Waiting Patiently

We've been doing a lot of waiting these last six months! Waiting to get Dave into Mayo clinic to have the bad hip replaced so we can start to plan our return to cruising aboard our Alberg 35, Mystic. Waiting, waiting...waiting! We've been staying super busy with home projects, trade show adventures, and enjoying the holidays with family. We've also been buying things for our boat, working on improvements, and planning our next adventure. It has been a productive time for us.

Magma stacking cookware for Mystic

Hook and Moor boat Hook

We bought the longer version on sale at Defender Marine

Charts and Tide Tables

Inflatable Dinghy

Inflated Dinghy
Photo by Cruising World

We booked two nights at the historic Kahler Hotel in downtown Rochester, a stones throw from the entrance to Methodist Hospital where Dave would have his hip replaced. Check in for surgery was at 6:30 am so we were up early. He wasn't taken away for pre-op until 8:45. The time in between was filled with questions, a change into compression socks under non-slip socks and finally a lovely new purple gown. An IV was placed which seemed to make Dave sleepy; I was antsy knowing this would be a long day! They wheeled Dave away on a bed; he was mortified but submitted to the comfort of warm blankets under him and warm blankets draped across his body. He smiled at me and said, "See you soon, go get some coffee", which I did. And then, I found myself alone, and I waited.

Dave all hooked up

Purple gowned Dave smiling before surgery

Silly Non-skid socks

Waiting rooms are intense, often filled with family members, some alone, others in large groups that seem to hug a lot. Everyone is in the same boat; waiting for loved ones to come through surgery; not saying much, just anxiously waiting. I sat in a chair, glancing at the clock that was directly in front of me. I swear it took a half hour for five minutes to pass. An electronic board allows family members to follow their loved one. Each patient is given a six digit number. The board changes status as the patient makes their way through the surgery process. The unique patient number flashes with a color coded notice of what's going on at each moment. It doesn't take long for me to be sent to Dave's room to wait for him. This is good news!

Color Codes

Surgical Board Tracker

The surgery took only one and a half hours but I didn't get to see him for five. The time passed slowly but I was blessed with a visit from our friend Tiffany Whiting. She kept me distracted and just shy of panic! We went on long walks through the Subway or lower level of Rochester, and the Skyway or the upper level of Rochester, both through inside walkways. We managed to have a fun adventures together, in spite of my concern for Dave. Tiffany took us to Chester's the night before surgery. We joked about it being Dave's last supper with his old hip! We also had lunch at the Dan Abraham Healthy Living Center and dinner at The Loop.

Mayo Art: Blown glass with metal frames by Dale Chihuly

Plummer Building night view

Plummer Building Entrance

Plummer Building ceiling

Plummer Building elevator door

Plummer Building door details

Chateau Courtyard, Rochester, MN

Chateau Theater

Chateau Courtyard

Glammed up storefront window
Rochester, MN

Beth and Tiffany in White Bear Lake
She's the girl you want to have around when
killing time is the name of the game!

The surgery went well, with no surprises. The surgeon informed us that his hip was in terrible shape! Dave had some post surgery challenges, including chest pain and fever. They did a lot of tests and found that his lungs were filling with fluid. He improved greatly after using a breathing exerciser. I was at the hotel during all the excitement. Dave didn't want me to worry so he handled the scare on his own. He had considerable pain that led to a 40 hour stretch with NO sleep. I watched my strong, independent hero get more and more distressed until they found the right cocktail that helped him relax! Once we got that right, things improved!

Dave on his first post-surgery walk

Post-surgery, not feeling so great

Feeling better wearing Beth's hat

View from Dave's Room

I brought him home on Sunday, two days after surgery. We had waited so long to get this done and now we were on the other side; grateful to have this surgery behind him. I felt great about being there to help him through the recovery. Now, we wait for him to heal!