Dear Bloggers,
For a place I didn't know at all 6 weeks ago, Houston has become very familiar.
Several of you have called and we appreciate it, but there really wasn't much to report as you will see below.
In between appointments, if we have time to go out to lunch we try a new restaurant, which we love. By now we are going back to "favorites!" Thai, Vietnamese, Indian, French and others come to mind.
This week has been a lot of sitting around. Not enough time in one block to get much done while John is looked at over and over again Definely magazine mentality. (Last time I read a book called Paris Wife, given to me by a dear & thotful friend) Monday we were in the original bldg (oldest) and there was lots(@4miles) of walking. (It is not as efficient as the newest one that we prefer.)between appointments. I was afraid John wouldn't be able to walk that far, but he was a trooper.
Monday we(I) was primed for the biopsy and when they rescheduled it I was really let down. Didn't seem to phase John. They decided to run yet another test! They are nothing if not thorough!
Tuesday lab tests and more going over meds, vitals and instructions.
Yesterday was a 75min MRI with his arms above his head. Ouch.
Finally the day of the biopsy came today, Thursday. It was an endoscopic procedure where they inserted a tube down his throat with a tiny needle on it to extract tissue from the pancreas. It seems to have gone fine as he has no pain except for a scratchy thoat. We were sent home with the description of the procedure and images of John's insides! We are to call next week for pathology results. Now nurse Jackie is making hot bouillons on the hour. I'll have a Pinot Noir, please!
As his doctor, Dr. Bhutani, explained to us, he is Indian by birth and in America by choice. His assistant, Dr. Wang, was Chinese from up near the Siberian border. What ever happened to American doctors? The Pancreatic head doctor is an Amerian, Dr. Fleming.
One sees every nationality; it is a veritable united nations. I was enjoying picture taking, but camera went out of commission yesterday. Off/on switch is dead. Anyone know a camera shop in Jax or Savannah?
Hospitals could take a lesson in patient care. From the time one pulls up at the door of the clinic, there are valets, a man on a walkie talkie has radioed ahead for a wheelchair, they help you out of your car and would push you if you needed that. On the return they help you into your car and with John tuck his legs in the car and put his walker and briefcase in the backseat and hug us and wish us God Bless-that is one Salvadorian who we see each time. You feel like you are being tucked into bed or your deck chair!
In the waiting room there are signs all around that if you have waited longer than 20 minutes, please see the desk. For all their thoroughness they are real people movers. Those who aren't patients have magazines, puzzles. coffee & tea delivered to waiting room, one nurse who we have gotten to know brought out a bag of ice for my broken ankle-misjudged the last step at Thg! Drat!
When I went into see John after it was over he said he didn't know when they were going to take him!! I took that as a good sign! On top of that he said that the last thing that he remembered were attractve women tucking him out! The surgeon probably wondered why he had a smile on his face!
One highlight was seeing two of Jackie's friends, one from high school and one from college. We spent 2 delightful evenings renewing old friendships. Thanks dear friends!
We have also seen John's Houston family where we are going tonight, our last night as we head home tomorrow. YEH!
Hope to see many of you in the days and nights to come. We are touched and humbled by all your warm wishes and prayers. Eh voila, they are working!!! A BIG THANK YOU.
Warm hugs and lots of love, Jackie and John
