I’m sitting here sore in my lower abdomen, having difficulty bending over and walking upright. Coughing is no fun. Better than yesterday.
On Wednesday, I had bilateral laparoscopic herniorrhaphies. It took an hour and a half and have since been taking only acetaminophen. Smooth. I took Jack’s picture with me into surgery, like a transitional object.
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| Pirate eater |
But, I developed acute urinary retention from the anesthesia and ended up being sent home with a Foley catheter. Very frustrating. It evoked many bittersweet memories of taking care of my father’s and Teri’s double nephrostomy tubes for 6 months.
Given a choice of whether to stay in hospital or return home with catheter, I naturally opted for the latter, but quickly realized that managing it, lining the bed, changing to the nighttime drainage bag was really meant for a deft helper, especially when one is groggy and post-operative. Where is my Teri?
Father
His health is stable and good. No visits to the Emergency Department. Knock on wood.
An article that he wrote (in 2008) just came out in this year 2012 in a two-volume Feschrift on the occasion of Prof. Wen Fong’s retirement from Princeton. My father spent a very productive semester and summer there with him as a post-graduate fellow in 1960. My father’s article was about a recently discovered Yuan dynasty painting by Zhao Menfu (Chao Meng-fu), an artist, callitgrapher, poet, scholar, official that was my father’s main academic subect. Can you imagine publishing an original article at age 91! I’m going to be brain dead at that age, if alive.
My father recently received some heart warming career accolades from Nancy Steinhardt and John Barnhart, Professors of Art History (Chinese) at Penn and Yale. Steinhardt “luminaries in the Chinese art field Cahill, Fong, Ho and Chu-tsing Li … Every student during this period turned to Li’s Autumn Colors on the Ch’iao and Hua Mountains as the model for both the study of a seminal painting and the specific questions to ask about a Yuan Painting masterpiece.” Barnhart: “Your book on Zhao Menfu was one of earliest influences on my study of art history, but it has been only over the many years since then that I have come to realize how important that book [has]]been to the field of Chinese art history as a whole.”
Family
I think about Teri daily. I’m listening to her favorite Christmas music, now.
I achieve another step in closure. I organized a thank you - Chinese New Year luncheon for our division.
A week ago, Ron and I spontaneously went to see Jeremy Lin play the Milwaukee Bucks. 20 points, 13 assists. Good offensive flow but a four point loss.
March Madness – my favorite sports time of year - we’ll see how far the OSU Buckeyes go. Finished PD James Death comes to Pemberley, a mystery that follow Elizabeth and Darcy down the road. Dad and I will watch Hugo together.
I saw Rachel and Jack in Columbus mid February. Jack and I have bonded. He is so curious about everything especially remote controls. He can sway in time to the music. He is so happy. He says a few words and uses a few signs. He goes to the Children’s museum twice a week and to the library once a week. He still ‘runs’ with Mom and Dad in the jogger and has put in hundreds of miles in all kinds of inclement weather. John commutes back to Columbus on the weekends. Rachel is a creative mother who finds all kinds of ways to challenge Jack.
Ben breezed in for 14 hours on his way to Los Angeles for spring break and 6 hours on his way back. His coursework is intense with relentless weekly quizzes and exams in neuroscience, microbiology/immunology, cell biology/physiology II, epidemiology, pathology and clinical skills. Looking at his syllabus and online presentations makes me feel fortunate to have finished in an earlier era when there was seemingly less to assimilate. He is disciplined and responsible.
As I think about Teri, in her unique way, she developed such a good ‘taste’ in friends. She had so many true friends, YOU, smart and accomplished, and willing to fly across the country to come to her aid. As I reviewed last year’s calendar, I realized how many days of her post-transplant life were spent surrounded by supportive family and friends.
I think about how much of her remains within the kids and grandkid. I see the strong core sense of right and wrong. The strong sense for good trustworthy people. The fierce Tiger mom determination in her children’s success. She would be so proud of who they are even more than their successes.
