All That's Left of Friday's Dinner

Doorstop lying
Originally uploaded by savtadotty

My dear soup salonistas provided me and one another with a superb feast on Friday, including beef stew (most assuredly not goulash) and variety of supporting and surrounding treats. All that remains is the one non-consumable item, contributed by the sculptress/potter Miriam. This doorstopper is so versatile that she can stop a door whether she's lying down or sitting up.

Everything But Soup

Today's Soup Salon will include everything but soup. In celebration of my return from the long, possibly record-breaking sejour at the hospital, my dear friends are preparing the food and I have been told not to lift a finger. This makes typing rather difficult, but I soldier on. Can't wait to see what surprises are in store, and it helps that today is beautiful, sunny and mild, so who needs soup anyhow?

Home Sweet Home

I checked into the hospital on December 14, and was discharged today, January 13. That's a whole month, people! Not to mention going in in 2007 and emerging in 2008, and it did feel like a whole year. I wish being home meant I was "cured," but it doesn't: it just means I'm well enough to manage my ongoing treatment myself, and that's definitely something good.

I'm too tired to expand or expound just now, but I'll share some of the interesting parts of my experience soon.

Day 28

This was taken at the mini-Mall where I go for my daily Wi-Fi fix.

I havent figured out how to reverse the photos that my MacBook takes, which means even if you can read Hebrew, the signs will be illegible unless you hold them up to a mirror.

Day 26

It's hard to believe, but here I still am, a patient at Hadassah Hospital! I've started on a new treatment regime which will take several weeks to kick in, but I have to stay in hospital for the first two doses, to be sure I can tolerate it without adverse side effects. This makes eminent sense to me, and I am grateful that the Israeli medical system is willing to underwrite such a long hospitalization.

What with Wi-Fi, DVDs, books, and magazines, not to mention the occasional visitor, I manage to distract myself from the tedium of waiting for my skin to improve. Yesterday I was asked to present my case to a class of touring high school pre-meds! If I stay here much longer I think I'll be entitled to a salary as a consultant!

Day 24

I am still high from the experience of Saturday: my dear Tel Aviv friends, including Nominally Challenged and Noorster, schlepped all the way to Jerusalem to take me out to a very pleasant, and delicious restaurant in picturesque Ein Kerem. I was beside myself with delight: having friends to talk to from my Real Life, wearing Real Clothes, eating in a restaurant (named "Anashim") with good food and good service, and not eating chicken! I felt like Cinderella when they dropped me off at the hospital to resume my life as a scullery maid patient whle they continued on home to Tel Aviv, which might as well be on the other side of the world.

They also brought me goodies: DVDs and books and magazines. I am almost caught up on House episodes. I love my MacBook! I love my friends! I love House!

The Health of Various Systems* (Updated) **(Updated again)

Good news: I'm getting better (after 18 days), and starting a trial dose of a new treatment today. Some day I may be discharged!

Bad news: the Internet at my building in Hadassah Hospital is going down for what is estimated to be DAYS.

I am hopeful about the first and annoyed about the second.

*Update starts here
Good news: So far, no adverse reactions to trial dose.
Good news: I found an Internet cafe in the next door mini-mall
Good news: I discovered that my bed was backwards by trying to elevate the head and elevating the knees instead.
Good news: I discovered when to submit menus to request a main course other than chicken.
Bad news: new medication isn't supposed to start working until after at least two weeks.
Good news: If I have no adverse reaction after "a few days" I can go home and take future doses (pills) there!

** Second update starts here
Good news: So far, no adverse reactions to trial dose.
Good news: The entire mini-mall next door to the hospital has wi-fi.
Good news: The moaning/screening roommate was discharged.
Bad news: My doctor has to serve a week's military reserve duty next week.
Bad news: I will stay in the hospital until he returns to pronounce me well enough to leave.