20 January 2006

Another day and Zora improves again. She’s unhooked from all tubes. She carries a little heart monitor. And there are still a lot of things attached to her and a few lines sticking out of her, but she’s free to walk around all by herself.

Zora is walking and going to the bathroom on her own. She even took a shower, her first, with a little help from me. She went up and down 6 steps twice. And I made her do an extra lap around the floor before bed. The only “normal” thing she needs help with right now is swinging her legs into bed.

She also ate her first somewhat normal non-hospital meal. I brought in a good hamburger (from the same place I went two nights ago) and she wolfed it down pretty well. That and some soup and potato salad. Food is pretty good in this town.

All the doctors are impressed. I just hope the recovery continues to go so smoothly the rest of the way.

Her pain is there, but it’s not that bad. It makes me a little bitter that the doctors didn’t give me better painkillers than advil when I cracked my rib. Because that hurt like hell. And this hurts much more, but Zora is in less pain. They gave me more painkillers here for my damn pinky (which is doing just fine--it’s now wickless and unbandaged) than for the month of misery I had in New York.

Speaking of which, I just took my first Vicodin ever not too long ago. That a few drinks isn’t doing much, unfortunately. But there is a certain mellowness to it all. I should have taken two. I still haven’t found my prescription for them, alas (what kind of idiot loses a prescription to Vicodin?). But I “borrowed” one of Zora’s.

Percocet is now doing the job of taking away Zora’s pain. The painkillers make her bit like a Stepford wife. She’s very calm. Not very emotional. Pretty happy to go with the flow. But that’s good. The pain is being kept in check.

She’s also on other drugs. One to keep her heart beat regular. Antibiotics (another 4-week IV course). Some supplements, like for potassium. A stool softener (something in the regiment is supposed to cause constipation). And probably a few other things I’m forgetting. But all the bodily functions are working A-OK.

The latest plan for the Monday discharge is I help her with the discharge and get her settled in Emily’s place, and then don’t stay there. And then on Tuesday I go to Santa Monica to see my parents as I have a few days of work to get done there. And then head back to New York for work.

As long as Zora promises that there will be no reason I need to come back, all should go well. She’ll be with her mom. And Tamara and Karine are planning on flying out here Wednesday or Thursday. I’ll feel better knowing they’re here as well. But as long as things continue as improve as they have, there really isn’t that much I can do.

On the 27th, Zora will probably head down to Santa Cruz and recoup some more with her father and Karen. And hopefully she’ll be able to fly back to New York very soon. The major obstacle to that right now is the steps leading up to our apartment. And our low bed. She needs something 20 to 25 inches high. A box-spring booster is cheap, but I can’t do anything about those steps.

By me not staying with her at Emily’s, it avoids the whole cat problem and getting a new bed for me and my allergies. And she’ll be in good hands. Especially if Tamara is here to do the cooking.

Given all the great nurses, I have to mention that we didn’t really like her day nurse today (they work in 12-hours shifts). But even she’s OK. She works tomorrow too, unfortunately. She’s not bad. But seems a bit overwhelmed.

There’s a problem with the California laid-back attitude: they can’t handle busy and stress as well (I saw it in the E.R. that busy night as well). In New York, many people thrive on the adrenaline rush of a busy and stressful night. Here, once their mellow is broken, they’re left floundering a bit more. They get flustered too quickly when it’s “one of those nights.” Honey, in a hospital (or a police squad, or a restaurant) every night can be one of those nights. Rise to the challenge. You can get a lot more done a lot more efficiently when you stay calm. That’s what being a professional is all about.

Here are some pictures from the past two days.

Zora and Beverly. Note the top of the sexy scar!


View from Zora’s room.

Zora in bed, brushing her teeth

Exciting Friday night at Club UCSF. We’re looking all smug because it’s a timer shot.


It makes all the difference that Zora’s got a single room. Here’s the pull out chair I slept in last night. Not the best bed. But it was kind of nice to see the night routine Zora goes through every night. I didn’t sleep well, with all the interruptions, but I did sleep longer than I’ve slept in a while.

Here’s Nadia. I brought her nice orange juice today from the cafeteria. Unfortunately, when I went to find her later, she was already discharged. No doubt she couldn’t be held back as she leapt away.


Tell it like it is, sister. No doubt Nadia was saying, “Walk a lot and be happy!” She also said Zora and I should have kids as soon as Zora is better.

Yesterday’s party in Nadia’s room.

I’m glad one of these isn’t in Zora


Nor these. Second from right on bottom is a mitral.

I had some business down in this part of town, called Sunset. Nice to remember there is a pretty ocean here. I don’t know what I would do without a bike. It makes getting around so easy. Of course I say that in New York, too. But San Francisco is so small. Everything is just a few miles away.

Greek Day at the hospital cafeteria. It wasn’t all that.

Delivery robot trying to make it through the halls. I’m not quite sure how a weird robot is better than a cheap orderly. But it was kind of fun to watch navigate, and not so well at that.

Thanks Dapper Dan!

I’ve now been up 17th Street three times. I kind of like the hill, for exercise. And it does, in fact, get easier every time.

Here’s the incline. That’s pretty fucking steep. When I get back to NYC, I’ll be flying over the Queensboro Bridge!
And, if you still need something to do, go to losteye.com.