Hospital

So, Grandpa is in the hospital recovering from the open-heart surgery he had Tuesday.  He contracted pneumonia post surgery.  The good news is that his heart is doing well, and he has not had a stroke.  Twice a day when the nurses take down his sedation he is able to follow commands-wiggle your toes, open your eyes.  The other 23 hours a day he is in an induced coma.  It is going to be a long haul, a good fight, before he is back to breathing on his own, or swallowing, or being awake more than half an hour, or, really, anything.  He's fighting hard, and while he fights I want to be at the hospital with him to let him know that lots of people are pulling for him. That he has three sons and lots of extra family and friends who cheer for him.  So, for now, I will stay in Chicago and see what happens.  
  Selfishly, postponing leaving Chicago will allow me to get unemployment more easily.  And there is no better time to be in Chicago with some time on my hands than summer, right?  I still want to go hiking, but first, life is happening.  So, thank you to all who have recommended books for me to read, because I have several hours a day to read now.  Currently I am working my way through Studs Terkel's "Will the Circle Be Unbroken?"  It is a collection of interviews and reflections on death.  I recommend it.
  Today I spent the morning walking the river at Wacker Drive and taking pictures, I'll share those soon.  
  I also took pictures of Grandpa in the hospital, because he loves photographs; and someday I'll show these to him.  But I think it would be barbaric to post them here.  So instead here is a photo to illustrate the immense complexity of the care he is receiving.  Each of these bags is a medication being given to him through his IV drip.  Each one of the tubes coming off the right of the stand is connected to his body.