looking up

Another, more brief update;

My dad didn't have surgery, the bleeding stopped on its own, and now he's back home getting re-dialysed. The meds are corrected and there's been less trouble, although he can only stand, not walk. My mom is finding some services and spends most of her time filling out forms to try to get things they should've been directed to years ago, like SSI and a dail-a-ride service where nice people come and help get my dad to take him to dialysis. Things are looking up, but I know it's still very rough for them. He was moved out of ICu on Father's Day and returned home a few days later.

After two weeks of transitioning the new staff in, I've been frantically applying to jobs. Know of one I'd be good for? Send it my way. Had a few interviews but no offers yet, although it's only been a week.

The top surgery is great, and I'm gradually spending time out of the compression vest. The drains came out the Monday I returned to work (which is a stretch of a description since I spent most of the day driving to the Baltimore surgery center). I still ache along the scar lines, and I really can't lift my arms too high above my head, but it's lookin' good! In three weeks I can expose my chest to direct sunlight, although I won't be tempting fate.

Elly moved out of her apartment in a whirlwind and I helped as much as I could (not much). Most of her stuff is at her family's and she's staying in my room, mostly. Time is counting down before she leaves for New Orleans.

The house I live in has been tense with many comings and goings, and not many cleanings in between, but it looks like that will be resolved soon as well.

A random story: Elly's little sister was also in the hospital, where we went to visit her, during the weekend of the big floods in Washington/Maryland/Virginia. On the way from the hospital to Elly's family's house, she drove the minivan through a 2.5 ft' stream that had overtaken a street near her house. Their basement flooded three feet while we were there, and it looked for a while like the entire thing would flood to nearly the first floor. They live next to a stream which had backed up to cause a lake extending from their backyard to the neighbors', not terribly nearby. We spent this past weekend helping her dad to tear out drywall and moldy paneling. It's amazing what even a little water will do, I can't imagine the devestation of the people of New Orleans are continuing to experience. Elly's sister is OK and has been back home from the hospital for a while.

Keepin' on keepin' on.