We’ve arrived in Cleveland!…Clinic appointments begin tomorrow…

What a relief to be here. If something goes wrong, I am where I’m supposed to be. Although I am a little anxious about what’s to come, the peace of mind of finally being here outweighs any apprehension. No doubt, most of us feel a little out of sorts when facing significant medical appointments when we have no idea as to the outcome.

Will I have surgery right away? What if I must wait for a surgical opening for another few months? Will the breathlessness worsen while I wait? Hopefully, these questions will be answered in the next few weeks or sooner. In any case, knowing what is on the horizon will give us both peace of mind to finally know what is upcoming.

The two-day drive was easy when we only drove about 350 miles each day, allowing us to stop for breakfast, a restroom break, and refueling without feeling rushed. We arrived at the Cleveland Clinic complex around 4:00 pm. Little did we know there were two Intercontinental Hotels in the immediate area.

We ended up at the wrong hotel, the Intercontinental when we were booked at the Intercontinental Suites Hotels, a few blocks away. In no time, Tom maneuvered me in the wheelchair back to the car, and off we went to the correct location, having no trouble finding it.

No words can express how grateful I’ve been to have the wheelchair. Thanks to many readers who encouraged me to buy one during this challenging time. It was the best purchase we’ve made in years. Hopefully, after recovering from my treatment and recovery, I won’t need to use it.

There are some nuances in using a wheelchair when, in fact, I can still walk unassisted about 20 feet without gasping for air. This morning, at the breakfast buffet in the hotel ($22.00 per person plus tax and tip), I insisted on getting out of the chair to serve myself. Tom was concerned I’d have a problem, but the short buffet was within the 20-foot range, and I did fine. It would have been tricky to serve myself while seated. I’m trying to maintain a level of independence. I’ll need constant help after surgery, so I’d like to preserve a little leg strength and mobility while I can right now.

Last night, we ordered room service, and it was mediocre. I ordered the most sparse Cobb salad I’ve ever had, and Tom had a grilled cheese sandwich with potato chips. That bill was almost $50. We’re trying to keep our daily food purchases $80 – $100 daily, leaving us with $50 for breakfast and $30 – $50 for dinner.

Thus, we decided to order some groceries from a local market, with free delivery from Instacart for the next month. This morning, I ordered two roasted chickens, two premade chicken and veg salads, and cooked white rice for Tom. Our room has a refrigerator and a microwave, and the grocery order was $34, including tax and delivery. There’s enough food to get us through three to four dinners. We’ll only be in this hotel until September 2.

Once we know what the future holds, we’ll move to a nearby Residence Inn by Marriott to stay through my recovery, for however long that may be. Once we know what’s on the horizon, we’ll book the Residence Inn through Bonvoy member benefits for a reasonable price, as we did at the same hotel in Eden Prairie, Minnesota.

How are we holding up? Actually, very good. We are upbeat and looking forward to getting all of this behind us so we can continue our world travels.

My first appointment is at 12:45 pm tomorrow, and we don’t need to arrive until noon to check-in. A Cleveland Clinic shuttle will pick us up and take us where we need to go, which information is clearly outlined in “My Chart.”  From there, I have two more appointments. We should be done tomorrow by 5:00 pm, with more appointments to be arranged in days to come.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, August 27, 2014: