Friday, April 22, 2016

Cookies and a Drawing


Geez, is it really only Friday? Seems like it should be the weekend by now, for sure. This has been a long week.

The doctors said yesterday they expect to keep Dave in the hospital through the weekend, to allow his antibiotics to work more completely. They plan to operate to remove a scarred, infected part of his colon on May 3. In between I believe they're going to send him home on oral antibiotics, and he might even go back to work. I haven't quite figured out the paradox between the apparent urgency of his illness (multiple days in the hospital) and the less urgent approach to surgery (waiting ten days). This morning I hope to get to the hospital in time to talk to the doctors myself and get a clearer picture.

Yesterday at work, despite all my recent whip-cracking, I got cookies and a big "thank you for all you do" card from a group of 10th graders, even featuring a line drawing of me:

I thought that was a pretty awesome rendering! I can't be easy to draw. (Although not having hair probably simplifies things.) I have the card propped up on my desk so all the other kids can admire the handiwork. Maybe they'll be shamed into giving me more cookies. I could be on to something.

I'm finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel with my Jack London biography. It's been a good read, and the guy certainly led an interesting life -- he went to England, Samoa and the South Pacific, Australia, Japan, and of course Alaska and the Yukon (where some of his most famous stories are based). This was in the late 1800s and very early 1900s, long before commercial air travel! Anyway, I'm about 75 pages from the end, so I ought to finish it this weekend. For someone who led such a short life (he died at 40) he generated a remarkable amount of material for a long biography.

(Top photo: A new cherry tree planted on our street. See what I'm trying to do there?)

10 comments:

ellen abbott said...

I imagine the doctors want to knock the internal infection down some before they open him up. probably easier to heal after surgery if you aren't burning up inside. hopefully the surgery will put a stop to the worst of it. and cool card.

Vivian said...

oh my..surgery, sorry!!! sending prayerful thoughts of healing!!! love the card, kids are so great!

Ms. Moon said...

I think Ellen is probably correct- get things cooled down in there before they go in. Ten days does seem like a long time, though, especially when you're waiting for something to be OVER!
Kudos to you for reading the London biography. I would never undertake such a book.
I love the picture of you! That's just outstanding!

Red said...

Kids can certainly melt our stoney little hearts sometimes. Now the drawing ? some kid has talent.

Linda Sue said...

great drawing!Sosorry to hear that Dave is still in hospital and requires surgery, damn.

jenny_o said...

I was going to guess the same as Ellen- stabilize him a bit before the surgery. That's a great drawing and a unique gift.

As for the cherry tree - were you trying to make it look like smoke coming out of the chimney? If the answer was something much more complicated and photography-ey, I apologize!!

Take care of yourselves there, eh?

e said...

The kids captured you well and with humor! I would say the docs want to clear up any infection before surgery. Best to you both.

Yorkshire Pudding said...

What an amazing likeness of you on the card! The kids even got the right skin colour. Sorry to hear that Dave is going to have a little part of him removed. Not a nice prospect but by the sound of it necessary.

37paddington said...

They probably want the infection to simmer fully down before they do surgery. And nice likeness of you, and that tree is smokin!

Sabine said...

As most have pointed out, if possible, infections should clear before surgery. Also, anesthetics don't work so well in combination with antibiotics. I hope all will be well soon!