Ducks in a Row

Getting ready for these surgery trips is a lot like preparing for vacation with the grand exception being we’re not planning any fun into it. This time around we’ve got Renee’s family living here so kennel and child care arrangements are a little less cumbersome to negotiate. Renee, unlike vacations, is packing light. Most of her fancy gowns will be supplied by her fastidious fashion designer at the Cleveland Clinic. The one-size-fits-none ensembles are perfect for those red carpet moments, especially when accentuated by the plasticized wristband and conduit accoutrements. You can hear Joan Rivers and her churlish offspring just drooling the word, “Exquisite!”

I topped off the anti-freeze in the X-Country and the house watcher has arrived. We’re all set. Now we’ve just got to time our arrival around the Cleveland Browns vs. Cincinnati Bengals game. Every one in Ohio is planning their day around this game. We’ll have to be extra diligent about moving road hazards as we near Cleveland.

Renee said good-bye to her Ducks on Friday, her last day of work for a while. That’s her pre-school class handle, named after a California hockey team I guess, because there are so many hockey fans here in Louisville. (That’s outright sarcasm folks, the only ice they know about here comes in plastic bags and gets put in a cooler for tailgating at high school football games.) It’s cute for the kids but Renee’s gone overboard with duck themed clothing and jewelry. The last thing Renee needs right now with all of her medical problems is to be inundated by quacks.

Renee gets two nights in a real hotel this time. She’s facing a full day of outpatient pre-op testing tomorrow and reports Tuesday morning for surgery. We’re hoping for a good restaurant dinner tonight as Renee has no meal restrictions or fasting requirements for tomorrow. We’ll catch you on the north end of I-71.