So Paul scheduled his surgery for an eyelid lift, due to headaches, and vision starting to be impaired. We purposely booked it for a Thursday because I have Thursdays off. Two days before, we received a text from the school. “Half day on Wednesday and release at 10 am on Thursday due to testing.” Great. Guess Anna is coming to me for Paul’s surgery.
We arrive at Kellogg Eye Center. Raining, a constant misty rain. There are absolutely no handicapped spots. So this means I need two spots for the side lift for the chair, or an end spot so the lift will go down. We end up parking all the way at the back because there is no other choice. We have a new wheelchair van, which we purchased only two days before. I had not gotten to “refill” it with all the things a car needs. So no umbrellas for us to walk the equivalent of a block and a half in the rain. It’s already getting exciting and we have not even entered the building.
We get in and get Paul all checked in. I decide to go have lunch, I will probably be there much longer than I think. That’s what surgery days entail. Anna and I go to the cutest little cafeteria. I was in awe, like a little kid looking at all my wonderful options. They had little pudding cups with candy like bunnies and all sorts of crazy expensive drinks in the cooler. A salad bar, a fun potato chip display, we were having fun. I saw a coffee area. Now this is the bomb! I decide on a black bean burger with a bag of chips that are made in the Great Lakes. I save my money on the expensive drinks. I always have something with me to hydrate.
We pay and the cashier is very friendly and sweet. Anna and I find a table out of the way because I have some calls to make. My black bean burger is wonderful, and Anna enjoys the time also.
We go back to the waiting Room, I’m trying to read. Anna begins winding up and getting very upset. I think, okay take it moment by moment. I give her the afternoon calming meds after I feel her stomach, which is distended and hard as a rock. I stop the tube feed. I decide to wait 30 minutes before I have to leave the area to walk the halls in hopes of turning this around. Then I hear it, then I smell it. Another couple in front of me turns around. Anna is having a not-so-silent blowout. I stand up and leave the area. There is only one elevator working so we wait. I know she is going to stink it up, but what can I do? I can’t do anything else.
Now we have to go to the van to change her. There is hardly ever a place to change a person over the weight of 50 pounds. It’s always a car change, or a floor change with help and concealment, or a trip home. Now I walk a block and a half again in the rain to the van. It’s so bad when I get there I can’t really do anything else except maneuver the chair in the van to put Anna on the floor. Thank God I have all the stuff I need. More clothes, wipes, gloves, blue pads, etc. We get the job done. Anna thinks it’s funny, she is laughing and pulling at the chair while she is on the floor. I decide that I DESERVE a coffee back at that cute cafe after all of this. My mind was having dreams of coffee black and fresh.
We went back to the cafe. I am dreaming of the taste. We get to the floor and I am brokenhearted to see the beautiful cafe shut down. Yep, all done for the day. I missed it. They closed just 11 minutes before we made it. I’m grateful I got Anna all clean and dry. I moved my coffee dream to another time.
Back to the waiting room. I get a call Paul is ready. We go back. We sit there while Paul scarfs down Lorna Doone cookies and a beverage, a Shasta. We talk about the plan of homecare and all the aftercare. He’s blindfolded basically because of his eyes. I tell the nurse I need help. I cannot push two wheelchairs. They give us a lovely aid. Away we go.
It’s a good thing school was cancelled because it was now 4 pm. There is no way I could have made it home, I guess I could have asked her caretakers. But on days at the hospital you never know. After all of this I am pleased to have had Anna with us. We made it through with all the hurdles. A day in the life of the Warrior. Now onto the state of recovery, another adventure. And it’s all the more fun with Anna in tow.
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