Hospital: Day II

Zora is doing OK. They did stick a “picc catheter” in her arm and push it through a vein toward the heart.

Zora casually asked the tech man if the nurse had done this a lot. He let the cat out of the bag by saying, “oh yeah, a couple of times.” A couple, like two?! Zora said the nurse was nervous and too hesitant, couldn’t do it right, and then they had to get some doctor to coach her along a bit. The doctor kept saying, very firmly, “just push it. just push it.” And she would reply, “but… what if I hit [something or other]?” “Just push it. Otherwise you’re going to get lot of blood.” Then Zora feels all this blood start gushing.

They set it up just fine, though. It wouldn’t have been so bad, except, of course, that Zora was just sitting there having to listen to the whole thing while feeling something crawl up her arm. At least she heard it till it was over and she blacked out. Sounds horrible. Luckily, I wasn’t there for any of that.

Anyway, now that it’s in, they can pump the IV in through it and drop it off closer to the heart, where it’s needed.

Regarding her e-mail, she can receive e-mail thanks to somebody’s wireless set up. So feel free to send her greetings. But she hasn’t figured out how to configure the outgoing e-mail to work. So she can’t send any e-mail.

And I don’t think anybody has gotten through on the hospital phone number, but Zora is answering her cell phone, when she can.

And they’re also thinking that she may be out on Monday. So if you’re going to visit, do it soon.

And Zora has observed that the cognoscente of hospital patients have two gowns. One is worn facing forward and the other facing back.

If people are visiting, you can always make a day out of Forest Hills. Take the express to 71st/Continental Ave. There’s a movie theater, the Midway, playing “Walk the Line” and a few other movies. Some places to eat, that are probably decent. And a sort of Queensy Downtown half urban half suburban area. You can walk back along Queens Blvd from 71st Ave back to the previous subway stop and the hospital.