In Ohio...

As I write this I have my feet propped up on the coffee table with a dog at my feet and a cup of tea at my side. It's almost the same set up I have where I live in Montana, except that I'm in my parent's house in Ohio. Dad's surgery went really well. He had five arteries and veins bypassed (I think that's how you say it) and is doing really great today. The surgery was about four hours long but he was able to speak later that night. Today Ma and I spent a couple hours in his room while he did his best to gag down orange Jello and broth.

Ma and I are doing fine. We're holed up in the house tonight while an ice storm blows through. She had foot surgery last month and still has her foot in a cast where it will stay for another six to eight weeks. Today she had it replaced because the one they put on her yesterday was too uncomfortable. This new cast is a walking cast, though it hurts to put weight on it so she's zipping around in a little red scooter with flame stickers and a handlebar basket. It's actually been kind of nice to be able to walk quickly with her, though she has run over my toes a couple times. The dogs also look especially nervous when she throws it in reverse.

The hospital where dad is staying is a huge complex and is insanely busy. Every time we walk into the main lobby I can't help but think that it's a strange combo of nursing home, airport and college campus. It's also fairly multi-cultural. So far dad's nurses have been from the Philippines, Germany, Ghana and Haiti. I'm sure there are a few other countries represented on his floor that I've forgotten, but he'll just have to fill us in later.

Okay...back to work for me.

Cheers,
NC

Song of the day: The Lucky One by Alison Krauss