Al's Blog-o-Sphere

I’ve been staying at a place called Neville Family House. It’s one of four locations run by the Family House organization here at UPMC.

I didn’t know much about it, having stayed at a hotel the last time I was here in 2000. But after being up all night, by Friday I didn’t care if it was a cot in a closet.

It’s been really nice. It’s sort of like a hotel, but you do a lot for yourself, just as if it were your home. It sort of is, while you’re there. You make your own beds, clean up after yourself, are responsible for your own food and cooking and laundry. Yep, just like home. Continue Reading…

Al continues to improve slowly. He’s still wired to a bunch of IV’s and drain tubes, but that’s to be expected. He’s not out of the woods yet, but there’s been no sign of the Wicked Witch or any Flying Monkeys.

I visited him late this morning and found him sitting up in a chair and eating applesauce and apple juice. Finally, food, such as it is. I know he was hungry even going into surgery. But that’s no time to eat!

While I was there, he was getting some of his meds and a nurse was doing his checks. Everything still looks good, but Al was tired and I left after a while to let him rest. Continue Reading…

Al is looking good, considering what he’s been through. He came off the ventilator today and I got visit him twice today.

He wanted his glasses and iPod, so he’s feeling good enough to do more than just lie there. With the tubes out of his throat, he’s talking and in pretty good spirits. He says his breathing is feeling better already, but there is some soreness yet. I thought he looked really good.

I visited again tonight, even though there is no shuttle service. I found out it’s not too bad of a walk and walked down for an evening visit. While I was there, they moved him into a bigger room with a TV. Where he was before, he was right by the doors coming into the unit and it was always busy. He’s now in a more off-the path area, so he’ll be able to rest better.

I’ll be back in the morning. I hope he’ll be even better to report then.

I finally got word that Albert was out of surgery. He was done a bit after 2:00pm, so he was in there nearly eight hours. He was one of two lung transplant they performed that day at UPMC. I have a hard time imagining a surgeon working eight hours straight in such a delicate operation. Of course, that’s my laymans’ impression, fueled by what I see on TV. The reality must be that they do so many of these here, that it’s like an assembly line and many people do pieces of the work. The main guy in charge just gets the credit. Continue Reading…