Robin seems to be recovering nicely. She will have another doctor’s visit this afternoon. Renee returned from Florida yesterday and I had to move. This time I’m staying in Rose’s apartment (she just went to Florida) and it’s closer. I’m getting a little disoriented about where I am and what day it is, but it’s fun seeing all the different apartments. This one is also an art deco building with doorman. When I arrived on Monday to see Rose and pick up the key I found out the doorman was able to open the elevator door and push the button for the correct floor from his vantage point at the door. I don’t know what would happen if I pushed another button. All this is a bit spooky, but it does remove the need for an elevator man.

The apartment is lovely: very comfortable and completely modernized, like something built in 1995 (not later because there are no computer controlled things). I’m impressed with the electricity; lots of outlets and many switches that turn on wall outlets allowing for easy control of lamps. You can tell something about my priorities. Kitchen is also beautiful. That used to be one of my priorities; since I no longer cook I don’t think about it very much.

I will probably be moving one more time before we return to Pittsburgh, so you will get to hear about one more apartment.

Thursday, Friday and Saturday we waited and hoped. Immediately after the surgery the doctor gave her 50/50 odds of keeping the graft. Yesterday it was 90/10. Today she is being released from the hospital. We’re not in the clear yet. It took six days for the first problem to show up, but we are guardedly optimistic.

The doctor told her to be more cautious about physical activity. He doesn’t think the long walks caused the problem originally, but they might not be so good now. Since they have to continue checking the graft she is not quite so buttoned up as before. The apartment will be boring, although not as bad as the hospital, and she has plenty of toys–DVD’s, iPad, Kindle, iPhone and laptop.

Wednesday morning Steve and Renee left NYC and I moved from my west side fantasy apartment to Renee’s east side New York apartment. Robin and I west out for a long walk in Carl Schurz Park along the East River. Everything seemed fine, but when we returned she said she thought there was something wrong with her right breast. We went to the doctor’s office where they diagnosed a hematoma, squeezed it out and sent pictures to Dr. A., who was in surgery all day. By six that evening she had heard from the doctor and we went back to the hospital. She was taken to the OR at 8:30, her reconstruction was opened and blood clots were removed from her newly attached veins in another four and a half hour surgery.

I was frantic. Up front the doctor said it would be about two hours. When we got to four my imagination was running rampant. Finally, another half hour and I was told she would be in the recovery room for hours. I got back to the apartment about 2am. I was ready to return to the hospital at 8, but Steve called. He had heard from her; she was still in the RR on clear liquids, so I could forget the food I had carefully packed, and they were keeping her on her back. No need for me to rush.

It was raining buckets; our spring in January was over so I went back to sleep for half an hour and then the sun came out. When I got back to the hospital they were trying to decided whether to go in again and remove the graft. As of this morning they have done nothing more and are hoping the veins will function. Steve returned yesterday afternoon and went to the hospital early this morning. It’s a good thing I can live with uncertainty; I’d be nuts otherwise.

I’m off to the hospital now.

Healing is progressing very well. Robin is now at Renee’s apartment. She still has the drains, but they will probably be removed on Thursday when she goes to her doctor appointments. She’s been out walking, enjoying the wonderful January in New York weather. I’ve been going from the west side to the east side with some foraging in between: today was Dean & Delucca for a special yogurt and a walnut bread. It’s amazing, there are two places in NYC to get walnut bread.

The building where I am staying has elevator men, giving me something new to think about as I come and go. I recall stories about elevator men, the most recent being about the man who lived alone and had no family who, on Christmas day, worked on the sympathies of all the building occupants and wound up with several Christmas dinners, lots of drinks, presents and toys for his fantasy children, most of which he gave to one of the neighbors where he lived. I don’t know what happens here, where there is a profusion of elevator and doormen, but it’s fun to think about.

Steve and Renee will both leave on Wednesday and I will move to the east side for the remainder of our stay. I don’t expect Robin will need much help, but I won’t leave her alone. She is anticipating problems getting back to Pittsburgh because she has so much stuff. I think it will be all right. We can get help and this old lady is still fairly strong, at least enough to briefly lift even heavy bags.

Thanks again for all the good wishes. They make us feel much loved.

Surgery is finished. Reconstruction is finished. Tonight is critical: if nothing happens to restrict blood flow to the reconstruction it should all be easy, or at least less worrisome. Amazing the things they can do these days.  Thank you again for all of your prayers and good wishes.

I am staying in New York with a friend of some thirty years. She is the mother of one of Robin’s college roommates. The girls spent a summer backpacking through Europe and Phyllis and I became friends. Over the years we’ve spent a lot of time taking photographs together. Phyllis is still working at it while I have downgraded to snapshots. But we both enjoy wandering around New York and visiting museums. Phyllis lives in a huge apartment in one of those great old art deco buildings on the upper West Side. I’m enjoying the space and the luxury of it all when I’m not at the hospital.