Sorry I couldn't update this earlier, but when I last ventured to the computer lab, there were 4 people for the 3 computers and they were all involved in a complicated political discussion. Beacon Hill is an interesting NEIGHBORHOOD and Beacon House is an interesting COMMUNITY of mostly residents in senior apartments. (Just those of us on the second floor are medical transients.)

Today was the Day of the Cab Driver.

When I left the lab this morning and went back to our room, I got a call on my cell from the PACU just as I was trying to call them on the land line -- come get Tom; he was being sprung.

So I called Boston Cab and the cab was waiting for me when I got downstairs. At last! A cabbie who speaks English! AND he's been a musician around Boston since the '60s AND he wanted to talk about it. I had mentioned that Tom lived in the neighborhood during the Great Folk Scare of the '60s when he performed at local coffee houses and also cooked at The Turk's Head Coffeehouse. So the cabbie wanted to talk about Judy Collins and Joan Baez and the fact that when his band got together recently someone requested "Eve of Destruction" but they had never learned it. Because of clogged streets, we ended up detouring around the front of the State House so I got my first glimpse of Boston Common and the Public Garden in years, then back around unclogged streets to Cambridge St. and Mass General.

Got up to the PACU on Ellison and Tom was all ready for me (well, he hadn't put street clothes on yet). Got him together -- they'd lost his socks, so he has those horrible no skid socks the hospital gives 'em -- and they even got ME a wheelchair to take us out of here. If I'd had to walk, I never could have kept up and I definitely couldn't push him through the halls. So...out to the front of the hospital where we got a cab to Dr. Z's. Dr. Z wasn't there -- he was on a flight somewhere -- but one of the other associates scoped Tom, etc. The area is a little swollen, understandably, and he has a drain that has to be left in until Wed. morning -- looks like he has a white textured goiter. Got prescriptions for antibiotics and painkillers, consulted with Kim who is getting in touch with Dr. Z about whether voice therapy can/should be started Monday or Tuesday (since we really have no other plans than hanging out). She'll let us know.

By the way, Tom has NO dietary restrictions (other than common sense) -- if it's irritating to eat, don't eat it. He can even have coffee, I guess, but he won't want it for a few days. (Or weak so it's not uncomfortable.) AND there are no vocal restrictions, but until the swelling goes down and he relearns how to use the muscles where the right cord used to be, etc., he's still not up to "normal" volume.

So we left there and went across Cambridge St. to fill the Rxs at Rite-Aid -- which didn't stock the antibiotic. Soooo...a painful, slow walk down Cambridge St. to CVS where we got everything we needed. Back out on the street for a cab back to Beacon House.

Now THIS was the entertaining ride! Streets on the Hill are very, very narrow. There are narrow brick sidewalks that no one uses -- they walk in the street. There's parking on one side and delivery trucks, etc. often block the way. Confronted with a large truck blocking Myrtle St., our cabbie took stock of the situation and decided to squeeze past -- between truck, sidewalk, fenced in tree, etc. Slowly, very slowly, constantly recalculating and making minor corrections. When the side mirror made tight contact with the truck, he first adjusted the mirror, then discovered the truck's fiber glass (or something) side could be pushed in slightly while he inched past. One more minute course recalculation, compensation and, Voila! Free at last! Free at last! He's the Man! What an accomplished display of driving -- he got a bigger tip out of it, too. Worth it for the entertainment.

Had lunch from Beacon Pizza again -- and it was my new favorite flavor of all time: Alfredo spinach and bacon. Wonderful. Also enough (out of a small pizza) left for another meal.

I think we both took a nap this afternoon. I know I did. The exertions of this morning wore me out.

The Press Room session should be over for the evening, so this post should be here when friends get home and check the computer.

But from here until Wednesday morning, it will be mostly hanging out. We're seeing Dr. Z 8:30 on Wed., so we'll be out of there in time to get the 11 a.m. train back home.

I'll keep checking here and posting, though, don't worry.

Linn