Just got home -- put on about 55 miles but got a LOT accomplished: saw wild turkey in neighbor's yard down the hill, oil change, breakfast, treat for Tom, spotted a couple red-winged blackbirds in the marsh between Newmarket and Durham, saw Tom (went over meds with his nurse, game plan with nurse from social services, met his physical therapist), picked up CD of x-rays from his surgeon, gas in the car at the least expensive place around (and on my way!), groceries and back home again. More floor work set for tomorrow so I need to move some stuff and pull up the middle piece of particle board. Got a few "keeping life on an even keel" things on to-do list before I can do that, though.

Think we got Tom's meds straightened out and, since he's not been requiring any pain meds, maybe he can start taking half a sleeping pill again without the vivid, threatening dreams. His PCP will go over the list after he's home, too, to eliminate anything he no longer needs, etc.

The social services nurse had to run through some simple questions to evaluate Tom's mental state, etc. Mostly simple...I certainly couldn't do the one that required him to count backwards from 100 by 7s. (She said she couldn't either.) It was primarily about the attempt (he went back to 93) and following directions. When asked to write a sentence, he wrote, "Workers of the world unite. You have nothing to lose but your chains."

The really good news is we have a PLAN for Tom being released to home. It will probably happen a week from Saturday, the day after his next appointment with Dr. Blitzer and his cast being changed again.

And -- this is a BIG ta-dah! -- this Saturday I'll take him to the monthly Press Room sea music singaround. I may need a couple strong guys to help, but one way or another we'll get Tom and a wheelchair (well, maybe just a walker) up the one granite step into The Press Room and into his proper seat presiding over the session.

Speaking of which, I had best announce the April sea music singaround in a thread of its own.

Linn