Home Again, Home Again

Alison was discharged from the hospital Friday afternoon. Her family came Thursday night, so she was glad to get home and see everyone. She's not feeling too hot; she missed chemotherapy last week. She still has a drainage tube in her hip, so the doctor thought it best to enlist the help of a home-nursing company.

My thoughts were that they would irrigate the wound on Saturday, Sunday, and then be done. But I guess what this service amounts to is a 24-hour call-if-you-need-anything service. And it means that someone will be around for questions, to come check on her, etc. So I feel it's a blessing. The weekends are so stressful for me because I know it's a period where the only care I have at my disposal is the ER. Everyone knows how sour an experience that can be.

Alison starts chemotherapy again Monday. Hopefully she'll be well-rested from the weekend and ready to keep battling.

Fortune Cookie: Update on Ali

Tuesday morning they drained her hip infection. The doctor placed a red rubber tube into the wound for irrigation. This tube extends out and wraps around the gauze. He said the infection was an abscess and was bigger than he'd thought. He said she was lucky not to have it infect the bone.

Alison's recovering just fine from the surgery, although last night she got sick twice. I say it's hospital funk. The cultures haven't grown much of anything, so they think it will be okay to fight from home, but won't release her earlier than Friday.

We're all business right now, I know, but as my fortune cookie said today, "When you're up to your ears, it is best to keep your mouth closed."

Hospital Stay

Alison's doctor chose to admit her today. He took one look at her hip infection and decided it needed drained. He also said her hemoglobin was really low (inconsistent with her trend of late) and she needed blood. So we're back in the hospital. Blood tonight, drain tomorrow, and IVs of antibiotic after that. Hopefully we'll begin chemotherapy on Wednesday now.

I am not nearly as scared about this visit as I was about the internal jugular clot visit. In fact, I'm planning on returning to her room in a few hours with stuff for a 'date' with her and MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL.

I'll keep everyone posted.

Painting

Next week Penny and I will drop off our submissions for an charity auction in Indy.

Here's my almost final streetlight painting:

I had a thought today and it was 'Thank God life is 9 innings.' It's enough time to win and lose and win again. It's not one time up to bat.

Surf Fishing on Sunday

Hoop Dreams

Tonight Alison and I went to buy a basketball pole for me. Yay! Alison's been encouraging me to get one lately, but finally it was my gut that told me it was okay. (It's a little less than a 6 pack, though a six pack might fit right inside there just fine)

Searching online revealed Walmart's Lifetime 44" portable hoop the best deal around. On sale for 68 bucks. I was excited when we got it home, and after making tacos for dinner, I went out to assemble.

Yeah, there were two middle poles, and no bottom pole. See, the mast of the hoop is in three pieces, and they just didn't fit. The bottom one wasn't right. So here I go, slightly perturbed, albeit understanding of cheapy basketball manufacturers, down the road another 20 minutes back to Walmart.

And then it got worse. Friday night after Six. Walmart is the inside of a zoo after hours during a thunderstorm. Chaos. They had half the lanes open that were open the first visit, with twice the customers. Even sporting goods was jammed. I could barely breathe.

So after waiting behind three ladies who counted change to pay for their massive carts full of groceries, I had to shave again and was going gray. I payed and left. Then in the parking lot I made sure all the pieces matched all the drawings, got into my car, and drove 20 minutes home.

I took two lessons away from this experience: 1) Walmart needs some hours-help re-thinking. I won't go back for a LONG time after that experience. 2) It might have been worth it to go to a sporting goods store where it would be me, the customer, and Frank, the salesman and cashier. It would have been worth another 20 bucks initially, especially considering the extra 40 minutes of driving, and the need for a very large beer after my shopping experience. Hell, maybe Frank could have had one ready for me too....

Rummaging through filth

So the big thing is YouTube. Here's the only thing I found worth a salt. I am in works on another painting and I think this shows a little of an artist's toil... the evolution of a drawing... and how fast it changes in your mind before it does on paper...

Mailbox

Alison and I went for a walk Saturday morning, making the most of the rare autumn weather in Carolina. On the way home we noticed several new mailboxes in our neighborhood. In a unanimous decision, we voted not to be left out. So we walked home and got out a saw, a router, some paint, and some brushes, and went to work. Here are some of the pictures:

Me with a router-

Alison painting -

I painted the other side upside down on accident -

Finished -

A Note To Her: The River

Last night I wrote Alison a small note. Sometimes she captivates me and makes me feel like everything is alright. And I don't know if this will convey itself right, but all you need to do in trying times is give yourself to the love you have. It's almost like letting yourself go. here's that note, only modified into a free-verse poem:

It's easy to lose footing in the currents of our lives.
And to struggle around the bends and eddies.
And I'm supposed to be, if not an anchor,
Then a very good oarsman, but time and change
Are the two things that weaken even rocks,
Until all is sand and dust.

But tonight you refreshed me.

You fell asleep with your book in your hands.
A sudden twitch told me you were dreaming
And brought me to admire your peace.
Your hair tucked in behind your ear,
Your bright night T that adds to your sleepy cheer

Tonight I realized that together we are strong.
When we have done all we will, we won't be dust,
but rather, only very polished.

Dad and I had fun on his 10ft jon-boat this weekend. We spent the majority of his 53rd B-day shrimping and fishing.




I also decided to give my recent painting to my boss and his wife. He's been a driving force allowing me a LOT of time to care for Alison and just be with her through these trying times. He just recieved orders to Atlanta, and will be leaving shortly. I hope that someday I am able to be there for someone that needs me like he's been there for me.



Here's a relatively horrible picture of the painting. I think they liked it a lot. That red level has about 6 inches showing on the painting for scale...