More from Tom

Tom here:

 

I'm walking, walking, and talking (but still have no appetites). My intestines have done their job. A few weeks ago my life was threatened by lack of urine, now I am swimming in it!

Everything has improved but the internal urine leak. Much better all around, even to discussing global warming and Obama with the night shift. 

Last night we watched the Sugar Bowl.  I am normally a BYU football fan, but last night I was 100% Ute!  Go Utes!  The nurses would wait to hear me scream whenever Utah made big plays or scores, and then come in for an update.  Utah won that game on every level.  They should be National Champions.  Obama couldn't have asked for a better set up if he is serious about dismantling the Bogus BCS.

 This is actually a wonderful place to be stuck in.  The doctors, nurses, aides, are skilled, friendly, just all around wonderful people. They are always going out of their way to help, encourage and comfort.

 The layout  of this part of the building (the 5th floor) is amazing.  The patient rooms are all on the outside of the building with large picture windows and spectacular views of either the Salt Lake Valley or the foothills behind.  The doors exit into the hallway which is a large oval.  Patients can leave their rooms and start walking the hall, enjoying wonderful artwork on the walls (many donated by former patients).  On one end of the oval is a beautiful lobby with large windows displaying both the valley and the foothills behind the building.  The elevators are here with amazing marble walls of a unique color. The lobby itself is large with lots of room for families to gather, patients to sit and enjoy the view, a family kitchen with vending machines, microwave, and refrigerator where families can store food.  It is just there to be used, no one to ask, just a request to label items with the patients room number. 

The oval is exactly 1/12th of a mile.  I have heard it referred to by patients has the "Huntsman Highway" and by nurses as the "Greyhound Express", not a bad name because most of us walkers are gray!  Patients encourage each other and sometimes chat as they see people go by.  After all, we all have a lot in common!  The newer patients are obviously struggling, pushing their IV racks and catheter tubes with them (that was me for the first 3 weeks).  Now I am (relatively speaking) out of place with my bathrobe from home and the ability to walk unassisted typically four laps each time I go out. I figure I have averaged a mile a day for the last two days.

The inside area of this oval has a variety of rooms used by nurses and doctors for all of their tasks.  Closer to the lobby their is also a restroom, shower, and laundry area for families, all available for use as needed without any need to involve the staff. 

 It is hard to imagine a more perfectly designed treatment center for cancer patients than this, the Huntsman Cancer Center. I'm glad that for the last four days at least I have really been strong enough to enjoy it and observe how smoothly it all comes together. If I could get my appetite and strength back it would be like  a luxury hotel vacation!

An interesting note for those of you who knew me in my early post high school days:  Most of the rooms have brass plates with the names of donors who I assume contributed to their construction in significant ways. The first  room I stayed in  was donated by Harris Simmons, and their is another from his brother David (their wives are also named, of course, but I can't remember their names).  It is interesting that the little brothers of my old girlfriend Liza would have ended up blessing my life 40 years later. 

I hope all of you are well.  Thanks again for all of your prayers, interest and compassion.  It is appreciated on a level impossible to express.  

Love to you all,

Tom