In Seattle

Arrived yesterday noon for meetings with surgeon and anesthesia people. Largely either repetitive or ill-timed information: e.g., instructions for what to do when we return home.
Lots of waiting, etc.

The surgery is set for 10:20 thursday morning, and Ed is to arrive at 8, I think. We'll get a precise time this afternoon. Four to five hours of surgery, then to recovery room, and then to ICU for about 18 hours..over-night, essentially. Then, all going well, to a private room, where they get him going again. Surgery will involve both general anesthesia and an epidural line, which latter we got quite a bit of information about. Primarily to control post op pain.

I'll hear from the doc after the surgery and will have some ICU access, although how much is unclear. This is sovereign nation problems, i think. The surgeon says 24-hour access, the anesthesia nurse says 2-hour access, and perhaps if we had talked to the ICU people, they would say no access. We will see and I will convey information as I receive it. But overnight I will be staying at the hotel place.

We are going to the Woodland Park Zoo today. We are calm enough. (i am writing on the ipod and composition involves considerable difficulties in the blog format, so forgive typos.)