa had chosen Poochie when he was one). Then on to a leisurely dinner at the restaurant where I do swear that the bowl held a quart of PHO soup and Jason ate it all with great relish. I imagine that Jason could remember what it tasted and smelled like as Jason said he ate it weekly when he lived in San Francisco. Neither of us liked the "salty soda" it tasted like salt water to us, and they didn't have any deserts. Jason said, "Let us stop at Starbucks for a drink." I think he ordered a cold latte, I ordered a hot decaf and shortbread cookies, thank you, it was cold outside and blowing a cold wind.
We arrived in plenty of time for Martha and Chuck to come to get the van. When they arrived, looking at a picture of Martha next to Jason (from her retirement party), Chuck said, "Next to Jason, she looks like she fell in a pot hole." I said, "We all do." Off we went to the van in the underground garage to reclaim Jason's cell phone, it must have fallen out of his pocket when we were driving home...
The end of our different day and ever so much closer, but not there yet, to Mologne House.
Please keep Jason's complete recovery in your prayers, blessings on you and your family and friends,
posted by Katy (Scott) Zatsick | 2/06/2006 08:13:00 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home