Recovery Road

All settled in back at home. We have been trying to keep Shawn moving and have been taking 4 short walks each day. Shooting for 10,000 steps. So far we are doing well, although today has been more of a struggle for Shawn to get his steps in- mine were completed by 5pm, but I'm not the one that had my chest split open. 

We spent the remainder of the weekend catching up on some of our shows, and stocking up on some redbox rentals. 

We have realized we could use an update on some our furniture as our couch has a couple of sink holes that Shawn now struggles to escape from. More on that to come as we contemplate the extra expenses. 

Lots of follow-up appointments this week to keep us busy. Shawn's incision is healing quite nicely. Its amazing what can happen in 9 days!

5/22/16 vs 5/31/16

Homeward Bound

Today we made the long journey home. We opted for first class to make sure we would be comfortable, and boy were we comfortable. I don't know if I will ever feel satisfied in coach again. The welcome mimosas, in flight mimosas, and endless snacks were just the icing on the cake when it came to the spacious seats.​

Shawn got a little sick during our layover, but he attributed it to one of his many snacks. Just because it's offered doesn't mean you should take it all I guess. ​An ice pack and some ginger gum later we were back in action. Both flights were quick and painless and the drive home was problem free. We are back in Iowa City and are saving the hard work (unpacking) for tomorrow. Time to revive our plants and catch up on some of our programs. Glad to finally be back home.

Cleveland Rocks!

Today we were motivated to see some Cleveland landmarks. We had an early morning trip to the lab for INR monitoring, but had the rest of the day to do as we pleased. I filled my bag with pain meds and water to keep Shawn comfortable while we were away from the hotel. Our first stop was the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. So much to see! We especially enjoyed the Elvis exhibit and the actual Hall of Fame portion. There is a reason Elvis is king, and now Shawn is a believer. Luckily, there were several theaters throughout the museum with fantastic videos where we could take breaks as Shawn wore himself out. We cut our time a little short to grab some conch fritters at the Nauti Mermaid. Excellent choice. We returned to the hotel for a nice long afternoon nap.​

I packed our bags to head home tomorrow. How do we always seem to leave with so much more than we came with?! We were still full of crab dip and conch fritters so we decided to skip dinner and head straight for dessert. We hit one of our favorite Cleveland hot spots in Little Italy for cannolis, gelato, and cassata cake. Don't judge, we've been living off of hospital food for the last week. I think we can all agree that we deserved it, and Corbos has the best cassata cake around. Don't believe me? Ask Mario Batali, it is his favorite too. Back to the hotel for cake in bed and another South Park marathon. Early night so we can be ready for the long trip home tomorrow. 

We want to thank everyone again for their continued support. We couldn't have gotten through this without you.​

Wipeout

Outside Shooters on the Water

Yesterday was a great day! We finally got out of the hospital. The discharge process was long, but well organized. We were just happy to be getting out. We had a last minute visitor from the healing service and were able to squeeze in a little music therapy. She was fantastic!​

After getting everything settled at the hotel, we went out into the world to find some food. We went to the flats and our first stop was a total bust. Shooters was overpriced, low quality, and crawling with smokers. Not really a great environment for someone who has just had open heart surgery. Our Lyft driver returned to our rescue and took us to the east bank of the river where the restaurants were more our style. We were able to attend a soft opening for Coastal Taco. Everything was amazing! I would highly recommend to anyone visiting Cleveland and looking for an affordable and delicious meal.​

Coastal Taco Opening  

Although we were having an excellent afternoon, Shawn wore out pretty quickly and we had to get back so he could rest for a while. I think we both realized that the recovery process may not be as easy and quick as we were starting to believe. We spent the rest of the evening in bed watching Bob's Burgers and American Dad enjoying some pizza and pear cider (just me). Another good, yet challenging day in the books.​

Fresh Air

Outside world here we come! We are so thrilled to be leaving the hospital today! As much as I enjoyed sleeping on a lightly padded wooden plank all week, I will be very happy to be back in a normal bed.  

2 more nights in Cleveland, planning to get out and see some of the city today and tomorrow if Shawn can tolerate the activity.