February 5, 2008,Chevy Chase, Maryland

Dr.Corcoran, Ken's surgeon, says that Ken is on the way to living 110 years.  Ken on the other hand is not happy with all the fluid being retained in his body.  But he is able to walk longer distances without getting too short of breath, so progress is being made, just slower then on Ken's schedule.  I don't know if my memory is faulty, or that people are nicer to us now that we are old.  But folks in Surburban Hospital are much nicer than I recall hospital personel used to be.  But no matter...the good folks at the hospital could not have been better to us.

I think Surburban Hospital has worked very hard these past ten years to upgrade all their services.  Everyone was helpful from the medical staff to the cleaning service.  That is not an easy task, to have all the staff care about Ken's care.  For instance, I was pushing Ken in a wheel chair, about to go through a closed door.  One of the cleaning folks say my efforts and came to push Ken through the door.  And with a big smile too.  All the time I spent in the hospital I kept trying to figure out how this change in attitude and  helpfulness came about.  Did they have classes in how to be nice?  Or do they give prizes when the patients give an excellent rating?  I know the whole medical faculty has been upgraded, since the affiliation with N.I.H. and Johns Hopkins University Hospitals, and it shows.  The heart center is now the number one place for successful heart surgery.  What a good thing Ken waited till now.

Here are several bits of gold that has come our way.  We have visited with Christina and the three girls every day.  They come over for tea with Grandpa after school.  I have spoken with my brother David every day, sometimes for long periods of time.  David and Suzanne call us from Texas every day.  We urged them not to come up for the surgery as Andrew was very attentive while in the hospital.  Our friends brought us food . And they stopped by to say hello.And then the cards.  They cheer Ken up.  Ken says I am a pretty good nurse too.  So the gold continues to come our way.