AN UPDATE FROM ROOM “4401”: Dad went into surgery to sew his drainage cut back up, but due to the swelling, the surgeon was unable to completely sew him back up. So he’s still got the tube draining stuff, and still has about four inches still open in the calf slice. This means he needs to stay in the hospital a couple more days to let the swelling subside, and they’ll go back at it Monday morning. If they can’t sew it back up, he needs to get a skin graft, and that’ll add a couple more days to the process here in the hospital. Fuck.

We were supposed to be heading back today, so there’s a little sadness in the DDC Roadtrip Dept. I mean, sorry to be speaking from such a selfish perspective. I was so excited to drive back out to Portland with Dad. Not gonna happen this time.

But that’s okay, cuz the only thing that matters at this point is gettng dad sewed back up and that calf muscle healing up. Everything else is on hold. You know how that goes.

There will be more chance for roadtrips together. Next time, for sure. Already planning it up.

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AND JUST SO YOU KNOW: All the links and loose talk the last couple days aren’t meant to make light of the general feeling of uneasiness we’re all gripped with back here with dad laid up like he is. He wanted us to all keep things as normal as possible. We’re all here with him, and in between naps, blood pressure checks and what not, Dad is still Dad, and fully sanctions these words.

That’s the straight dope right from the man himself.

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THIS ONE TOOK MY MIND OFF THE WILDNESS OF THE DAY: The VA is serious about health care.

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SO DID THIS ONE: Some 1950s Vintage Typeset Hospital Ledger Paper.