Mr. Benson is Tom’s roommate in rehab. He’s about Tom’s age, and like Tom he is tall and handsome. His eyes seem very sad. He has beautiful long eyelashes. He doesn’t smile – maybe he can’t. Three strokes and a subsequent seizure left him without much ability to speak. When he presses the call button for a … read more After the fall
Author: Lisa
Saturday night date
It’s Saturday night. So we went out. Tom slipped into the wheelchair with amazing ease – just one day of rehab did that. We signed out and took the elevator to the first floor. No chaperone. “This is a DATE, right?” I said, our old joke. I pushed him outside, and showed him the outdoor … read more Saturday night date
Escape from Cleveland
On my trips to the 1st floor at University Hospitals, I looked out at this stone sculpture. It danced even in pieces. From some angles it flew. From other angles it seemed to be falling apart. Like Cleveland. We didn’t really want to stay in Cleveland for Tom’s in-patient rehab of two to four weeks. I’m from Ohio, I … read more Escape from Cleveland
Are we not men?
Ruby Kusturd is made of the world’s largest crystal ruby, 30,090 karats. Shaping a gem of that size into a swirl of soft ice cream was Mark Mothersbaugh’s way of mocking both fine jewelry and fine art. The swirl is a bit reminiscent of the conical hats worn by the band Devo, for which Mothersbaugh was the lead … read more Are we not men?
First steps
Tom took his first steps today. I mean that he walked. He hoisted himself up off the bed, using a walker. The two assistants hovered, advised and guided, but the balance, coordination and movement were all Tom’s. The attending neurologist and team of six residents happened to be making the rounds, so they watched. Tom barely … read more First steps
Room with a view
Once in awhile, life does you a favor, and you are never sure why. Today they moved Tom to a new hospital room. He’s off all the monitors, and they needed the bed with monitors for someone with more urgent needs. The new room is in the non-acute part of the neuro floor. When I … read more Room with a view
Type Tom
Tom’s blood sugar has had the doctors scratching their heads. For him, this is a typical medical experience. He’s always outside the norm, and they don’t know quite what to do with him. Since his stroke Thursday, Tom’s glucose levels have been high – 200s, even high 200s, where normal is 80 to 100 and … read more Type Tom
Simple pleasures
This little piggy went to rehab. This little piggy went home. This little piggy had salmon, this little piggy had none … And THIS little piggy went “wheeee wheeee wheee wheeee wheeeeee!” All the way home. Since the stroke, Tom can’t flex the toes or upper part of his right foot. So I manipulate his … read more Simple pleasures
Not on the menu
Hospital food is notoriously bad and unhealthy. I remember being in hospital in North Georgia in 2007 and the choices were all deep-fried or heavily sweetened. Tom and I eat pretty healthy food, especially in the last three years. We avoid sugar and processed foods, we eat whole foods, fresh vegetables and fruits, we go … read more Not on the menu
Lucky twins
Tom and I are dissimilar in many ways. He’s calm, I’m hyper; he’s a math guy, I’m a word girl. In the past couple years, though, we’ve had medical procedures in common. Two years ago, we both had surgery for early-onset cataracts. He had his done first, which gave me the courage to get mine … read more Lucky twins