What's up, doc?
Mood:  chillin'
Now Playing: Friday re-cap
Topic: Update
I arrived at the hospital a little before 9 am on Friday and went straight to Dad's room, only to walk in and see a big white sheet pulled all the way up covering him from toe to head...

Turns out it was Wes' way of dealing with the chills and a post-radiation headache, not the stereotypical TV version of a "code-blue-stat!" gone bad.

After a quick how-de-do, I meandered over to the Phillips-Wangenstein building to find Warren tucked away in a room back in the bowels of the clinic's basement. He was sitting bare-chested in a dentist-like chair next to a machine that hummed from a large spinning cylindrical drum that was the 'separator' of his white blood stem cells. Even though he wouldn't admit it (to me or the nurse), he looked a bit apprehensive and slightly scared...

Not wanting to overstay my welcome in the donor room, I ambled back over to UMMC (University of Minnesota Medical Center) and happened into Verna who was finishing off her coffee in the main lobby. We then found our way, eventually, to the Mayo building to meet with the guy in charge of off-site housing arrangements. A long instruction list of "enter here, park there, do this, don't do that, have some, need some, read this, sign here please" and we were ushered off with the keys to Dad's new apartment.

We happened upon Jim & Lynn Manning (down from Barnsville to cheer on the girls basketball team), hooked up with cousin Kelly, and went off as a group to check out Dad's new college campus digs. Lynn took pictures of the fully-furnished and quasi-spacious apartment which I will post here once I receive them via email from her. We all agreed that it was better than we'd imagined, complete with major appliances, minor conveniences, laundry and workout facilities, and underground heated parking. Verna plans to ready the bedrooms next time she's down, Kelly said she's got some fake plants to liven up the place, and I will be taking the girls over there tomorrow with a load of wall-hangings and knick-knacks to make it feel more like home.

We then parted ways with the Mannings, grabbed a quick lunch, and waited for Warren to finish his donation session. He'd found out earlier that morning that it is often necessary for the donor to come back, often up to four times, in order for them to collect enough stem-cells for the transplant (especially with older donors). However, we wouldn't find out until later that evening after they'd gotten the results from their lab. Imagine yourself in the same uncomfortable position unable to move your outstretched arms even to itch your own nose without an alarm going off for five bladder-stretching monotonous hours and you'll get a vague understanding of what he went through...

I left Verna and Warren in Dad's room a little before 4 pm so that I'd have an opportunity to get ahead of the evening rush hour traffic. After picking up my girls, we joined Kelly & Rick, their kids Jake & Jessie, Warren and Verna for dinner at Hoolihan's in Richfield (thanks again Auntie, not necessary but much appreciated!). The lab called at some point to inform Warren that they'd need him back bright-n-early Saturday, but only for a couple hours not the full five again. He looked utterly exhausted, but seemed to cheer up a bit and take pride in them telling him his output was more indicative of a strapping 20-something than a grey-haired senior citizen!

Again, thank you Warren, for going through this. God bless you, your supportive family, and may He give you the strength and quick recovery you deserve.