Day +26: Living Like the Locals

Another good day for Sile's healing.  She is eating more and eating more different things.  Her system does not handle real meals yet and the dietician has recommended eating small amounts frequently.  Fortunately the food system at City of Hope is equipped to handle such requests since a patient can order any item from the menu at any point in the day and it arrives a half hour later with a knock on the door and a call of "Room service!".  I'm afraid Sile may miss this feature when she reaches discharge - still on track for Wednesday.

She is walking a bit more every day.  Her physical therapist today was a former swimmer from Cal State Northridge who had advice not only for improving her gait but also for getting her back into the water when she is ready.  The transplant has, of course, taken a lot out of her and it will take some time to build her stamina.  Nonetheless, we did make it to the "sky lounge" again for a viewing of the sunset.

The "bandita" look is a result of the mask that Sile is required to wear when she is out of the room.  Not yet clear how long this will be a part of her fashion statement:

I took advantage of Sile's increasing independence to explore my SoCal surroundings and see what's going with the local life in Duarte.  Weeks ago Sile and Frank had eaten at the "taco truck" which visits City of Hope.  Despite her erratic memory for many things over the past month Sile had no problem recalling that this truck set up outside the Flash Building, and I headed out in hot pursuit at lunch time.  If you have ever had the opportunity to sample sandwiches from from the hospital "bistro" you will understand the urgency of my interest in this taco truck:

I arrived at said Flash Building (housing the mail service and other low level hospital functions) shortly before two and was served a very tasty burrito asada.   As I sat eating in the shade the entire restaurant was dismantled around me and loaded up into a nearby van (the tent over my head was carried off as I was sitting there!).  The proprietor informed me that if I arrived early tomorrow they would have much more on offer - rellenos, enchiladas mole, ceviche, etc.  I plan to return.

After lunch I headed off to the hills.  One of Sile's nurses last night had talked about some local trails, and I was interested in exploring one.  (This nurse is apparently insufficiently challenged by 36 hours per week working on the transplant floor of the cancer hospital and raising two small children and has decided she will run the LA marathon.  She is training - with other City of Hope personnel - by running the trails in the mountains).  The trailhead was about a 30 minute drive from the hospital.  The first thing that struck me when I got out of the car was the quiet.  Still, calm, quiet.  There is a constant hum of traffic noise everywhere I have been down here, and it was a wonderful relief to hear, well, nothing.  Breeze and the sound of water from the amazingly enough still flowing San Gabriel River.  Here's what it looked like:

To close, let me thank you, once again, for the cards and greetings that you are sending to Sile.  She is pleased, encouraged, and truly moved by all of it.  If you have anything further to send, though, we ask you to hold off for a week or so.  Sile will be leaving the hospital on Wednesday to spend a week or so at the Marriott Residence Inn (aka Caretakers Central).  On March 7 we will move to a more settled location at a rented house in Monrovia and it will be feasible to start receiving mail again at that point.  We'll be sure to let you know.

Rest assured that anything sent to the hospital address will be received; Sile has daily appointments for the next two weeks and will make sure to check the mails on each visit.