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Good early Tuesday morning, my friends.
On Monday morning I drove my darling wife to Baltimore, Maryland. I don't remember who told me my appointment was at Loch Raven VAMC. It was pouring rain much of the journey and I was looking for a VAMC that was at least six stories high.
[Correction] I made the mistake of trusting Google Maps and printing out directions and not bringing a map. There is no such thing as Loch Raven VAMC. After over 30 minutes late we came to a Loch Raven VA Medical Center at Loch Raven, Baltimore. I parked in front of the entrance and learned that Loch Raven is a VAMC rehabilitation center
Physical Therapy (PT)
Recreation Therapy (RT)
Rehabilitation Wing, etc.
The folks were very helpful and they let me know that the Baltimore VAMC was in the center of Baltimore and we needed to get back onto I-83 and head downtown and take Fayette Street to the intersection with North Greene Street.
Our blood sugar was low and we drove back and forth along Fayette Street which is a two-way street and a one way street like much of downtown. After a couple phone calls to the VAMC and waiting for the operator to connect my darling wife. We got to the VAMC at about 1230 for the 1000 appointment.
The roads around the VAMC were all-one-way streets and there were many medical facilities. By the grace of God, I meandered around and checked every possible street around the Baltimore VAMC to find the entrance to the parking garage which I mistakenly assumed was above ground :-)
My blood sugar was very low but by the grace of God I turned a couple corners and came to North Greene Street at a T-intersection and noticed an entrance to what seemed to be an underground parking garage>
The road was a one way road in the wrong direction. I made a few more turns and finally got to the parking garage and forcefully told the attendant that i had a 1000 appointment and by then it was 1300. He let me pass :-)
We parked at level P2 and made our way to the elevator which was as it had been described to me. We went to the ground level of the VAMC and went through the building security area and made our way to the building elevators and went to the 5th floor to the surgery wing and gave my name to the attendant .
A short while later we were summoned back by a Nurse to take us to her office. She confirmed who i was was, my medications, supplements, medical conditions, surgeries, allergic reactions, and weight. I shared my faith in Christ with her and she did not bite :-)
She led us to a Registered Nurse whose name was Grace and I commented that was a wonderful name that her parents named her. I mentioned my faith and she said was a believer as well. I went though a more in-depth questioning about medical conditions, surgeries, allergic reactions, medications and supplements. She told me to get blood work and I returned and waited with my darling wife for her to summon us back - we had encouraged her to finish her lunch first.
She summoned us back and finished up the questions and gave me an EKG. i have had an abnormal EKG T-sinus abnormality that i had been told was not an issues. Unfortunately the nurse could not access any of records at Martinsburg, WV VAMC. She requested the initial nurse we met to review the EKG and she confirmed it was alright.
I had hoped to learn my position the surgery queue on July 16 and get estimates about duration of the surgery.
a. I did learn that I should learn the day prior to surgery by a phone call.
b. I did learn that I would need to report 2 hours prior to scheduled surgery time. I also learned what I needed to stop taking in terms of medicine and supplements and what medicine I should take the morning of my surgery with a sip of water.
We each got a drink in the cafeteria and my wife got some crackers and I got a bag of potato chips. After we ate we made our way back down to the parking garage level and picked up the SUV.
My blood sugar level was low and we meandered around Baltimore downtown for an hour until we found a small sign directing us to I-83 North.
On the way back to Sterling, VA we stopped at the Olive Garden restaurant in Frederick, Maryland an had our first meal of the day at about 1845.
I took my darling wife to the local Gabe's in Frederick and then we drove back to Sterling, VA at about 2130.
God is firmly in control and I expect I will learn what I nee to learn the day before surgery and just prior to the Lumbar Laminectomy L3 through L5 on July 16, 2019.
Images
1. Baltimore, Maryland VAMC
2. 2019-07-07 Maria Elena and Stephen Ford at Mountain View Diner in Charles Town, West Virginia on Sunday July 7, 2019.
3. lumbar laminectomy
4. 2018-11-11 Maria Elena and LTC Stephen Ford, USA-retired outside National Memorial Funeral Home.
FYI LTC Wayne Brandon LTC (Join to see) Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. CPT Scott Sharon SSG William Jones SSG Donald H "Don" Bates PO3 William Hetrick PO3 Lynn Spalding SPC Mark Huddleston SGT Rick Colburn CPL Dave Hoover SPC Margaret Higgins SSgt Brian Brakke SP5 Jeannie Carle Maj Marty Hogan SCPO Morris Ramsey Sgt Albert Castro
On Monday morning I drove my darling wife to Baltimore, Maryland. I don't remember who told me my appointment was at Loch Raven VAMC. It was pouring rain much of the journey and I was looking for a VAMC that was at least six stories high.
[Correction] I made the mistake of trusting Google Maps and printing out directions and not bringing a map. There is no such thing as Loch Raven VAMC. After over 30 minutes late we came to a Loch Raven VA Medical Center at Loch Raven, Baltimore. I parked in front of the entrance and learned that Loch Raven is a VAMC rehabilitation center
Physical Therapy (PT)
Recreation Therapy (RT)
Rehabilitation Wing, etc.
The folks were very helpful and they let me know that the Baltimore VAMC was in the center of Baltimore and we needed to get back onto I-83 and head downtown and take Fayette Street to the intersection with North Greene Street.
Our blood sugar was low and we drove back and forth along Fayette Street which is a two-way street and a one way street like much of downtown. After a couple phone calls to the VAMC and waiting for the operator to connect my darling wife. We got to the VAMC at about 1230 for the 1000 appointment.
The roads around the VAMC were all-one-way streets and there were many medical facilities. By the grace of God, I meandered around and checked every possible street around the Baltimore VAMC to find the entrance to the parking garage which I mistakenly assumed was above ground :-)
My blood sugar was very low but by the grace of God I turned a couple corners and came to North Greene Street at a T-intersection and noticed an entrance to what seemed to be an underground parking garage>
The road was a one way road in the wrong direction. I made a few more turns and finally got to the parking garage and forcefully told the attendant that i had a 1000 appointment and by then it was 1300. He let me pass :-)
We parked at level P2 and made our way to the elevator which was as it had been described to me. We went to the ground level of the VAMC and went through the building security area and made our way to the building elevators and went to the 5th floor to the surgery wing and gave my name to the attendant .
A short while later we were summoned back by a Nurse to take us to her office. She confirmed who i was was, my medications, supplements, medical conditions, surgeries, allergic reactions, and weight. I shared my faith in Christ with her and she did not bite :-)
She led us to a Registered Nurse whose name was Grace and I commented that was a wonderful name that her parents named her. I mentioned my faith and she said was a believer as well. I went though a more in-depth questioning about medical conditions, surgeries, allergic reactions, medications and supplements. She told me to get blood work and I returned and waited with my darling wife for her to summon us back - we had encouraged her to finish her lunch first.
She summoned us back and finished up the questions and gave me an EKG. i have had an abnormal EKG T-sinus abnormality that i had been told was not an issues. Unfortunately the nurse could not access any of records at Martinsburg, WV VAMC. She requested the initial nurse we met to review the EKG and she confirmed it was alright.
I had hoped to learn my position the surgery queue on July 16 and get estimates about duration of the surgery.
a. I did learn that I should learn the day prior to surgery by a phone call.
b. I did learn that I would need to report 2 hours prior to scheduled surgery time. I also learned what I needed to stop taking in terms of medicine and supplements and what medicine I should take the morning of my surgery with a sip of water.
We each got a drink in the cafeteria and my wife got some crackers and I got a bag of potato chips. After we ate we made our way back down to the parking garage level and picked up the SUV.
My blood sugar level was low and we meandered around Baltimore downtown for an hour until we found a small sign directing us to I-83 North.
On the way back to Sterling, VA we stopped at the Olive Garden restaurant in Frederick, Maryland an had our first meal of the day at about 1845.
I took my darling wife to the local Gabe's in Frederick and then we drove back to Sterling, VA at about 2130.
God is firmly in control and I expect I will learn what I nee to learn the day before surgery and just prior to the Lumbar Laminectomy L3 through L5 on July 16, 2019.
Images
1. Baltimore, Maryland VAMC
2. 2019-07-07 Maria Elena and Stephen Ford at Mountain View Diner in Charles Town, West Virginia on Sunday July 7, 2019.
3. lumbar laminectomy
4. 2018-11-11 Maria Elena and LTC Stephen Ford, USA-retired outside National Memorial Funeral Home.
FYI LTC Wayne Brandon LTC (Join to see) Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. CPT Scott Sharon SSG William Jones SSG Donald H "Don" Bates PO3 William Hetrick PO3 Lynn Spalding SPC Mark Huddleston SGT Rick Colburn CPL Dave Hoover SPC Margaret Higgins SSgt Brian Brakke SP5 Jeannie Carle Maj Marty Hogan SCPO Morris Ramsey Sgt Albert Castro
Surgery
Travel
Family
Health
Edited 5 y ago
Posted 5 y ago
Responses: 10
6
6
0
WoW ! One heck of a day, and dealing with blood sugar too ! You definitely had the right guy at your ‘6’, your ‘9’ and other compass points. LT.COL. Stephen Ford, sir. Also great you made it home safe Sir ...
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LTC Stephen F.
Thank you, my friend and brother-in-Christ SSgt Boyd Herrst for your encouragement.
Now we know where we need to be and where to park:-)
All that remains is learning here they are putting us up the night before and what time my surgery will commence.
My back is still spasming fro the bumpy roads yesterday :-)
Now we know where we need to be and where to park:-)
All that remains is learning here they are putting us up the night before and what time my surgery will commence.
My back is still spasming fro the bumpy roads yesterday :-)
(1)
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6
6
0
LTC Stephen F.
Thank you, my friend PO1 Tony Holland Now we know where we need to be and where to park:-)
All that remains is learning here they are putting us up the night before and what time my surgery will commence.
My back is still spasming fro the bumpy roads yesterday :-)
All that remains is learning here they are putting us up the night before and what time my surgery will commence.
My back is still spasming fro the bumpy roads yesterday :-)
(0)
(0)
5
5
0
LTC Stephen F.
Thank you, my friend and brother-in-Christ SSG Donald H "Don" Bates for your encouragement .
Now we know where we need to be and where to park:-)
My back is still spasming from the bumpy roads yesterday :-)
Now we know where we need to be and where to park:-)
My back is still spasming from the bumpy roads yesterday :-)
(0)
(0)
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