Reasoning In Virginia

 

Fleeing from a hurricane has recently become a way of life for residents of Vero Beach, and this year we decided to skip the step where we have to quickly board up the house and run for it. Only to join a huge traffic jam on any of the roads leading out. Then after a week in a distant motel, make our drive back. Usually waiting an extra day or two so that we drive in less traffic. And that has been how we have reasoned with hurricane season

This year Ellen decided that the time had come for me to meet her relatives in Ronceverte, West Virginia. Bonus being out of town for hurricanes, at least for one month .This led to that, something else led to the other. We wound up about a mile outside Hot Springs, Virginia. Taking scenic routes, we can be in Ronceverte in a couple of hours, easy. 

Ellen made a direct shot to Hot Springs. I drove first to West Lafayette to celebrate my mother's 100th birthday.

This is a test run. So we are here for only a month. We didn't hate it. Next year, now that we know the area better, we plan to stay longer. Our little house is around the corner from Sunoco and the IGA. Big city stores like Walmart and Food Lion are about forty minutes away and involve twisting roads and climb + descent through mountains on a narrow road.

This trip we have been hitting some high spots and must-sees. The first high spot is simply stepping out the front door. Hills and mist in the morning. Gorgeous clouds. We marvel at the distances we can see. A trip up any of nearby mountains gives spectacular views. Though on our second day, on a visit to the airport, we decided to take a highly-rated Nature Conservancy trail. About the time cold rain hit, we realized that we hadn't seen a trail marker for quite a while. We back-tracked and got out needing nothing more than hot showers.

Looking toward West Virginia from about 3,700 feet. Above Homestead Resort. This appears to be a home site. The lighter spot, about center picture, is where Ellen was painting at the time I was taking this pic.

Short trips, day trips - Cass, West Virginia to meet a friend of mine from Purdue who now lives in Charleston. A couple of trips, or was it three, to Ronceverte. Bought three used books at a small shop in Lewisburg. And, back in Virginia, Clifton Forge just down the road only forty miles away. More pics, and more words later.

On a sadder note. While my mother lived to be 100 years old, she died on August 24th. I believe that she got done what she came here to do. And we can remember her with joy. Mixed with sadness of knowing that she's gone.

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Big Blue

Vero's power plant is sometimes called "Big Blue." For kinda obvious reasons: it's big, and it's blue. 

Big Blue is also no longer in use, and the problem is what to do next. Anything, including doing nothing in particular, is going to be expensive.

Vero had a couple of open-house days to let the folks see what we have on our hands. 

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A Flight In The Park

Snaps of a few little airplanes. Quiet Birds mostly. The EDF tend to be a little noisy.

And A Few More

Added Later

 

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My Outing

On March 18th I presented at Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital for a procedure. 

I'd been seeing a primary-care physician who had been chasing blood pressure and heart murmur issues. And I'd noticed that my stamina for even ordinary activities was diminishing, despite various treatments. I sure wasn't bike riding with any enthusiasm. Earlier in the month I'd done an echo and a stress test referral. Cleveland Clinic cardiologist no more than glanced at the output and said that we have a problem here. A real problem. And it's got nothing to do with a slight murmur that had held the attention of my usual and customary doctor for several years.

We set up for a possible angioplasty and stents. That day arrived, and revealed that I had sufficient blockage that this procedure was no longer an option. I hadn't had my heart attack yet, and we set a date for a "procedure." Meanwhile I avoided stressful activity.

Cardio is a rough area in a hospital. There is good. But there's a lot of bad going down in the form of sudden crisis. People coming via the ER after their big crunch. And sometimes a situation goes bad in the hospital. My attempted stent was held for hours while the crash team went to work on a man ahead of me. From the waiting area, and then overheard in cardio, I estimated that this man had discontinued his prescription medication and had been using natural remedies. Leaving the crash team knowing the guy was having a crisis and also having no idea what kind of crap he'd been putting into himself. (The manufacturer might have no clear idea, as well, and that's another problem for another time.)

At the end of a long day, we met with with Dr Mark Malias and set a date for a quintuple bypass.

The deal went down. And I was quickly present in body only in a room full of doctors and amazing equipment. I had made no effort to find out anything prior about what would be done other than information provided by the doctors and staff involved. - That's why a team of physicians and OR specialists spent a whole lot of time in school and continuous training: they have it down as good as it's gonna get. 

I'll treat this as an amazing adventure, I'd said to several people. Experience it. Learn. Take it in without preconceptions.

Time stops and starts after something like this surgical procedure. Sometimes it's moving quickly. Other times slowly. It's afternoon; no, it's morning. Or maybe it's night. Well, doesn't matter, does it? Lights are on all the time indoors. ICU staff made it work. 

I want to make minor mention of something that took place nearby me. And I overheard just bits and pieces, mostly after the fact, and I could have it all wrong. Late at night another man, who had been making progress, died. Within a short time the head of emergency medicine was there, and he gathered everyone around to discuss what happened. Everyone participated, and he knew everyone by sight and by name. Respect was the key. Information was the point. I think I'll leave it at that. Except to mention that the physician calling this meeting is widely believed to be one of the finest medical doctors alive by the people who work with him. 

ICU for several days. Then 5 East. Finally out of there and home just a few hours short of one week.

While on 5 East I had my room door open as often as possible; I like to be part of the routines of staff and sound and motion. And when shift rotation took place, I could overhear how the staff exchanged information. A form of what pilots call "challenge and response." Both parties must agree on each bit of information exchanged. No uh-huh or nodding of head. No yup. The information was presented as the challenge and the response was to repeat that information back to the challenger while taking notes.

So, to the pictures. For complicated reasons left unexplained here, these were all taken with my ten-dollar LG cellphone. And, last picture, it's standard-issue ketchup meatloaf, tho probably turkey. And damn did it taste good!

-end-

Cornered

And Atget's Wagon