Long One from up North.......

Back again with news from OHSU …. .. .… … … .. .
So it is now Sunday. I spent Thursday and Friday in Albany getting the trailer ready to move to Tualatin and on Saturday morning I left for the North Country. Arriving at the trailer park at 0845hrs I was assigned a plot of ground on which to erect our temporary domicile. It actually stayed sunny during setup even though the weather service called for heavy rain.

Proceeding with the trailer setup, I got the wheels chocked and trailer leveled. After connecting the power shoreline, water line, sewer, and cable, I went inside to check the interior components. Florence would have been so proud of me since I took off my shoes before walking in.

First to check was the refrigerator, didn’t want things to spoil, power switched to AC and still cooling, great. A little safety fact - you always want to remember that things may shift in a frig while traveling so you should always open the frig door carefully the first time. So as I yanked the door open, and I thought about that safety fact, a Corona bottle rolled out and tried to tenderize on my bare foot (remember how proud Florence was going to be because I removed my shoes before entering!!). After a short time out and drinking the Corona to ease the throbbing boo-boo, I moved on with my checks of the trailer. Since it was a bit cold I fired up the furnace, everything works good there. Next the water heater…..

Let’s say that proved a little more interesting. I pushed the start switch then went outside to check the water heater - igniter works, really small flame, burner shuts off…. Try again because that’s what the Book tells you to do, It may take several attempts on first start-up to get burner to ignite. After 35 tries… ok, maybe it was more like 6…. I thought ‘this isn’t right’ and with further examination found there now was NO flame. The furnace is still running …hummmm... maybe no gas to the water heater??? I should be able to check for gas by pulling the gas line off the burner and throwing the start switch.

The gas line came off simply enough and, after twisting it out a little so I could put a finger over it to check for pressure, I was set to throw the start switch. I know, you though I’d break the gas line…. NO I DIDN’T….. However,

Going inside I threw the start switch and when the igniter fired off….. Well, You know the burger commercial with the flames shooting out of the peoples mouths….. Yeah, well a lot more gas come out an open gas line than when it is going through the little-bitty orifice on a burner. Whooooo…. A quick return to the interior to turn the switch off and disaster averted…. cool and calm under pressure… my motto. Any squirrels laughing????? No one was watching were they?????

So apparently, no lack of gas and after a quick cleaning of the burner orifice and some reassembly the water heater works like new. The rest of my checks went fine and I was then off to see Florence at OHSU.

She is now able to eat and her White Blood Cell count was at 2700 (normal is 4400 – 1100). This means her immune system should be working now. She is still getting Red Cell and Platelet transfusions. There counts start up later.

With no fever her docs said she could go home tomorrow (Sunday) but she decided to spike a temp Saturday night so that’s way we are still here, along with some electrolyte and drinking issues.

DUCKS didn’t play Saturday but the Bevs pulled one out… Go Bevs…

Now today is Sunday, WBC are now 3200. Florence got more Platelets last night and today she’s starting to get cabin fever. They told her she needs to be drinking 2 liters a day to get outa here and to help with her electrolyte balances. The satff has stopped nearly all IVs at this point and she is now back on oral meds.

She walked for awhile around the 9th floor and now she is sleeping. No more hallucinations, at least today so far. I blogged about that, right? Oh yeah I did. Sometime ask her,”How do you knit on a piano?” (I’m gona pay for that one, I’m sure)

That’s it for now…Little long but it was 3 days…

Looking at Monday or Tuesday for discharge, if all goes well.

Just so you know, some of the trailer set up might not have happened just that way, but close……

Thanks for the prayers and wishes,
Larry