Pending

We woke up today to a moderate snowstorm which was pretty for about two seconds until I remembered that I had to drive to Rochester to take Patrick back to the Mayo Clinic this morning. As per usual Patrick and I left the house twenty minutes later than I had intended only to discover (STEVE!) that the last person to drive the car had ignored the soft yellow glow of the empty fuel tank light. If one lives sandwiched between two gas stations this isn't a big deal but the line from my house to the Mayo Clinic is straight only if I don't have to first drive several many miles in the opposite direction to get gas. Then the entrance ramp to the freeway was (literally) backed up for over a mile and after crawing along for half an hour I decided to take a clever country backroads route that was not only not plowed, it looked like it was where they had dumped all of the snow that they had removed from other, more travelled roads. Bite me, Robert Frost, is what I mean to say and look at that: my hands are still shaking.

I loathe being late for appointments. Loathe it.

Anyway we showed up at 10:15 for a 9:30 CT scan and I was perfectly prepared to have to crawl through the door labeled Supplicants before being asked to reschedule for March but they actually got him in within five minutes and all was well. Go Mayo.

Last night, knowing that we had a big chunk of time to kill between appointments, I looked up Things To Do in Rochester. I was thinking an art museum or an historic house tour or something. I was kinda shocked to discover that there is actually nothing to do here apart from blood pressure checks and bowel resectioning. You would think it would have occurred to all of these snowbound medical types that they could put a community center with pool tables right here in this old barn and then charge visiting invalids thousands of dollars to use them but... no.

So Patrick and I have taken refuge at the top floor of the highest building (Patrick is like King Kong - he always goes up) in town. I am writing this (hi) and Patrick is playing Angry Birds on my phone. I think we'll wander out for lunch in half an hour or so and then I'm going to spring the good news that I brought all of Patrick's homework with us so he can get back to work on the damned slope intercept before he sees the infectious disease guy. ! I know. I'm thoughtful.

For the record I have absolutely no idea if Patrick's head is better. No idea at all. I tried to sneak a peak at the screen after his scan but I couldn't figure out whether his head was right side up or down in the image and that did not bode well for my ability to discern healthy from unhealthy tissue.

I shall check back in this afternoon and let you know what the doctor says. In the meantime - much as I regret the reason for our trip - I am quite enjoying the day alone with Patrick. Sometimes it is nice to have nothing to do with one of my favorite people.

Comments

[Heidi]

45 minutes translates to right on time for medical appointments. Sorry it was a stressful morning, and here's hoping for helpful news this afternoon.

[Arina]

Thinking about you, and hoping for clarity!

[Anne]

No feed, just an uncanny ability to sense when Julia has a new post. I am so grateful that you keep this blog so devotedly! -Anne

[plantingoaks]

I have family in Rochester, and so should theoretically be able to help with your entertainment dilemma, but I'm not.

The uncle who lives there is a workaholic, and I think his idea of what to do on a day off is to rebuild the engine in his truck. When I, myself, ventured up there, it was to visit my now-husband who spent the summer working for his uncle, and my idea of recreation was to not leave his room. Probably neither of those were what you had in mind.

Sorry. My understanding of the city is that it is a bunch of doctors and a bunch of people building houses and infrastructure for those doctors. (My family is part of the later). There are probably golf courses, but heck if I know what doctors do for fun in the winter. Go to St. Paul?

Glad you were able to get in, and hope that the more informed will see good things in Patrick's scan.

[Kirsten]

Hoping for good and helpful news.

[Heather]

Refresh ... Refresh ... Refresh ...

[Erika]

But have you gone to the Pannekuchen Hus yet?

(I hope Patrick's scan shows vast improvement!)

[Jesabes]

Hope your afternoon goes well!

[Alexicographer]

Hoping for good news and glad, familial and meteorological obstacles notwithstanding, that you both made it safely and -- it seems -- within a standard deviation of "on time."

[Anne]

I used to spend time in Rochester visiting a boyfriend and was constantly amazed at how little there is to do. I don't know how Mayo Clinic attracts and keeps its staff. But doing nothing with your son sounds like a lovely way to send the day. Enjoy! And good luck with the docs. And the roads home.

[Kristen]

My parents live in Rochester & there isn't much to do to entertain yourselves there. One of our favorite Mayo activities is to get lost in the subway system. That can shave hours off any wait.

[Erin from Roch]

There is an art museum by the civic center. Any of the people who work at the clinic could point you in the right directon. Other than that though there's not much else other than wandering around the galleria or hanging out at one of the Caribous.

[Erin from Roch]

I forgot... Mayo also has art tours (and probably history tours as well). It might be too late for you to do one of those today but if you have to go back (though I sincerely hope you don't) it might be an option.

[Tine]

I have peeps in Rochester, and they agree: there ain't much to do there. It's better in the summer, I hear. But right now...homework sounds like your best bet!

[Sharon Fischel]

Sending healing thoughts to Patrick and some relief for you! This must be so hard for you and your husband. Hugs to you from a stranger in Mercer Island, WA!

[Helen B]

Whenever we show up on time at the doctor's for an appointment, we have to wait at least an hour before being seen. I've wondered if going there late would lessen the wait time. Slope intercept sounds fun - y/x or something? We have snow too. And we also have doctor visits tomorrow and the day after. Shoulder surgery for one person, well-visit for another. It's almost like we have things in common, in a strange, never met you before, but in a nice way. Hey, we saw a real, live angry bird outside our window the other day. It was big, fat and red, with those angry bushy black eyebrows. :) Hope Patrick feels better soon and yes, it is nice to spend time with just one person that you truly love.

[Linda]

George Eastman House!! Probably closed on a Monday though... Hope Patrick's scan is good!

[Rachel]

There used to be a pretty awesome medical museum there, but they tore it down when they put in one of the parking structures. My mom used to take us around in the subways, finding the cool stores down there. We like the Crate, which is imports and exports.

Unfortunately the Pannekoeken Haus, isn't there any longer...and Rochester is notorious for not having great restaurants, but one of my favorites is near downtown (just south on Broadway). It's called Hunan's and has cool covered booths. Anything can be made as a lunch special...

Another Mayo Clinic tip is to go directly to the next appointment. Sometimes they can get you in sooner and that finishes the day up faster.

Hope all went well!

[kris (lower case)]

i hope you smacked steve for the empty fuel when you got home... i hate that crap. and i hope you got some good news so it made it all worth while.

[Cris]

Hope all was well - let us know!

[tree town gal]

Patrick is one of my favorite people, too, and I haven't even met him. Hope all is well.

[sam]

Update? Bueller?

[quine]

News? Hoping you had a fantastic lunch and a productive homework session and an all-clear from the infectious diseases guy and that silence is golden...

[QoB]

Likewise hoping that no news is good news.

[Marcia]

Crossing things crossable for good news for him

[Jenn]

Please share with Patrick that College is a whole lot if y=mx+b. (Stats, Chemistry, etc) so you bringing the homework is just thinking of his future.
Hope no news is good news!

[Betsy]

I'm trying to wait *patiently* for an update on Patrick. It's getting harder. :-)

[Gina]

I hope that you and Patrick received good news yesterday... .

In completely unrelated news, I wanted to tell you that in June of 2010 I read your post about Tyler Place, and made a mental note to go there 'one day'. My 2nd born is coming up on 2 years old so we've decided it's time, and booked a week for the end of this summer. It's our first ever family vacation -- can't wait!

[jb]

hmmm where is that update? I too hate being late. glad all went well with getting seen...but still - its a long drum roll!