10-30 Update on Wayne

Caught a ride into Houston with Brent this morning. I was planning on taking the car, but Carolyn called at 8:15 or so and said he hadn't left yet, did I want to ride with him. Who doesn't like to chauffeured? He came by for me a few minutes later with Kate in her car seat. She dropped books, her drink, etc., on the floor to see how many times I would pick them up for her. Twice, it turns out. Her shoes and socks were pulled off and she would have taken her jacket off if it had been easier. We dropped her off at her daycare in Sugarland and made our way to M. D. Anderson.

Ralph Hayes had called to say he had just finished a meeting near the medical center and could he go visit Wayne. I gave my blessing, but Wayne was in the middle of his morning ablution (go look it up) and the nurse asked him to come back in a little while. He was sitting near the elevator when I got off. He and Wayne visited for quite a while. I think Wayne ate a few bites of oatmeal and some grape juice while Ralph was there. After he left, we walked around the nurses station a few times. He was better than he was yesterday, but it still requires an effort to do anything. He did have an idea for a composite photo that he wants me to attempt. Great...another excuse to spend hours on the computer getting nothing else done. Right up my alley!

I went to the cafeteria for some sushi while Wayne dozed a little. About the time I got back to the room, Jimmy Schulz popped in. There was a lot of crop talk going on. I didn't take many notes...I was eating my sushi (grilled salmon sushi, for those who care) and dripping soy sauce on myself.

Jodie Socha called and said he was on Holcombe, just crossing Main, so I told him where to go. He went somewhere else. After a while I headed for the elevator to see if he was downstairs, but he stepped out of the elevator just as I got there. We went to the room where he and Jimmy and Wayne talked football. Either I left the room, or I zoned out...I'm not sure which. When I came to, the visit was coming to an end.

At around 2:00, Wayne was willing to try to eat something, but wanted to be surprised, just like he's surprised when I cook something at home. I ordered pot roast (it didn't look like pot roast) and mashed potatoes and brown gravy. He ate a few bites of it, but complained that everything tastes like the plastic wrap that covers the food.

The surgeon and his entourage came to the room and talked about passing gas, etc. He told Wayne it was the one time he could be proud of that activity. He said that medically Wayne was ahead of schedule. I'm not actually sure what that means. He also said that he wouldn't push him out of the hospital until Wayne was comfortable about leaving. I'm thinking Thursday or Friday might be a possibility. It seemed to me that he would release him tomorrow if Wayne said he was ready to go. I think both Wayne and I would prefer that there be a few less drains to deal with.

The afternoon rocked on and before we knew it he had walked some more and was just getting into bed when Brent came to pick me up. Wayne was going to rest some and then maybe order supper. Brent and I left and drove to Sugarland to pick up Kate, who was delighted to see me again. Wendy called while we were driving home and said that Gage & Zane's daycare's Halloween Parade is tomorrow morning at 9:30. She said that Gage seemed a little sad that none of us would be there to witness the event. I told her to tell him I would try to make it and then I called Wayne to tell him I would be getting to the hospital about an hour later than usual. He mumbled this and that and grudgingly accepted my later arrival. The big baby.

Carolyn had made a pot of Mexican Soup and cornbread. She wanted me to take some of the cornbread to Wayne tomorrow. He loves her cornbread (I taught her how to make it when she was about 10, but he says hers is better.) She noted that the cornbread hadn't risen very high and couldn't figure it out. I suggested that maybe the baking powder was past it's prime. She said that she had used baking powder that she just bought and then suddenly realized that she hadn't put any cornmeal in the cornbread. I have to tell you...it was wonderful! It was a sweet, light bread that I thought was excellent. I'm taking a piece of it to Wayne. It will be interesting to see if he notices that something is missing. The Mexican Soup was really good, too. Wayne called just as we were sitting down to dinner with questions as to what he should order for supper. This was at 7 and it takes them nearly an hour to get the food to the room. I think he had decided on quesadillas and a can of Boost. It just doesn't get any better, does it?