A few months ago, we learned that my Dad's bicuspid aortic valve was not working properly and needed to be replaced. It turned out that the malfunctioning valve had caused my Dad's aorta to bulge (this is called an aneurism) and part of that needed to be replaced/repaired, as well. This was a BIG, open-heart surgery, and it was scary for us all. I decided to fly up on the day of surgery so that I could be with my parents longer and help where possible by being at home with them during the initial days of recovery, as well as being part of the hospital rotation.
The day of surgery was cloudy and rainy in Arizona.
It was very humid, too! 77 degrees F and 78% humidity.
I got all packed up and ready to go, and my wonderful husband drove me to the airport.
There's a plane going over the special airplane bridge!
There's the tower!
The tips of the hills were in the clouds.
I made it through security with only a minor pat-down (for some reason, I almost always get flagged for a serious assault . . . one lady told me maybe wearing pants would help, but I don't know why that would be, and anyway, I just don't want to when it's hot!)
Here's what I wore to travel:
top: Ross
skirt: Rekucci (Amazon)
shoes: Target
jacket: Guess (Ross)
bag: Steve Madden (TJ Maxx, I think, many years ago, falling apart now)
bag: Target (many years ago, also falling apart now)
mask: Etsy
The clouds in the mountains were pretty.
I was happy to be on my way!
We all had our own screens, but I felt like reading some new books I had with me, so I didn't watch a movie.
Before we took off, I got the news that my Dad was out of surgery and everything had gone well!
This picture made my stomach drop because of all the tubes and wires and his not-alert self, but I was happy to hear this good news.
My Mom and my brother, Mark, were there in the room with him, and my Aunt Cindy had kept them company at the hospital all day.
I arrived in Minnesota on time.
My dear friend Maggi generously picked me up at the airport and took me to my parents' house, where I dropped off my luggage and picked up their car.
My Mom, in spite of her nerves, left me a sweet note on the wall.
By this time, my Dad was coming out of the anesthesia and was semi-responsive. He was able to get some tubes out pretty quickly.
I headed for a quick bean and rice bowl at Chipotle, then right to the hospital. I had to be speedy in order to see my Dad before closing time at the hospital, which was 8 pm.
After hours, we had to use the emergency entrance/exit.
I made it!!!
Here were his goals for the next few days:
This was on the ceiling.
Happy to be with these people.
What a blessing to be able to support each other.
There was a fish tank in the waiting room, which my Dad would have liked, but he didn't get to see it much. By the time I got there, the lights were off and the fish had gone to sleep.
My Mom headed to bed early, and I went out for a walk. I needed to move around a bit after the plane and the nerves. It was a surprisingly warm stint in Minnesota while I was there, but the mornings and evenings were still nice (especially to me, who is used to much hotter August weather).
The next day, I had groceries delivered early.
Whole Foods used this neato bag to keep frozen things cold!
My Mom headed to the hospital for the morning shift, Mark took the noon-4 pm shift, and I took 4-8 pm (then my Mom could get to bed early and Mark could spend the evening with his family). This was the pattern on most days.
The first day, I made lasagna and chocolate chip cookies, as well as some taco fixings. Those ingredients lasted me most of my trip.
Mini tacos:
Post baking!
Everything was gluten-free and vegan, of course!
My Dad was smiling (sometimes) and alert the next day. He was eager to get his drains out (which happened fairly quickly) and he was eager for his pain medications (which didn't ever come quite quickly enough in the first few days).
The food in the hospital was surprisingly terrible.
I don't understand why hospital food is actually as bad as the jokes make it out to be. You'd think that institutions focused on healing would realize that people are MADE OF THE FOOD WE EAT and that we need nutritious food in order to be well. Not only was the food not impressive nutritionally, but it didn't taste good. The "roast beef" looked like the sole of an old boot. Even the mashed potatoes were not good. The chocolate milkshake was tasty if the staff was able to get it to my Dad before it melted. I don't understand why hospitals don't follow the evidence and actually serve food that contributes toward health (and tastes good!) rather than food that contribues to the problems most patients have.
While Dad was taking narcotics, his appetite was not good and everything tasted extra bad. Even more than a week after surgery, sometimes he would say, "Uh-oh, that tastes like hospital." He also smelled an icky hospital smell for days after getting home. He asked us to remove everything that was at the hospital from his room and we re-washed his special heart pillow more than once (he still thought it smelled terrible and he wouldn't use it). He asked his doctor, who said that sometimes anesthetic can linger and cause taste/smell problems.
(I kind of want to take this organization in hand and fix the food problems!)
The nurses (this is Chloe) tried to get my Dad walking. After the first day or two, though, they were apparently busier with other patients and didn't really show up all that quickly when he needed (sometimes urgent) things. I'm glad we were able to be there to advocate for him where necessary.
This is an accidental photo I took that I think is pretty cool.
This is probably how things looked to my Dad while he was coming out of the anesthesia!
Watching the sun set from the hospital room was nice. There were trees as far as the eye could see.
Recovery in action:
A bite of food!
New goals:
Cora and Esme sent in artworks, and Esme wrote her Grandpa a letter.
"Tom I miss you. get better soon. Love Esme"
I was inspired by their creativity, so I whipped up some art of my own.
In preparation for my Dad's homecoming, I drew a picture on my parents' chalkboard!
One of the great things I bought for my stay was pupusas! These are little pockets made of masa (corn flour). This particular version was filled with black beans and corn. Yum! I ate them with ketchup and green olives (I LOVE GREEN OLIVES).
Here is another outfit I wore.
top: Charter Club (Macy's)
pants: ??? I can't see. Probably INC International Concepts (Macy's)
Then back to the hospital!
The courtyard at the hospital was pretty. It was very windy and all these trees and grasses were dancing.
My Dad liked his bed about 40 degrees.
I arrived on this day to take over from my Mom.
Dad was going well, drinking and eating (and smiling!)
I can't remember which day this was. They blended together.
My Dad found his back was sore (partially because he has some spinal stenosis and partly because one of the drains caused pain in the back even after it was removed) and sitting in the chair leaning forward was more comfortable sometimes than lying in the bed.
My Dad found his back was sore (partially because he has some spinal stenosis and partly because one of the drains caused pain in the back even after it was removed) and sitting in the chair leaning forward was more comfortable sometimes than lying in the bed.
I had gotten a COVID test before I left (thank you, wonderful well-organized CVS!) and
five days after I arrived in Minnesota, I went in for another one. Up until that point, I had been wearing a mask at all times around my family because I did not want to catch COVID during my travels and pass it on to one of them, who might pass it on to my Dad (especially now that the Delta variant is running amok).
I much preferred the CVS version (nasal swab, I got to stay in the car, results in 20 minutes!)
This version was in a large warehouse room.
I gagged a few times while providing my spit sample (ack and ew) and I HATED it.
Thankfully I persevered and eventually turned in a complete sample so I could leave.
Thankfully I persevered and eventually turned in a complete sample so I could leave.
I didn't get the results until Sunday, but they were negative - no COVID!
I decided I would celebrate finishing the icky test with pizza from Davanni's!
The first few days, the Occupational Therapist came to help my Dad with his walk each day. Later, the nurses and nursing assistants helped.
The OTs used a strap to help balance him and ease any potential fall.
After walking, Dad would usually take a nap (that machine is his CPAP for sleep apnea, not oxygen!)
This day (whichever day it was), I was wearing this:
striped top: A New Day (Target)
mask: Etsy
skirt: Rekucci (Amazon)
Here's Dad going for another walk!
My brother asked me what the flakes were on my shoulder, and I discovered that my tote bag was actually flaking to pieces! My purse strap was fraying, also.
I brought this snack with me for a semi-dinner.
Red bell peppers and Treeline cashew cheese. Delicious!
My Dad got to come home on Sunday (his surgery had been the previous Tuesday)!
I hung these decorative things I found at Target.
Then I went to church (which I fully enjoyed!)
Mark helped my Mom with my Dad at the hospital and then followed them home to make sure Dad could get into the house safely. My Mom and I wouldn't have been able to do a lot if my Dad had been wobbly.
This pillow, by the way, was to press against his incision while rising from being seated and while coughing. It's important that the sternum be allowed many months to heal.
Here he comes!
While I was at church, Mark, Jillian, Cora, & Esme had stopped by to hang up a banner they made welcoming Tom home! I liked the colorblock effect!
I was thankful for Mark's consistency and for how careful and nurturing he is.
The girls and I decided to use the leftover letters from the banner to make some more words!
I took four pictures and they're all so cute that I have to post them all.
Look at Esme's shifty eyes!
The girls and I also played outside for a while. Esme found this bloom on the ground and brought it in for Grandpa. It was a requirement for her to label it!
During a stop at Target and one at Marshall's, I was able to replace my purse and my tote bag.
Here are the new versions!
Here's what I wore to Marshalls':
top: Ross
skirt: Rekucci (Amazon)
shoes: Target
Of course I needed to cook more than just one time in the 10 days I was there.
I made some more chocolate chip cookies.
I went for a couple of runs in the evenings after my parents were tucked in bed.
But then I switched to mornings because I don't know the neighborhood very well and I'm not sure how safe it is to run at night.
This is the leafy view out the guest bedroom window.
During a morning run, I saw that this house had been on fire!
My sweet friends Sharon & Naomi sent a basket of yummy treats to my Mom and Dad!
What wonderful friends!
Pears, chocolates, popcorn, nuts . . . delicious!
A couple of days after my Dad came home, we decided that some Davanni's sounded good. I drove to pick it up to discover that I was the only one in the entire place wearing a mask! I was surprised because overall Minnesota seems to be better-educated and more cautious than many other states. Guess they got tired of being careful, too. But I wasn't prepared to thrown caution to the wind!
And then it was time to head home!
I wore yellow, my Power Color. I'm always looking for this color and it's not that easy to find!
I very much liked this tile work in the women's bathroom.
Sunset, canoe, water . . .
There I am!
This tile in another bathroom was beautiful, too!
I watched "The Matrix" on the way home and enjoyed every minute!
The mask wasn't too bad, my Dad's recovering, and I'm happy to be home!
