"I would rather have shards of glass in my ass"

I spent the last snowpocalypse in NYC in a hospital with my sister; my nephew needed surgery. So this is a belated post, part of the life-is-kicking-my-ass series that has become a familiar theme these days.

I'm posting mostly pics but also what it was like to flee town the day... no, the hour that another snowstorm was descending on a region already crippled from snow. The federal government closed for 4 days. Almost a whole week! When was the last time THAT happened?

Anyway, here are pix, starting with my frantic drive over icy streets to the metro:

Fleeing town: Lot 2B, Greenbelt metro station. Yes, I know it looks like someone
parked their car in a field but this is actually a parking lot. Covered in over 2 feet of snow.

Note: those were words that should NEVER be in the same sentence together: "raced" and "icy streets." But I had a bus to catch... which I promptly missed. By like 4 minutes! Noooooooo!!

I called Boltbus to reschedule but seats were filling up fast and they wouldn't let me buy another ticket or reschedule. It was the first day that any transportation was working in almost a week and travelers trapped by the first snowpocalypse were snapping up seats even as routes were being canceled in anticipation of the next ominous storm.

It wasn't even 10am yet and my adrenals were already burned out from dumping huge gobs of stress hormones into my overtired, overshoveled, no-water-drinking, breakfast-forgetting, nephew-worrying self.

I tried to distract myself by taking pictures that I could later pair with quotes of misery and despair, like this one. It's missing the ravens of death but otherwise works:

"It's not the end of the world but you can see it from there."

~ Pierre Elliot Trudeau

Late, but here! An angry mob leans toward bus, the last
before the snuffing of competition begins.

Salvation with a giant "B!" Aaand they had room. I breathed for the first time in hours.

Once on the bus, I chilled the freak out. It was awesome. They stopped at a rest station and I got food & water and then took a nap. Life was good.

Passing through Baltimore, side streets still crippled from
first blizzard with another on the way.

Those big lumps are (were) cars.

Arrived in New York 4 hours later and met my sis at a hotel we secured right near the hospital. The first thing we did is start exploring the room.

The exfoliating robe.

My sis discovered a complimentary bathrobe in the closet which, if you're into rough, bristly terrycloth, could be yours for only $100.

house lingerie

I myself was very amused by the in-house lingerie. Just because it has a leopard pattern on it doesn't make it hot. The shorts were cheap ass gym bottoms and the top was shapeless. I wondered how many people ended up in a hotel room like "FRAK I forgot my sexy!" Does this ever actually happen? (Not that this would look sexy.)

In the meantime, my nephew seated himself in front of the honor bar and began pulling things out:

12 yr old Michael, about to ask and then changing his mind:
"Um, should I not know what an intimacy kit is?"

I myself have no idea what's in an Intimacy Kit. Lube? Like in chapstick form? Gob a big scoop out with your fingers and apply liberally? Or is it a magic condom? Or maybe you rub the silver sides and a genie comes out to offer you intimacy.

The SEVEN DOLLAR bag of chips.
YES, you heard right. This is not the "party-size" portion either.

Corona, $7.50. Chips & beer, $15! You in?

View from the hotel:
Empire State Building, at night.
[70 Park Avenue]

The next morning we left for the hospital.

In the elevator going up to the NYU med center surgery floor.

The nurse hands Michael two gowns. "Here you go! Put one on so it opens in the front and the other so it opens in the back and this way you'll be completely covered."

He turns to me, "Why can't they just make ONE that covers??"

We passed the time watching this:

Brian Regan on hospitals (2:17 video):

Comedian Brian Regan: "I pull up at the entrance to the emergency room... no valet parking. I mean, if that's not the biggest OVERSIGHT in our solar system...! If there's ever a time where you wanna go, "Could you park this...? Because I need to collapse IMMEDIATELY." !

Playing with the computer while waiting to be called in. Twins!

Mom suits up to accompany her son into the OR.

The last smile we'll see for a while until
the anesthesia wears off and painkillers kick in.

In the recovery room. Let me tell you, it is HARD
to see a kid wrapped up like this. :(

Painkillers kicked in a bit.

Streets of NY after the storm.
Baltimore got almost 20 inches but NY maybe only 5-6?

View from hotel: Empire State Building by day.

Last shot of NY before I left the city on the bus back to Maryland.

Head = full.

It wasn't until driving to my doctor's appointment the next day, after the whole ordeal was over, that I allowed myself to feel the enormity of the week's events. It was the first time I was alone with my thoughts in days and I didn't have to be strong for anyone. So I was a bit red-eyed when I showed up at my docs.

I was extremely impressed with NYU Medical Center's cleanliness. Never have I seen so many staff wash their hands. Nurses even wore badges that said "Ask me if I've washed my hands!" I LOVE this because (having asked before) it's a question that usually engenders a huffy response.

Anyway, it was a full week. He needs a followup surgery in about 9 months. I will be there.

More Brian Regan, emergency room part II:

Nurse: "How would you describe your pain?"
Brian Regan: "It's killing me. I'd rather have shards of glass in my ass."