Whose House is THAT?

Holy cow! After literally MONTHS of trying to "redo" my family room - the (big) pieces are finally starting to come together. Just under the wire for Christmas!

Our new sectional sofa arrived yesterday and today the window treatments were installed - complete with scaffolding. 

There is still quite a bit to do, but today is the first day the room feels somewhat complete. It's been a long process and it feels good to just SIT and look around and enjoy.

Recital Fever

This is actually a delayed post from Thursday - the day of the "big" recital. Claire and Sydney have been practicing their selections for weeks. 

The recital took place at the Johnson Center - an assisted-living facility in nearby Sterling. It was a nice touch that the students played for residents while they enjoyed their dinners.

Sydney debuted in her very first recital ever, playing "Away in a Manger" - a duet with Miss Erin. See the video at: http://delapaz.smugmug.com/gallery/6870163_cC7vw#439514347_rGKZK

Claire followed afterwards with her own duet with Miss Erin, "Reflection" from Mulan. http://delapaz.smugmug.com/gallery/6870163_cC7vw#439514714_ckL9y and then a solo of "Let it Snow:" http://delapaz.smugmug.com/gallery/6870163_cC7vw#439514502_6bjbu 

The Thrill of the Hunt

We weren't able to get a tree last week, due to all the activity swirling around The Nutcracker, so we knew we needed to bag one either yesterday or today. We decided to wait for Sam to accompany us, so we headed out late, for us, at nearly 2pm. Our regular destination for cut-your-own trees is Jacobsen's, a nearly 30-minute drive, almost all the way to Point of Rocks, MD. 

Imagine our chagrin when we finally reached Jacobsen's, only to be met with a bit "CLOSED - OUT OF TREES" sign. Below that was a friendly note to "take a list of other farms - below." Sadly, those too were all gone. So there we were, having driven miles and miles and without any idea of where we would go next. 

This had happened once before and I vaguely remembered another farm, a good twenty minutes' drive. So we turned the van around and just drove some more, trying several directions before settling on Route 15 south of Leesburg. We were literally at the point of giving up on a cut-your-own, when Tony pulled off to turn around and we saw a sign for a tree farm. 

Salvation? Kind of.

The farm required another five miles, down a dicey, but pretty road. We were all struck by the LACK of tree-topped cars coming in the opposite direction. Uh oh. We finally arrived and found ourselves the only patrons of the farm. We were met by an extremely friendly gentleman, who got us loaded up into a hay wagon and drove us off to the tree fields. In my head I kept thinking, "and they were never heard from again...."

Fortunately, it was all kosher, except that the pickin's were, as they say, real slim. VERY few were tagged as available and those were in pretty bad shape, literally. Our friendly host had mentioned that they had pre-cut some Frasier furs near the parking area, so we head

ed back to take a look.

Most of these trees were the top portions of VERY large trees. The smallest here were at least eight or nine feet - others were larger. Of course, we were slightly fooled by inside vs. outside proportion - those darned trees just LOOK smaller outside. We ended up choosing a big, fat, pre-cut tree (shh! It's out little secret!) and had it loaded onto the car while Tony took the girls for free cider and candy canes. Almost made it worth the tank of gas it required to drive to God's green acre and back. 

Once we got home and tried to wrestle it off the top of the car, Tony and I really got an idea of how big this thing was - not so much tall as FAT and HEAVY. We ended up trimming it quite a bit once we got it into the stand. We have a fairly decent sized family room, but this thing

 just takes up a big chunk of it. 

Now it's all decorated and I guess we have yet another family story regarding the acquisition of a Christmas tree. Why do my forays always seem to have to be so dramatic? Though no story will ever top the year that our tree flew off the top of the car and my brother had to lay in the trunk and hold on to it the rest of the way home. Ah, the good old days...

Next Topic, Please!

In a desperate attempt to change the course of this 'blog from being "All Nutcracker, All The Time," I randomly chose a topic for today's entry.

At right, please see a photo of Claire's library book for this week. I saw it on the table and had to confirm with her that she had intentionally chosen this book. Yup. Okay, I can kind of understand her fascination with snakes, insects, and poisonous creatures, but FLIES? 

Who IS this child? What is she going to grow up to be? 

Nutcracker - The Epilogue

I don't even know where to begin. Saturday and Sunday were mostly a blur, but not a bad blur, surprisingly. Tired, yes, but feel like I was part of something big and pretty cool. Saturday afternoon I actually got to sit through the performance, which was a big treat - especially the sitting down part. Despite his horrible sense of direction, Joe made it to the theatre with about 60 seconds to spare and joined me for the show.

It was the first time I had seen much of the show - particularly Act I, in which Claire had no part. Very cool to see the costumes that I ironed and the makeup I helped to apply and the wings that I had pinned on, etc, etc. In other words, it felt good to know that I had helped in some small way to make the show a success. 

Claire and the other Little Dolls were adorable and got another "awwwww" from the sold out crowd. It was also cool to see her name in the program - almost spelled correctly (but I'm used to it - the spaces and lower cases of de la Paz throw pretty much everyone). 

The show was absolutely magical and to top it off, when Claire and I (and everyone else) left the theatre for the short dinner break, it was snowing! All the girls were entralled and even

 the oldest dancers were running around like little children. Claire and I each had a bowl of pasta and some yummy potstickers at Noodles & Company (see photo at right) before heading back for the second half of the double header.

I was working in the dressing room for the second show and I have to say that the more I do it, the easier it gets. It helps to have even a little experience with how to get costumes ready for all the parts - I even learned how to do the big red circular makeup cheeks that go on the soldiers and Bon Bons (certainly something that will look impressive on my resume). In any case, it seemed that I had "passed muster" with the head of the dressing room volunteers. She was giving me more things to do and even had me help some people who had even less experience than I did. Everything went surprisingly smoothly. We were out of there just before 10pm and home by 10:30.

The highlight of Saturday was that Claire was chosen to present the Sugar Plum Fairy with a bouquet onstage at the end of the show. I asked to sneak out of the dressing room to watch and was able to see it. Of course, I had ordered the DVD for the MORNING show, but now I'll have to switch it so I can have that moment on record.

By Sunday morning, I just wanted to GO and get the last show going so I could finally be DONE. Again, I was working the dressing room and was given even more responsibility - especially as to how all the costumes were to be packed since this was the final performance. Our volunteer "leader" actually wasn't even there - she went to finally see the show - so I really wanted things to run smoothly for her. This "shift" was a lot more work with all the packing up, but we had lots of help and with everyone pitching in, it all got done. This was the show that Tony, Sam, Sydney, and Alan attended.

It was funny that as I was dragging a rack of clothes backstage, I actually caught a glimpse of my dear husband who was handed the baton, so to speak. As I was finished packing up, he went on duty to help load the truck with all the "stuff" that accompanies this kind of show. I was too busy to even say hello. 

As surprising as it is to admit it, I'm really glad we participated in this ordeal called The Nutcracker. Claire got a LOT out of it, made lots of friends, got to be part of a big production, and just learned a lot. I even learned a few things (even more than how to glue on a clown's nose) and made some friends in the bargain.

Nutcracker Death March - Day 7

Wow! What a thrill to be able to sleep in a little this morning (7:30 - yippee!) and to actually have a few hours before we have report back to NOVA. I'm using the time to do laundry and try to apply the finishing touches to my holiday newsletter extravaganza so that Tony can do some printing while I'm gone for at least nine hours today.

Today's schedule is to leave here at 12:30 to have Claire at the theatre for a 1pm check in. The show is at 2 and this is the one I actually get to watch - I am pretty excited. She should be released around 4:30, when we'll go grab some dinner and then be back by 6, when I need to report for chaperone duty. Claire doesn't need to be there until 6:30, but she's sort of stuck with me, so she'll be coming along for the ride.

Last night was not too taxing, though the sitting around was driving me batty. After I dropped Claire off a bit after six, I wandered down Little River Turnpike in search of a noodle restaurant that I recall being in the vicinity. I found it, eventually, and plopped myself down on a chair and had a beer and bowl of noodles while I read my book. 

After having occupied a table in a busy restaurant as long as I dared, I drove back to the theatre and sat in a cold car and read for another half hour. After that, I went inside and tried to find a quiet corner in which to lurk. I found a great corner on the second floor, which just happened to be outside the entrance to the balcony of the theatre. 

Hmmm...as I sat there, the patrons filed out for intermission. Mightn't I just pop my head inside for the beginning of Act II to try to catch a glimpse of Claire? Another mom had the same idea and after a bit of reconnaisance, we determined that there were enough empty seats in the back of the balcony that we could sneak in. 

I'm so glad I did! It was an absolute thrill to be there to see Claire in her "Nutcracker debut." When she and the other dolls came on stage, the entire audience did a collective, "awwww!" Claire had a huge smile on her face the entire time and, as the smallest girl in the show, got the most points for cuteness. 

It happens every time - just when I'm ready to shoot myself for getting involved in something of this magnitude, you get the see the end product - your child having an opportunity to really shine - and suddenly all the hours melt away and you're just glad you did it. 

But I'm still counting down the remaining hours: about 27 to go!

Nutcracker Death March - Day 6

Even though I still have a lot of activity ahead of me over the next few days, I am hugely relieved to have yesterday FINISHED. 

Despite have departed from home a bit late, we managed to arrive at NOVA pretty much on time at 5pm. I was quickly called into action and spent literally the next two hours ironing costumes (soldiers, Bon Bons, Chinese corps, etc.). I kept peeking through the racks of costumes to make sure Claire was okay. She did GREAT with all the waiting around. She and her friends were making these intricately folded paper designs and it kept them occupied for hours. She did a lot of waiting, with a big rush in the middle to get dressed and get onstage. Then they came off, got undressed, and went back to waiting.

I was pretty busy the entire time - which is definitely my preference and the time went quickly enough. Once again, most of the moms are great to work with and just pitch in with whatever needs to be done. (Except for one mom who was sitting on the floor the entire time and whining about how tired she was and how she was going to sleep until noon.) Before I knew it, it was after 10:30 and time to get out of Dodge. Claire had a snack on the way home, but about 20 minutes from home the back seat got VERY quiet. I turned to look and she was sacked out, head thrown back. 

When I got home, I managed to get her completely unbuckled and picked her up and she didn't even BEGIN to wake up. I carried her up to her room (not an easy task anymore - she's about 47 pounds and it was just dead weight). Tony heard me and came in and helped me get her into her pjs. She was still 95% asleep. Had to laugh at the sight of her under her covers with most of her lipstick still in place and her hair crazy from an all-night bun with too much gel and hairspray. 

After getting Claire settled, I quickly checked my email and found one message from the Chairperson of the Ballet School's theatre group. I had volunteered, back in September, to do their newsletter, but hadn't heard back. She emailed me last night to say that if I was still willing, they would like my help in designing and sustaining their newsletter, beginning in the New Year. Although the timing was not great (exhausted, back and feet killing me), I think it will be a fun project. My work on the HHS newsletter will be wrapping up in May, so I guess I'm replacing one volunteer job with another. I said yes, but kept hearing the refrain in my head, "no good deed goes unpunished."

I was hoping Claire would sleep in this morning and she did - a little - until about 7:30. But I can tell she's tired (she cried that I left for work without saying goodbye) so it's best that she just chill today. 

Tonight is the first real-live performance and all the girls are atwitter with excitement. I'm not "working" this evening, but still have to get her to Annandale in Friday rush hour traffic and then find some way to lurk about for the three hours until she's finished. If it was a little warmer out, I would give serious consideration to a nap in my car. With luck, we'll be home by 10 tonight. 

For now, I just have the long work day looming ahead of me. I would have loved to take the day off, but we're a bit short staffed today - I'm the only one in the office at the moment. I will rely on my dear friend, Diet Pepsi to see me through.

Nutcracker Death March - Day 4

I just read on someone else's blog that the busier you are, the less time you have to add to a blog - and yet that's when you have the most to talk about. One of those little ironies of life, I suppose.

I only have one thing to talk about lately, much to the chagrin of my family and friends, and that is Claire's and my involvement in The Nutcracker. Today is Day 4 of 8 and the first REALLY long day. 

I will bolt out of work at 3:30 and go directly to Claire and Syd's school to pick them up. I'll rush home with them, gather up our bags of stuff, gel Claire's hair to within an inch of its life, drop off Sydney, and then jump back into the car for the hour-long trip to Annandale, the site of the performance. We hope to arrive shortly after 5 - I am supposed to be there by 5 to start checking girls in, but there is only so much I can do. I've packed sandwiches for Claire and I to eat in the car on the drive over.

Tonight is a full dress/technical rehearsal and the longest to date. This is the only opportunity to rehearse on the actual stage and get the lighting, music, and costumes just right. Rumor has it that this rehearsal has typically gone on until 11pm and it only ends then because the parking garage closes at 11! 

Foolishly, as part of my four volunteer assignments, I signed up to chaperone this evening. Yesterday I received, via email, a six-page assignment sheet of responsibilities. My head was spinning as I read it. They are SO organized, so I'm not too worried on the one hand, but they're also very exacting, and making things "pretty" is not my strong suit. I think one of my main jobs will be to keep the younger girls quiet and clean for five hours. Again, I would rather be shot, but you gotta do what you gotta do. 

The upside is that Claire is still having the time of her life. She loves every second of it - but who wouldn't? She gets to wear a costume and do her part, and then hang out with her friends. It's the poor parents who end up doing so much of the heavy lifting. I'm drinking my third Diet Pepsi of the day just thinking about how I'll feel at 11 - a time at which I am normally fast asleep. 

The other upside is that this will all be over in three days. Thank goodness this will only occur once a year. 

Just Had to Share

Every once in a while you just marvel at what your kids can do. Sydney drew this picture over the weekend. Even though it says, "for Dad," Tony was kind enough to share it with me.

I love how she got every member of the family with a relative amount of accuracy. This one will be going into the "keep" box. 

Thanksgiving Thru the "Ages"

This is my third post today, but something happened that I could not resist sharing.

As Tony pulled our Thanksgiving turkey out of the refrigerator to prep it, he let each of the girls hold it for a second. 

That triggered a memory for me and I jokingly told him to pose with the girls, as you can see at the far right. Without even taking a "refresher" look at the photo on the left, here's how close I got!

I then had to pull out the old photo, circa 1968, which will go down in family lore as one of our most embarrassing moments. My mother, brother, and I were stopped by a newspaper photographer in our local grocery store and asked to "pose" with a turkey. Among many other things, Steven and I still whine about the fact that we didn't even GET the damned turkey. 

And yes, my mother was a big fan of short hair. On girls.

Wednesday Hugh Update

I wanted to check in with Mom before the holiday and of course asked her all the latest news about Hugh. First of all, he is scheduled for "release" on Friday. I can only IMAGINE how it will feel for him to be able to sleep in his own bed after a month away. 

Mom laughed when she told me that he's formed his own little "Bingo clique" at Homewood. Apparently, Hugh and several other "inmates" meet for lunch and then sneak off for some clandestine bingo. Leave it to Hugh to find the quasi-illicit activity at a retirement home. Apparently, though, his little cohort has been leaving in stages this week - so he'll probably be ready to go on Friday.

Tomorrow, Mom plans to meet Hugh at Homewood for a Thanksgiving Luncheon. Knowing how much Hugh loves the food there, this will undoubtedly be a big hit. I wondered aloud how Hugh will cope with coming home to "normal" food. Fortunately, Judy will be there to help out - since we ALL know how cooking-challenged my dear mother can be.

Hugh's friend Dean will be picking Hugh up at about 2pm on Friday. Mom has "waved off" my visit for the same day, as it will probably be a bit too hectic. So, think of Hugh on Friday around 2pm - home at last! 

Worlds Collide!

Having grown up with fairly "non-traditional" Thanksgiving celebrations (eating ham, in shifts, at my grandmother's basement table) I really relish following a fairly traditional route in my 40s. I FINALLY get to have turkey, with the entire family around my table and I love every second of it. The more traditional, the better.

So, I had to pause for a moment this afternoon when I realized that I was breaking the "traditional" path today by listening to Kanye West's "808s and Heartbreak" while baking pies. 

How to reconcile the smell of cloves with the sounds of "Love Lockdown"? I don't really know - but what's worked for me for the past few years is to stay flexible and allow "tweaking" of our new set of traditions. That way, there's plenty of room for both turkey AND Kanye!

My "Dorothy Complex"

All my life I have considered myself somewhat of a "tomboy." I have always eschewed frills in favor of denim, khaki, and a good pair of sneakers. Why is it then, that the sight of a pair of red patent leather pumps at a local shoe can make my heart seize?

I didn't buy them. I wouldn't wear them if I did. But I COVETED them. They were just so...CUTE...and SHINY! I have had a thing for shoes and purses my entire life and I've always struggled to reconcile it with my more practical and utilitarian side. I never seem to be able to do it, but I've learned to accept it. Just one of those little dichotomys of life. Enjoy it!

Thursday Hugh Update

I went to my book club last night and missed Mom's call. When I got home, around 10, I asked Tony if my Mom had called and he said he didn't think so. This morning when I came downstairs, I noticed there was a message on our vm. So I played it and as she heard my Mom's voice, Claire piped up that she had spoken to her last night. Huh? It turns out that Tony had been helping Sydney with piano (and she must have been playing REALLY loud, because Tony didn't hear the phone) and Claire heard Mom's voice on the message, so she picked up! Gotta love a six-year-old who shows a little initiative! Anyway, they apparently had a lovely chat about Thanksgiving, Christmas, The Nutcracker, etc. Good for them.

I did call Mom back today to get the intended update. She was about to go and get her hair done and then see Hugh, but she took a few minutes to bring me up to  speed. He did have his appointment with the local cardiologist yesterday, Dr. Hood. The doctor is, as mom reports, "guardedly optimistic" about Hugh's condition. We suspect the "guarded" part is because he didn't do the surgery so a lot of his medical opinion is based on "hearsay" in a manner of speaking. But we'll take it. I suspect the really important appointment is the one with Dr. Gammie on the 9th of December.

Mom is a little disappointed that Hugh isn't going to be "released" until the day after Thanksgiving. While they both hoped for something a little sooner, I hastened to remind her that that is only a week from tomorrow! It'll be here before she knows it. I had contemplated coming for a visit that day, but we'll wait and see how things go - I don't want it to be circus on the day he comes home. 

Hugh's therapy lately has revolved around climbing stairs. Good practice for when he comes home to his split level! He's working more with a cane rather than a walker. He also reports that he's really looking forward to sleeping in his own bed. I can only imagine - the last time he slept in it was on the 25th of October! 

Monday Hugh Update

Now that I'm back upright, I felt I needed to check in with Mom and get a "Hugh Update." She gave me a great report and says that she really thinks he's turned the corner and is making good progress in all respects.

He has an appointment with his local cardiologist on Wednesday and she'll give me a call after that so I can update everyone. In the meantime, he has really made the most of his new, yet temporary abode with the addition of his favorite chair from home - delivery compliments of Dean and Deven. (Yes, Dean...I didn't misspell Dane.)

The Land of the Upright

I gotta say, it's good to be back. Beginning Saturday evening and not really improving until this morning, I was suffering (literally) from the same stomach virus that flattened Tony in the middle of last week. If I posted a photo with this entry, it would be the view from my bed - which I did not leave for over 36 hours - other than to stumble to the restroom. I know - too much information. Anyway, today I am upright and actually out of my room. These episodes always cause me to ponder how much much I take just feeling healthy for granted. It just feels so excellent to be showered and amongst my people again. 

I took advantage of the extra day at home (decided it was best not to go to work until I could walk more than ten paces without ensuing dizziness) by nearly completing this year's holiday newsletter extravaganza. It is always a huge project, never seems to occur without serious technical difficulties, and yet I enjoy doing it - and always appreciate having it afterwards. They tend to be a good way to review each year as the years pass. 

It's impossible not to compile the stories of the year without realizing how quickly the year has sped by and to marvel at how much my four children have grown and changed just this year alone. Another excellent reminder to enjoy each day - particularly when you're not feeling deathly ill!

Ballet Saturday

Here's my day:

9:45 -10:30: Sydney's ballet class

12:15 - 1:30 - Claire's ballet class

3:00 - 3:45 - Claire's costume fitting

4:00 - 5:00 - Claire's rehearsal as part of Act II of the Nutcracker

As fried as I am, all I had to do was drive and sit around. As soon as we got in the car after the last trip, Claire popped a book open and has immersed herself in it ever since. As a book person, I completely get it; she's been around people all day and after a while, it's just a relief to retreat into a book. Here's a photo of Claire in the "zone." 

She'll need to recharge, she's got a 2 1/2 hour rehearsal tomorrow! Fortunately, this all culminates very soon, in three performances of The Nutcracker during the first week of December. Despite her need to get away from it at the end of the day, she's loving every minute of being part of the production. 

The Pitfalls of Redecorating

My poor, dear husband came home quite ill yesterday, most likely as a result of food poisoning on his trip to Atlanta. He had a truly awful night, necessitating my departure from our bedroom. With six people in this house, we are operating at capacity. We no longer have a guest room. Previously, my refuge on the rare night when I have to escape has been the good old sofa. 

Here's where the redecorating comes into play. I no longer HAVE a sofa! Well, I may have parts of one, but it's somewhere in North Carolina. Therefore, I attempted to bed down for the night in an armchair. I do not recommend that anyone try this at home. Today, everything hurts: shoulders, back, etc. I think the floor would have been preferable. Let's all cross our fingers that my spacious new sofa will arrive in the not-too-distant future.

Of more important note today, it's Claire's Gotcha Day - the sixth anniversary of the day she joined our family. Coincidentally, it's also her "sharing" day at school, so she trotted off to school with photos from that long-ago day that took place in Fuzhou, China.

On one hand, it seems SO long ago - yet it also feels like yesterday. I'll never forget being both sleep-deprived (two days, many airplanes, no sleep) and petrified. But the minute I saw that little baby, I knew she was mine and our bond formed instantaneously. Here's a photo of Claire and me, shortly after our first "meeting." She has her index finger through the ring around my neck and she liked it that way for a long time. She held on tight. 

Since I don't get to have memories of the girls' birthdays, these Gotcha Day observances are very meaningful for me. While I regale Joe and Sam with stories of the days they were born, for Claire and Sydney, this translates to boring them with every detail of what happened on the days they were first put into our arms. 

Since today is our normal "full-speed" Thursday - pick up at school and straight to gymnastics and ballet until after 6 - then dinner, piano, bath, and bed - Claire has opted to hold her celebration tomorrow - she is a smart girl and wants the full celebratory experience. She'll get to choose a dinner venue, enjoy Sam's homemade pumpkin cheesecake, watch the video of her original "Gotcha Day," and open a few small gifts - all related to China.

HAPPY GOTCHA DAY CLAIRIE!

Would You Like Fries With That?

I just spoke with Mom, who shared the details of a very eventful morning. She even said, "here's something for your blog." That made me laugh.

So, this morning she and her faithful companion, Judy, headed out to a doctor's appointment where Mom got her flu shot and was assured by her doctor that the vast majority of her current health woes are all stress-related and will most likely disappear once this period of high stress ends.

In celebration, Mom and Judy decide to swing by the local McDonald's for some pancakes. All is well until they pull up to the order window and the car window won't go down. Judy somehow manages to order while nearly standing in the car and yelling through the crack in the window. That works and they're told to "drive around." Uh...no. The car is dead. Completely dead. As they're instructed AGAIN to drive around, they explain their predicament - but can they still get those pancakes?

Almost immediately, several burly McDonald's employees hustle out to the parking lot and push the car into a parking spot. But what about those pancakes? Mom noticed that it was nearly past time for serving breakfast - oh, and her oxygen was running low, too. In the midst of calling for a tow truck, the pancakes were procured. Fortunately Hugh has a long-running relationship with a mechanic in Hagerstown, who graciously drove Mom and Judy (and the pancakes!) home and then returned to tow the car. Something tells me the car is in good hands.

After having a late breakfast and refilling her oxygen tank, our intrepid ladies ventured back out to visit Hugh. They found that they spent a lot of time trying to convince him that his strides are more than satisfactory. Apparently Hugh feels that he should be in triathlon form by now. It's taking all the resources of home and Homewood to convince him that he's making more than sufficient progress. According to his nurse, he's able to wash himself, dress himself, and get around. Amazing to all but Himself.

He is scheduled for more bloodwork tomorrow and they've started him on Iron supplements to alleviate the anemia. Hopefully his levels will improve soon and that will give him more energy and a slightly more positive outlook.

The father of friend of mine from work underwent triple bypass surgery only three days after Hugh. He's 78. On Sunday night, he collapsed and was rushed to the emergency room where it was determined he had a stroke as a result of a blood clot. The doctors were basically convinced that he was "done for." Then, amazingly, he woke up and seems to have made a full recovery. The doctors literally called it a "miracle." I'm sharing this only because we're so LUCKY that Hugh's recovery has been so uneventful.

He'll go back to see Dr. Gammie on the 9th of December at which time they'll do an MRI and give him a good once-over. I think they'll be delighted with what they find.

The Happy Couple

Taking a break from Hugh News today (though I'll be certain to add an addendum if anything new presents itself) to do a "shout out" to Sam and Alan on their one-year anniversary.

These are the two most generous-hearted teenagers I've ever encountered and I'm delighted that they've been together for an entire year - they BOTH have good taste and good sense!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

Tuesday PM Update

Well folks, we finally had a "little" drama. Very little, fortunately. Yesterday (Monday) Hugh's hemoglobin and hemocrit were getting a bit low. This was a concern to the medical people because it MIGHT have suggested an internal bleed. His reading had dropped from 9 point something to 8 point something. If he hit 8, they would want to do a transfusion.

Side note here: I have a coworker who is undergoing similar issues - she's taught me a little bit about hemoglobin and transfusions. She's actually had hemoglobin readings as low as the 6s! So, knowing that her situation is not acute in any way, I suspected that this would not be a dangerous situation for Hugh, and it wasn't.

This morning, apparently, he woke up feeling great. He was able to do his therapy and didn't experience any shortness of breath until he was nearly done. A big improvement. Also helping his cause, Mom's back was better today - she felt well enough to go and pay and visit. Hopefully they had some good quality time together today.

I spoke to Denise this evening on Mom's behalf. She said that the official verdict is that Hugh is anemic. They will be doing a transfusion, but they don't expect it to be any kind of a big deal.

That's all I know for now. More as it becomes available.

The Road to Hagerstown

As painful as it was to have to climb BACK in the car today, it was an absolute thrill to be able to take the 270 spur westward, rather than to have to go all the way around the Beltway on the way to bloody Baltimore.

I left at 8:30 this morning in order to make it to Homewood by 10 - I had an easy trip (listening to Jane Austen's "Emma" on my iPod - yes, I'm weird) and arrived a bit early - 9:45. Fortunately, I had my GPS because Homewood was hard to locate, surrounded as it is by quite a bit of construction. Here's a photo of the front - don't mind the sun glare.

As per Mom's instructions, I entered the building and attempted to sign in with the woman at the front desk - except apparently the woman does not work on Sundays. They apparently rely on the "Honor System." I signed the book and took the painfully slow elevator to the third floor. There, I was required to enter a "code" to go into Hugh's unit. This hallway was very much an elderly care facility. Memories of visiting Nan came flooding back. It was a little scary, but Hugh has a little oasis in Room 305.

He looks absolutely fantastic. It was a treat to see him in street clothes, sitting in a "real" chair, and able to get up under his own power and walk into the hallway. Hooray! Here's a photo of him relaxing in his chair with feet up (nurses' orders!).

He LOVES Homewood and said that while the place may not look like much, the people and the food are great and those are the top two things on his list of importance, so there you have it. On Saturday night, he thought they were serving grilled cheese sandwiches (which were actually on the "alternative" menu) and when he got something else instead and expresed mild disappointment, one of the staff went back to the kitchen and got the man a grilled cheese sandwich. It doesn't take much to make him happy, but how nice is that? One of his other favorite nurses spent $2 of her own money to buy him a paper on the way in to work today. Since I had brought his wallet, he took some cash out and we made sure to repay the nurse. Now he has a few bucks to buy his own paper, too.

He's very much his old self and had me laughing out loud. Imagine his delight when one of the nurses asked for a stool sample and he was able to hand her this: (you may have to click on the picture to see it in full size).

Anyway, he's doing great and despite some shortness of breath, is making great strides. He'll probably stay at Homewood for the full 20 days approved by Medicare. He wants to be in as good health as possible so he won't "burden" Mom upon his return home. He DOES have a TV in his room (no Pay-per-View nonsense at Homewood) and he was excited about this afternoon's showdown between the Steelers and Colts.


I stayed until 11, at which point I think he was a little tuckered out - though he did say that Saturday night was his first full night of sleep since the surgery. It was a little tricky getting OUT of the unit - you have to enter the "code" several times, including at the elevator. Mom told me afterward that I was also supposed to hit a "*" at the elevator, which I didn't know and which probably explains why I only got an elevator when a random man arrived at the third floor. They REALLY don't want people wandering in OR out.


After having to debate the merits of subs from Sheetz with both Mom AND Hugh, I overruled them both and went to Freddie's. Hugh argued that the Sheetz' subs are "Made to Order," to which I had to reply, "yes, made to order by someone who has just finished pumping gas!" I brought subs for both Mom and me to her house for an early lunch. No trip to Hagerstown would be complete without a trip to Good Old Freddies. Had to include a photo for posterity.

Steven and his crew were supposed to meet us at Mom's at 11:30. I, of course, arrived at the stroke of 11:30. He rolled in at some point after noon with Terry, Dane, and Deven. We had a great time and laughed a lot. It was probably a lot for Mom today, since she's still recovering from the yanked back. But she seemed to tolerate it fairly well. Dane and Deven performed their usual cut up routine, which really had me rolling. At 1:00, we all went our separate ways. Steven and his group to visit Hugh and me - home. Here's a photo of Steven and the boys, with Mom, while Mom talks to Hugh on the phone.

A Small World

As part of my illustrious job as ITEA's Editor-in-Chief, I was asked to attend the SWE (Society of Women Engineers) Conference in Baltimore for a two-hour show and tell of ITEA's resources and materials. It was relatively painless as these events go, but it took a big and much-resented portion of my Saturday away. Not to mention the fact that, of all places to have to go, there was I was on that stinking road to Baltimore yet again. 

When I got home, there was a message from my dear brother Steven. He mentioned that he and Terry were on their way home from Baltimore. So when I called him back, I asked where they had been. He said that Terry was attending a job fair. I asked a few more questions before we came to the realization that her job fair was part of the exact same SWE Conference I had been attending! 

Tomorrow we'll visit Hugh in shifts - I'll go early, around 10 and then take some lunch to Mom. Hopefully Steven will join us and then go visit Hugh in the afternoon. Gosh - I'd better find out what time the Steelers play - we wouldn't want anyone cutting into his football time.

Mom says that he's really turning the corner and getting very comfortable at Homewood. He continues to really like the nurses and LOVE the food. They're keeping him busy, but apparently she's glad we're going to see him tomorrow because without therapy on the weekends, he can get a bit bored. 

Unfortunately, Mom's back is still not quite recovered yet, so she's not been able to visit him. She hopes to make it back early next week. 

I made it back from Baltimore in time to catch a portion of Claire's Nutcracker rehearsal. She had SUCH a great time at the rehearsal - both learning her part as the Little Chinese Doll and watching the older girls, who are AMAZING. She was just delighted to be a part of it. She's been going to Bon Bon rehearsals for almost a month, but as a Bon Bon understudy, she didn't get to do too much. I still laugh at the phrase, "Bon Bon understudy." Imagine putting THAT on your dance resume. 

Here's a link to information about the performances:

http://www.cbtnva.org/nutcracker.shtml

News From Belinda

I am laughing as I write this - a note about Belinda having spoken to Hugh, because I honestly think at this point that Belinda and I are the only people who even READ this blog!

Nevertheless, I'll press on, undeterred, and pretend that my blog teems with readers! In case you haven't noticed, I've even spiffed up the presentation by adding a few gadgets to the right. When I have more time, I'll have it link to some of my photos, but of course they don't currently support a link to Smugmug, which means I'll have to upload some pics to Picasa or Flickr - thereby duplicating effort, of which I am not a big fan. Good God, what a run-on sentence.

But back to Belinda. Had a short but nice conversation with her in which she says she had, for the first time since his surgery, spoken directly to Hugh. She said he sounds really sharp and even remembered that today is Hugh Miguel's birthday, which is more than we can say for other, unnamed family members. (jk!) Hugh was talking to her from his cell phone while he was trolling up and down the hall, trying to avoid the beleaguered stares of his nurses. He does enjoy agitating them! But Mom tells me that he's quite popular, so he's obviously charming his way out of his misdeeds. That's our boy.

When Belinda told me that Hugh started to break up when he was telling her about how I stayed with him before, during, and after surgery, I have to admit that it made me feel great. I am just devoted to that man and it's been great to finally have a chance to show him how much he means to me. He's always been there when I've needed him.

As a final note for today, happy birthday to Hugh (the smaller version)! All of your northern relatives send you hugs and kisses and hope that you'll have a great celebration with Maddie tomorrow. We can't wait to see the photos!

Thursday PM Update

All the news that's fit to print:

Hugh is settling into Homewood and everything is mostly going well. He's had some issues with dizziness, so he's not been able to have much in the way of physical or cardio therapy. According to Mom, Medicare will pay for 20 days at Homewood, so we're hopeful that the dizziness will clear and he can start getting some therapy in soon. They did start Hugh on oxygen today, and that seems to be helping. He's also had some anxiety issues (being cooped up - I wonder why) so they also tossed some mild anti-anxiety meds into his daily cocktail and as of this evening, he is much improved. 

According to Mom, he LOVES the food at Homewood (halleluia!). He had a delightful scampi over angel hair pasta for lunch (oh SNAP!) and some tea, pancakes, and bacon for dinner. (How the hell does a heart patient get bacon anyway?) 

Mom's friend Judy got everything on Hugh's shopping list, including some snazzy new pjs, etc. Everything that the "man about town" needs when trying to impress at rehab center. I've asked her to put together a list of anything that either of them need that I can pick up on or before Sunday when I drive up there. 

Mom also reports that she's gotten to know the nurses and is able to call for periodic updates with relative ease. She says that Hugh's room is right next to the nurses' station - funny only because he told me on Saturday that he HATES being close to the nurses' station because he can't "get away with anything."

Oh, and as chance would have it, Mom has thrown out her back. There's a not-very-pretty story involving retrieving toilet paper from an overhead storage closet that no one really wants to hear. So she's out of visiting commission for a few days. She's slapped on some heating pads and is retiring for the evening. Hopefully she'll recover soon - someone needs to keep Hugh in line. 

Reunited

Although I would give my right arm to have photos, I'll have to make do with my mental image of Mom and Hugh being reunited at Homewood this morning. Mom was busily filling out mounds of paperwork when the word came that Hugh had arrived. He was all atwitter that she wasn't right there and began making several frantic calls. Fortunately, he didn't have long to wait and apparently their reunion was so touching that several of the Homewood employee were in tears. 

More good news: Hugh has been enjoying greatly improved food service AND TV whenever he damn well pleases. (Though thankfully he was able to see the Steelers game last night - thank you Lord for letting them win.)

So, everyone should have a great mental image of Hugh settling in to his new digs - a mere five minutes from home. The current plan is that he'll be there for about 20 days - but that time period will emcompass both the general rehab AND the cardio rehab. So when he's sprung, he'll be able to resume a fairly normal existence - though hopefully better with improved heart functionality. 

I plan to go see him on Sunday (I have a work confernce to attend on Saturday - in BALTIMORE!! GAH!!) But I'll keep everyone apprised of any updates I receive between now and then.

What a difference a week makes!

Sunday Photo

Here's the aforementioned photo of Hugh with Sam and Alan during their visit on Sunday afternoon. I was surprised to see him STANDING in the photo, since it's the first time I've seen him on his feet since the morning of the surgery one week ago today.

I don't know about all of you, but I'm amazed at how far he's come in one week - just look at him! Back in action! Look out Homewood!

The Big Move

This just in:
Tomorrow (Tuesday) morning at 9am, Hugh will be transported by ambulance to "Homewood at Williamsport." Mom plans to be there to meet him when he arrives, which I wish I could be there to photograph the occasion. Here's a link to information about Homewood:
http://www.homewood.com/pubs/locations/About_Williamsport.

Fortunately, Mom made sure to arrange for Hugh to see the Steelers on Monday Night Football this evening. She made it very clear to Hugh's case worker that if he didn't get to see the game, there might be very scary repercussions - like Hugh running and screaming up and down the hallways of UMMC. So, let's just hope the Steelers do well (sorry Tony).

Sam and Alan went to visit Hugh yesterday and had a good time chatting with him. She says she took a few photos, but I haven't yet snatched the camera back from her. So, look for the photos later today.

Hugh on the Road to Recovery - Saturday

I had a GREAT visit with Hugh today. He is about 150% better than the last time I saw him. He seemed so much like his old self that it just really made me feel great. See for yourself by clicking "play" on the video posted above.


Joe came with me today and we arrived at the UMMC at about 3pm on Saturday. I am an old hat by now and I know exactly where to park and where to go for everything. It was great to be able to bypass the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit and go to the "Telemetry" unit where Hugh is in a "normal" room.


When Joe and I arrived, Hugh was buried in a book, but he was happy to surrender it and launched into another series of his great stories. I could have let him talk all day - it was just so wonderful to hear him back to himself. I did regale him with several stories of what had transpired during his recovery, including the roaming clouds on his ceiling - he does remember that.


At one point we were talking about Mom and he started to tear up, so I knew I had to throw in some levity on the double. So I told him the story of Mom setting off the alarm and the police coming. I had him laughing out loud in no time and he wasted no time telling Mom that he knew about her adventure when he talked to her on my cell phone.


His biggest complaint has been the food at UMMC. So, we checked with the nurse and she gave her okay for Joe and me to buy him a Subway turkey and cheese sandwich (with lettuce, tomato, and a LITTLE bit of mayo). I sent Joe down to get him a foot-long sub so he'd have something good to eat today AND tomorrow for dinner.


A bit later who shows up but Denise and Dean. It was so great to see Denise and, believe it or not, it was my first opportunity to meet Dean. He's just as sweet as Denise described him and we had a great visit all around. Hugh seemed to have a great time regaling us with even more stories of his adventures at UMMC.


The latest update is that he should theoretically be moved to a rehab facility on Monday. The search is still on for a "bed" in a facility that can provide the type of rehab that he needs. Due to location, first choice is Washington County Hospital in Hagerstown. Second choice would be the hospital in Frederick, or somewhere else nearby. He tells me that he's surprised that he really has trouble walking. They do make him get up and walk around three times each day. Yesterday he was able to climb 12 steps, which I think is amazing.

At about 5, we left Hugh to his Subway sandwich and Joe even joked that he couldn't even wait for us to get out of the room before he tore into it. The poor guy must have really been desperate for decent food.

Here are a few more pics from today:

This one is Hugh, holding his "heart." It's a pillow with a heart diagram on it that he uses to hold to his chest when he coughs - still VERY painful.

This photo is fairly self-explanatory - Hugh is posing for a picture with his Subway Turkey and Cheese Sandwich. A great way to picture him getting through his (hopefully) last day at UMMC tomorrow.

Friday 5pm Update

Just completed my now daily call with Mom. She called as I was finishing the cut-out painting of my living room (yes, even with everything else going on, I am determined to paint). I managed to finish the painting and then start the pre-trick or treating dinner, all while continuing the conversation.

The update is that he's most likely going to stay at UMMC, at least until Monday. They're definitely going to have him move to a live-in rehab facility, but Mom has no idea how long he'll stay there (despite my repeated requests for her to ask). She spoke with the cardiac care unit's case worker, who is trying to find him a bed in a facility near Hagerstown. Because his status has been changed from "sub-acute" (or something like that) to "acute" (due to his age and the type of surgery), there are fewer facilities from which to choose. The only one really close to Mom is the actual hospital in Hagerstown. But since it's (apparently) always tricky to find a bed, Mom and the case worker were discussing other nearby hospitals that may be viable. A few that were mentioned were in Martinsburg and Chambersburg. I suggested that she also mention the ones down here (Reston, Fair Oaks, Fairfax) so that at least I would be able to see him while he's in Rehab (sure wish I knew how long he would be there).

All I know is that first he has some physical rehab (walking, etc) and THEN he has cardio rehab. I'm not at all clear on how this works and neither does mom. Lots of things to figure out. I offered to go and pick him up on Monday, if he's sprung, but she thinks they may transport him via ambulance, which makes sense.

She told me that he was a bit depressed this morning, which I can understand. He's such a people person and isn't able to be around his people. So, I'm going to make sure I get to see him - hopefully tomorrow afternoon. Plus, if I try to go on Sunday, he'll probably throw me out if it's during the Steelers game! Let's hope his heart is strong enough to take THAT kind of stress!

That's all for now. Time to go make dinner and get my little trick-or-treaters ready for action!

Happy Hallowe'en!

Random Leftover Pictures

This is a shot of the front entrance of the UMMC. Overall, it's a HUGE complex, taking up at least five or six city blocks. But this is the main entrance that we used multiple times.

I took this photo on Tuesday on the walk over from the parking deck.

This photo is of the main atrium area of the Weinberg building. It was just so beautiful in there that I had to try to take a few photos. Hugh is on the six floor to the FAR right.

This is a photo I took from the "Healing Garden" - the waiting area for surgical patients' family members. The atrium overhead was really beautiful. When I first plunked myself down, it was very dark, but gradually lightened up. Really pretty.

Another shot of the "Healing Garden." The nicest waiting area I've ever seen. Lots of private areas surrounded by trees with a pretty winding path. This is just one section of it.

Thursday 7pm Update

I have to admit I'm having just a little bit of "blog withdrawal." Can't believe I'm doing my first post at 7:14pm. It's hard to be so out of the information loop.

Anyway, I just spoke with mom, who spoke with Hugh after 6 this evening. The news remains good health-wise - he continues to do very well.

What came as a bit of a surprise is the news that after being discharged from the hospital, the doctor wants Hugh in a live-in rehab facility for an as yet unspecified period of time. They claim they've done what they can for him medically, but now he'll have to work to build up some strength and the only way to do that is through rehab. Apparently there are several live-in rehab centers that are within a ten-mile radius of Mom and Hugh's home in Hagerstown, but they'll have to see who has a bed available.

The crazy thing is that they're saying he could be moved as soon as tomorrow. However, Hugh really doesn't feel he's ready for it, so he'll lobby to stay until Monday. I suspect he'll be feeling a lot more confident with the extra time to heal over the weekend.

Our next update is due some time after 9am tomorrow after the doctor has come through and made his pronouncement about when is the right time for this move. Belinda - mom says she'll call you tomorrow since she won't have anything new to share until then.

That's all for now.

Houston - We Have Contact!

I just spoke with mom, who told me that she had good news and so-so news.

The good news: she had just spoken directly to Huey on the phone! He's now comfortably established in his new "regular" hospital room - still in the Cardiac Care area and just around the corner from the CICU. She said he sounded great and very much like his normal self. He had been up and walking around. She asked if he wanted other people to call him and he said, "NO!" I won't be offended if all of you wont. ; )

The "so-so" news is that he's been told that he probably won't be "sprung" until after the weekend - possibly Monday. I know he and mom are a bit disappointed about that, but in grand scheme of things, we're just so lucky that he's doing so well. I remember that Dr. Gammie told me that the first 24-48 hours after surgery offer the most possibilities for complications. He's now moved past that window and seems to be doing better all the time.

If anyone is interested and wants to have faith in the USPS, his mailing address is:

University of Maryland Medical Center
22 South Greene Street
Baltimore, MD 21201-1595
Attn: Weinberg 6/Hugh McVeagh

Probably no more updates until tomorrow.

Wednesday am Update

Just spoke with mom who is reporting in with this morning's latest Hugh update. The news really is all good.



The nurses actually have him up and walking around a bit. The other great news is that his nausea has subsided and he's able to eat and drink a bit. I KNOW that will make him happy - he was so miserable to not be able to do either yesterday. He's also being moved to the "step-down" unit where he'll have a normal hospital room to continue his recovery. He's doing VERY well.



Just before I left last night, Dr. Gammie's PA stopped by and raved about how well his surgery went and took a look at his scar, which she called "beautiful."



When mom calls the hospital this evening she's going to ask if his "confusion" has improved. I suspect it has, if he was able to cut back on the pain meds. Hopefully no more clouds or mice on the ceiling, though what on earth will he do for entertainment?



Speaking of which, if anyone within the sound of my "voice" can possibly get away to go visit that man, please try to do so. My schedule for the rest of this week is shot to hell, and I would just feel better if someone goes to see him.



No word yet on when he might be sprung, but I believe the initial estimate was 5-6 days. I've asked mom to ask about that tonight when she calls.



Speaking of mom, she had her own little adventure last night when she accidentally tripped the house alarm and couldn't figure out how to turn it off. Before it was all over, the police arrived, lights flashing, and several of the neighbors came over to make sure she was okay. She was fine - just irritated with the alarm, which she claims she is ready to "rip out of the wall." After she got off the phone with me, her next call was to the alarm company to have them walk her, step-by-step, through how to properly operate it.

6:00 News

I'm typing this from Huey's bedside as I watch him try not to doze off...but fail miserably. He was quite alert when I got here, but is clearly very weary, which has got to be expected. When I walked in he was reading the long note I left him yesterday. He claims I have bad handwriting.

He is mostly lucid, but definitely has some "loopy" moments, e.g., he occasionally sees clouds and mice roaming across the ceiling. ("Did you see that one? That was a big one.") One of the first things he told me was that he was sure he was dead and then when Dr. Gammie came in this morning, he accused the doctor of killing him. He has promised to apologize when Dr. G. returns tomorrow.

He only remembers tiny bits of yesterday, which is probably for the best. Overall he looks miles better than he did yesterday, but definitely still has a way to go. I'm just glad that he can talk (and talk, and talk, and talk) so that he can tell someone if he needs anything. That was my primary goal for today - to know he could look out for himself a bit.

He told me one story that made me laugh hard. That someone came in this morning and said, "what is today's date?" Hugh's response: I KNOW today's date. Then they asked what month it is and he responded, "I KNOW what month it is." At this point he turns to me and says, "while I was saying I knew the answer, I was thinking about what the answer was." He has a gleam in his eye as he said it - the real Hugh is definitely in there.

So, I've been sitting next to him and when he dozes off, I read a few pages of my book and then he'll just pop awake and start a new train of thought. We just pick right up. Though trust me, we have run a REALLY big gamut of topics of conversation today.

The staff already seems to like him - despite his self-admitted bad behavior. A few minutes ago someone came in and said he'll probably be moved out of CICU tomorrow - he doesn't need to be here anymore. That's great news.

And I just showed him the video of Isabella that Belinda sent (thanks, B) but I'm not sure it was the best moment and I'm not sure he really "got" it. The longer I'm here, the more obviously tired he seems. They also told me that they're going to try to forgo his 6pm pain meds because of the "confusion" he's been having. Don't think I want to be here too long after that!

He told me that the pain is very bad but that he can tell it's getting better, bit by bit. He's also informed me that he's "never doing this again." Fortunately, it's unlikely he'll have to.

He's got a beaut of a scar all the way down his chest, which he was happy to show me. And I'm so delighted that 90% of the tubes and wires he had yesterday are now gone. He's got his hearing aid back in and his glasses on, so he seems more like himself. He does complain about the bubbles from the oxygen machine interfering with his hearing. He's also suffering from pretty bad nausea and can't really keep anything down - even water.

That's all I can think of at the moment. If anything else comes to me, I'll post once more tonight when I get home.

Love to all.
K

Progress

I spoke with Mom a short while ago and she gave me two bits of good news. Number one, the dreaded breathing tube it out! And number two, Hugh is sitting up in his chair! I can't even fathom that, based on how "out of it" he was yesterday. But I'm delighted to hear it.

I have decided to trek up to Baltimore once more today just so I can see him doing fine for myself. I'll leave work around 2:30 and hopefully get up there around 3:30. I'll stay until 7 when the nurses changes shifts and hopefully the traffic will have subsided. So, hopefully, I'll have a more in-depth update this evening.

A Long Day's Journey

I just got home and I have to admit that I'm a bit weary. I wanted to stay longer with Hugh, but I was told that the nurses would change shifts at 7 and that I would basically have to leave from 7 until 8:30. At that point, I knew I would just be too darned tired and still have the drive home to consider. So, despite not wanting to leave him, I had to say goodbye for the day.

Hugh made slow but steady progress right up until when I left. He was definitely more alert, but only for brief periods - otherwise he was just sleeping, though somewhat fitfully. He would make gestures with his hand that I interpreted as, "get this damned breathing tube out," but I could be wrong. The pulmonary person stopped by several times to see if she could remove it, but at 7 she just wasn't satisfied that he was ready. She had him do some deep breaths and blow them out - he did great - I could see it on the pulmonary monitor. But since he still wasn't able to hold his head up very well yet, she opted to wait a bit longer. I had really hoped it would be removed before I had to go, but it was not to be. The good news is that he had nothing happen that would indicate any kind of problem. I'll definitely take the "slow but steady" route.

Before I left, I wrote Huey a long note and posted it on his bulletin board alongside the notes and pictures from Claire and Sydney. I also put a big note on the bag that has his glasses and hearing aids as I figure those will be the first personal items he requests. It's so hard not to be there to be his representative.

As I exited the hospital I was startled to realize it was raining. It was weird to arrive and depart in the dark. I made the quick dash back to the hotel to retrieve my car and from there it was an easy hop onto 95 South to good old Virginia. I was counting the minutes until I got home (literally since the GPS gives you a countdown) since I was just so darned tired. That 4:30am wakeup after a fitful night was really coming home to roost.

Before I close for the evening, I have to recount one last amusing story. Last night (was it really only 24 hours ago?) when Hugh and I were about halfway between Hagerstown and Baltimore, he turned to me and said, "do you have heated seats?" I looked down on the panel and realized that his seat was, in fact, set on low heat. I immediately apologized and said that yes, he'd been sitting on a heated seat for a good half hour. His response? "Thank GOD! I thought I was having a hot flash!" We laughed so hard for a good five minutes. He is such a kick.

I'm giving serious thought to trying to do an hour or two visit tomorrow afternoon/evening. I just really want to see him "up" if not yet "about."

Mom plans to call to check on him both tonight and tomorrow morning. She's promised to call me afterward, and I'll post any news then.

Love to all.
Kath

Almost 4:30 Update

I just got kicked out again. Huey is getting himself positively spiffed up in my absence - they're cleaning him up, changing his gown and changing all his bedding. I doubt he'll enjoy it much, though.

He continues to regain some consciousness. When he seems somewhat awake I can ask a question and he can either shake his head or squeeze my hand. I still swear he's trying to tell me something, but now I think it's "go home." I'm sure he means it in the nicest possible way.

He's still doing a bit of minor thrashing (sort of in slow motion) and keeps getting his feet out of the foot restraints. I want to say to the nurses, "did I mention he's a magician?"

He still has the breathing tube but they've switched the "mode" and now all his breathing is on his own. He's doing well with that, so I'm really hoping they'll get that damned tube out soon. I just want to be able to have some decent form of communication with him before I have to leave tonight.

Remy continues to be wonderful and even sings a little as she goes from tubes to computer to IVs and back again. Everyone here is just so amazingly nice. One of the orderlies from Hugh's room saw me in the foyer and knocked on the glass to wave to me. They're just that friendly.

Wow. According to the clock I've been in this building for about 11 hours. But at least I get to go home tonight.

He continues to do well and seems to be improving.

CICU

Just got back from an extended visit with Hugh. When I first got into his room around 1:15 he was just starting to wake up a little, but try to picture a guy who just got hit by a truck trying to wake up. He actually looks better than I thought he would - he does have the telltale swelling and the ventilator, but looks pretty much the same otherwise.

At one point his heartrate started to accelerate a bit so they asked me to "step outside." You gotta hate that. But when I came back in ten minutes, all was fine. They think he was simply in pain, which has a tendency to make the heart beat faster.

So I perch myself in the room and watch the many medical professionals do their jobs. It's remarkable how much they have to keep track of. At night they must dream of untangling yards and yards of tubes. Hugh's primary nurse is a lovely woman named Remy, who has a killer Caribbbean-sounding accent. I love the way she says, "Mr. McVEH."

When he starts to move around, I go over and hold his hand and it's like he's trying so hard to talk. All of you try to picture Huey, NOT BEING ABLE TO TALK. It's really making him agitated. I have warned all the nurses that they may actually prefer him with the breathing tube in. : )

I'll head back in now but have found out that I'm allowed to use my computer in there, so I'll try to do a few more updates today.

Love to all. Thanks for listening to my ramblings. Our boy is doing good. I swear he's trying to tell me he loves me.

Update #1

I just finished speaking with Dr. Gammi, who informs me that the surgery is complete and everything went as expected. They were able to do the mitral valve repair (as opposed to replacement - yay) and the single bypass.

Soon, I'll be leaving my little home away from home, aka "The Healing Garden," where I've been posted for almost five hours. My next stop with be the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit's waiting room on the sixth floor. I'm told I should be able to see Hugh at about 12:45. Dr. Gammi did warn that I shouldn't expect him to look like the person I know and love - due to swelling (which is normal) and the ventilator, etc. It'll just be good to see him breathing. I was also told that they hope to have the breathing tube removed later this afternoon. I'm crossing my fingers for that.

How Do You Mend a Broken Heart?

Definitely didn't get much sleep last night, despite the nice hotel room and very comfy bed. From my bed, I had a great view of the bright white sign for the UMMC - seeing it was both comforting and a little unnerving.

While I didn't get much sleep, it's probably safe to assume that Hugh got even less. I finally gave up and got out of bed shortly after 4:30. After taking my shower, I phoned Hugh's room to see if he was awake. I could tell he was WIDE awake and he told me he was ready whenever I was. So, after drying my hair, I knocked on his door at 5:15am.

After checking out of the hotel and stowing a few bags in my car, we took our cool five-minute walk to the UMMC. VERY few people wandering around at 5:30 in the morning and we arrived very quickly. Here's a photo of the entrance in the wee hours.

After arriving, we made our way to the "Same Day Surgery Waiting Area," which was an absolute zoo. Barely any room to sit. But after checking in, we found a little corner to call our own. Huey looked calm as a cucumber and immediately tore into his complimentary USA Today to find out just what happened to his beloved Steelers the day before. He was NOT pleased with their performance and was very generous in sharing all the details of the game with me while we waited.

Soon they called him back to get prepped for the surgery while I tried to figure out a way to carry all of our combined "stuff." About 20 minutes later they called me back to hang out with him until it was time for the surgery. Here's a photo of Mr. Personality as I found him:

I swear he was absolutely holding court: flirting with every nurse and picking on every Ravens fan! Needless to say, they all loved him. His nurse's name was Ilene Cavanaugh - though she was, sadly, only Irish by marriage. She told us a great story about her dad - he had been abandoned as a baby at Camden Station and later named after the police officer who found him and given the last name "Camden."

Dr. Gammie came by and reiterated the procedure for today: attempt to repair the mitral valve as well as a single bypass. After that, Huey had to surrender his hearing aid and glasses, so the nurses had to bend over and talk into his ear - which he loved. How that man manages to flirt without being able to see or hear is beyond me, but it's what we all love about him - his indominate spirit - which I am happy to report is in full effect today. He really did great and everyone should be proud of him.

Dr. Gammie estimates the surgery will take about 3 hours, so I don't really expect to have any updates until about noon. Later, I'll be able to go to ICU to see Hugh, but he'll still be on a ventilator and have no glasses or hearing aid, so I'll probably only be able to hold his hand and give him a big thumbs up.

I'll post later, as soon as I have anything to report. Feel free to email me - I'm delighted with the wireless connection!

In Baltimore

The first leg of today's journey, from Herndon to Hagerstown went MOSTLY well. Except, that for reasons beyond my understanding, every time I drive to Hagerstown there is an unwritten law that major construction must occur and MUST block all but one lane of traffic. So, in a freaky repeat of my last trip to H'town, I SAT on top of a mountain and crept along. Good thing I left a little early. At least the foliage was nice!

Only stopped briefly in H'town - just long enough for Huey to do his final packing. Thankfully, I did remember to offload the lasagne and pie. It was a little tough to see Mom and Hugh have to say goodbye for what will most likely be five or six days apart. But they were both VERY upbeat and joking about how much trouble she would get into while Hugh is gone. Here's the happy couple just before we left.

The trip from H'town to Baltimore was thankfully uneventful, other than some bad traffic on 695. We found the lovely Hampton Inn with no problem and even passed the UMMC on the way - looked like a very short walk. After checking in, Hugh and I went in search of some dinner and he suggested we try the cafeteria at the Medical Center as a chance to "try out" the walk before morning. It was an easy walk, but the cafeteria was closed. So we ended up walking around the Camden Yards area in search of food. Our hotel literally faces Camden Yards - too bad there's no game. We finally found some great crabcakes and a draft beer at the back of the Hilton Hotel. While we ate and watched the beginning of Game 4 of the World Series, Huey regaled me with lots of great stories. He seems in very good spirits.

A quick walk (and one more quick story) got us back to the hotel. It really is a pretty part of the city - here's a photo I took on our walk. We made sure Hugh had a wake up call set up (I'm depending on my Treo to wake me up - though I did set two separate alarms. Then we said goodnight - me to blog and Hugh to go do his first of two head-to-toe pre-surgery scrubs with a special brush.

So - goodnight all. Hopefully I'll find Internet at the Medical Center and be able to post lots of updates tomorrow. I promise to take good care of "our Huey."

Love,

Kath

T Minus One

Today is "T Minus One" for Huey's surgery and I'm hoping to use my silly blog as a way to keep people updated without having to contact everyone individually. Plus, it'll give me something to keep me busy. Now let's just hope they have wireless Internet at the Medical Center! So, to check on how things are going, just log on to the Blog tomorrow for updates.

This morning's project was to cook some goodies to drop off with Mom when I pick up Huey this evening. My goal is for her to have an easy dinner for at least a few nights while Huey is away. So I threw together a pan of lasagne and an apple pie. I know it's not comparable to food from "Freddie's" but it'll have to do.

I'll leave here around 3:30 to tackle the first leg of the trip - from Herndon to Hagerstown. I've got to find out if there's some way for Hugh to be able to listen to the Steelers game in the car - though knowing how excitable he gets, that may not be a good idea - he's likely to be screaming while I'm driving Leg #2 - to Baltimore.

Once we arrive in Baltimore, we'll be staying at the commodious Hampton Inn, about a four-minute walk from the UMMC. Here's a link to information about the hotel: http://www.hamptoninn.com/en/hp/hotels/index.jhtml?ctyhocn=BALIHHX. Though we really won't be spending much time there.

More interesting is information about the UMMC and the surgery itself. Here's a really cool link with info about the specific surgery and it even has a profile of Hugh's doctor, Dr. Gammie. http://www.umm.edu/heart/mitral.htm

Hopefully I'll be able to post tonight from the hotel and then periodically tomorrow throughout the day, as updates are available. Feel free to email me at kbdelapaz@gmail.com.

Mom to the Rescue

Being the mom of kids of such varying ages means that I am constantly having to change hats since being the mother of a six-year-old is very different from being the mother of a 19-year-old. Yet no matter how old they are, there is nothing like the distress call to put you into full "Mom" mode.

Today I got the distress call from Sam, who had run out of gas in a busy intersection in Reston just as rush hour was getting underway. I could hear the horns honking as she called me. That's when you go into the mode of just focusing on one thing at a time: get the gas can, get in the car, get to the gas station, etc., and trying NOT to think about her being in danger.

So, all's well that ends well and I managed to get her some gas in a timely fashion. A little more adventure than I was expecting on a Friday afternoon, but it's good to know that I haven't gotten too rusty in the "rescue department" - even though I am slowly but surely being replaced by significant others. That's life.

Obsessing Over Ballet

I have no clue why I have spent so much time obsessing over whether or not to move the girls from the former ballet school to a new one. Now that I've made the decision, it seems so obvious that this is the way things should have gone from the start.

The old school was great while the girls were small and they had three great years there. The perfect place for getting dressed up in princess outfits and learning ballet from someone as kind and compassionate as "The Sainted" Miss Barbara.

Now, however, I know it's time to move on and I've been just tickled with our new ballet "home" - Classical Ballet Academy. The summer classes have gone just amazingly well and the girls are really adjusting and getting a lot out of them.

Today I went and handed in the paperwork for the fall and I was truly touched when the office manager seemed truly excited about having Claire and Sydney there. She had told me that the school's director had been talking nonstop about Claire and that she "never does that." I can tell that she sees potential in Claire by the way she gives her a little extra attention during class. It doesn't hurt that Claire is just so into it and tries so hard at everything. I just have a great feeling knowing that she may take Claire under her wing and challenge her more than she's been challenged in the past. I am really looking forward to the fall.