Good News, Bad News, Disruption

Hi Everybody,

Mixed results today. On the good side, Bernice is in a new room today — something pushed by our caring and sensitive Dr M. Her room is at a window with a view of the greenery of Central Park, her room mate is very quiet and had no visitors during my time there, and her nurse Kathleen is the very image of a bright, smiling Irish presence. When Dr M came to visit he was very pleased with the result. Bernice declined having any TV but discovered that she could have music and when I entered the room I was pleased to hear Beethoven's violin concerto in D thanks to WQXR. The small speaker is part of a hand-held gadget also controlling her lights. The sound is privately dispensed bothering no one else. At my entry Bernice was sitting in a comfortable bedside chair enjoying her music and view. Her appetite has somewhat returned and she is interested in reading. Luckily, I brought plenty of reading material.

Dr M and his hematology team have earned an A grade for her WBC is now down to 86 and her other blood values have stabilized at reasonable values for her underlying condition. But other problems remain related to that terrible fall. Different medical groups returned from the weekend and evidently scrutinized her new CT scan and MRI. We had some discussions but things are not settled and I will await some certainty before writing more. I will say that some surgery to clear the subdural hematoma (the internal bleed within her skull that is not bleeding now but is an obstruction) is likely this week. As far as I know this involves a tap through a very small hole. Bernice's immediate response was "so that's where those missing words have gone." Our attitude is that it is better to know and get things fixed.

On another front I faced considerable disruption today. I returned home to Glen Head last night and took care of many tasks but left in time this morning to catch the 11:01 AM train to the city. Thanks for the ride dear Viviane. The train went past three stations and came to a prolonged halt. We soon heard that catastrophe had struck at the Jamaica station and no trains were entering or leaving there. Jamaica in the major hub of the LI RR and stationary trains soon were standing all along the main line. No trains were leaving or entering Penn Station. I thought I moved quickly to get a cab but after calls to three cab companies found that every cab was in service. In desperation, wanting to get back to Bernice, I called Sophie. Soon her husband Hero Brendan came and drove me to Manhasset where I was able to board a train which bypassed Jamaica. The trip, normally 75 minutes, took me over 3 1/2 hours. This experience is enough to make me shy about returning for an overnight in GH.

As I write this I can hear the sound from the movie Bonnie and Clyde which is being shown in Bryant Park. Part of their summer program is the showing of free classic films. In spite of the wet ground and slight drizzle I can see a mob of people sitting on their blankets and enjoying the show. Perhaps I am prolonging my exit here, for next I must attack the dirty dishes in the sink which have accumulated there all week. Bernice would never depart the apartment with a single dirty dish to be faced at our next entry.

Goodnight sweet ladies and brave gentleman,
love Merwin