Day 64, Year 7: Out of the Hospital
Date: Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Weather: Beautiful Day but Getting Colder
Location: At Home with John and Sue Reed, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Mark was released from the hospital this morning and we were at home with John and Sue Reed in Cambridge before noon. Mark still needs lots of rest but he looks and feels great. He is eating a soft diet that includes fish, chicken, rice, pasta, mashed potatoes, a few over-cooked veggies, boiled and scrambled eggs, yogurt, bananas, avocados, and white bread. It is not the most exciting diet in the world, but I think Mark just feels grateful to be eating anything besides Jello and chicken broth. Sue fixed a wonderful dinner tonight that we all enjoyed and Mark is looking forward to a breakfast of scrambled eggs with an English muffin. So far he is handling the food just fine and if things continue like this, the doctor says he can resume his normal diet by the weekend.
We got an email from good friend Lynda Kaufman today that commented on my statement in last night’s log saying that the stay at Mass General Hospital was “delightful.” She said that I must be first person ever to describe a hospital stay that way, but both Mark and I feel that way. Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) is huge but feels much more like a college campus than a hospital. They do an amazing job of making you feel comfortable. Every person we dealt with there was amazingly positive, the staff was always responsive, and we truly felt like we were in an exclusive hotel rather than a hospital. Mark’s nurses were all fantastic as were Dr. Sylla and her team of residents. They make in-city parking amazingly cheap at $10 per 24 hour period and the cafeteria food was very good and very affordable. I loved being able to buy a super large coffee for just $1.50 and a super large salad with meat for under $5.00. Even the elevators were fast. So we give MGH a 5-star rating (5 out of 5). I’ve posted with this log a couple of photos and a video of the medical heli-port at MGH in action. The medical helicopter went right passed Mark’s window to get to the heli-port and I thought Sam, Jonah, and Ziggy would enjoy the video.
The weather report for the next couple of days is not looking so great. It is supposed to rain/snow tonight and then continue raining into Friday. So depending on the weather, we might return to Cape Cod tomorrow afternoon or we might wait until Friday. We are really enjoying our time here at Sue and John’s and they really think we should stay until Friday just to make sure things are fine with Mark. So we will get up and check the weather and see how Mark is feeling before making a decision on whether or not to return home tomorrow or Friday. We’ll keep you posted.
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| 120111 Day 64 MGH, Boston, MA–Last Photos from MGH |
Hi Mark and Judy, I have lost your email address and can’t find it on your new website, so I will write here. I have been reading your blog almost every day for several years now, but had no computer or access when I was recently visiting my mother in Michigan for several weeks over Christmas. I was shocked when I got home and started catching up on your goings on, to find that Mark had been diagnosed with colon cancer, you two had taken a cross country bus ride out west, and flew home, then checked in and had surgery in Boston! What an exciting whirlwind of a life you have! It was devastating to read about the diagnosis, but I am so glad to hear that all went well, and to see Mark looking so well after the surgery. You two hang tough and try to have a less eventful new year, will ya? 🙂
P.S. Have you heard of the movie called “Forks Over Knives”? It is a MUST see for anyone who wants to have a healthier life. I am a convert and am buying copies for my loved ones and spreading the word.
Love and prayers, Cheryl from Maine