The View's Not Bad

I had a rheumatoid arthritis appointment on Thursday which necessitated a trip to the outpatient area of the hospital. Carole was born at this place, back when it was a "T"-shaped building with the maternity wing on the top floor of one the arms of the "T". When the hospital was built, it was a small-ish building on this huge acreage. In the intervening decades since her birthday, it has morphed into this large complex, taking up almost all of the acreage the original planners had the prescience to purchase many, many years ago.

I go to the 5th floor of Outpatient. The lab, the CT scan and the ultrasound areas, places I have gone since this diagnosis, are on the first floor. All overlook this courtyard. On Thursday, a day that was pleasant but rainy, the courtyard looked like this.

I don't remember what's directly across from my position. I've never seen how to get to the courtyard because even the first floor overlooks it. This view is pretty in all seasons and, now approaching my 2nd year of life with RA, I have seen the courtyard in all seasons. There was thought given to what people saw when they looked out the windows.

Hospitals have certainly evolved. I remember my sister being sick in the 1960's and having to go to the University of Iowa hospitals for treatment, one of the most innovative hospitals in the country. We were allowed up to see her and she had a bed in a ward. Curtains were drawn around the bed for privacy. That was considered 'state of the art' in the 1960's. We wouldn't dream of that now. We recognize that light and color and a view and peace all contribute to healing.

I know the design of this courtyard is incorporated into the fees the hospital charges for services. Our health care is, as much as we might not wish to acknowledge it, a for-profit business and that business has to recoup costs, even for a maple that turns bright red in the fall.

I don't like the fact that I have reached a point where I get to see the seasons change in the courtyard of a hospital. I took care of myself. Why do I have to be at this point in my life? We'll all be there, eventually. I guess having a good, calming, peaceful view makes having to get yet another test less onerous.

Beverage:  Yorkshire Gold tea

Deb

Iowa 15 Michigan State 13

I knew the game was to start at 7:05 but didn't realize until I started web streaming that that was EASTERN time. Hence, I missed the first 45 minutes.

With two minutes left in the game, Iowa was up 9-6. It was a very bruising game for both teams. Iowa had lost 2 players to hard hits where the precaution for concussions was in effect. (4 players ultimately were injured. This is not good.) This means the players were removed from the field on stretchers. They were both okay but didn't come back into the game. It was relatively penalty free until the 4th quarter, too. Although not a pretty game, by any means, 9-6 is still a win.

BUT...

Michigan State scored the first touchdown of the game at 1:50 mark. It was now 13-9.

I cannot tell you how many times I've listened or watched these kinds of games. My grandmother used to call them "kitchen games" because she'd have to go into the kitchen because she couldn't stand to listen. Inevitably, Iowa would come up short either by an errant pass that gets picked off, a sloppy carry by a back that gets fumbled or simply 4 downs and out. When Iowa got the ball back with 1 minute 32 seconds left, I was already thinking, "This has been an amazing year. 7-0 is our best start since 1985 and we should be really proud of these guys."

They drove down the field to MSU's 16 and the quarterback tossed 2 sloppy passes. On the third pass, MSU was called for Pass Interference which moved the ball to the MSU 7. There are 32 seconds left in the game. Three more bad passes and the timer is down to 2 seconds and Iowa has one more shot. This is the game.

No, I didn't go into the kitchen, except at half time to get a Dr. Pepper. I have been known to watch blow outs all the way through just because I remember the very, very lean years of the 1970's when we couldn't have beaten Mrs. McPhearson's School for Blind Rabbits. I remember going to a game in 1973, where my grandmother got 50 yard line seats, 8 rows back from the field and, when we arrived, we got food vouchers equal to the cost of the tickets. Fans were allowed in free in the second half because many Hawkeye fans left at half time. We always stayed to the end.

With those 2 seconds left on the clock, Iowa passed and it was caught for a touchdown. The announcers were speechless for about 3 seconds and then Ed Podolak, who played for Iowa in the late 1960's and is "color" commentator now said, "I do not believe what I have just seen."

Football was established at the University of Iowa in 1886. Never has a team gone 8-0 to start the season. This is an amazing season. It ain't purdy when they win, but they find a way to win. Yes, my mother is saving the sports sections and sending them to me. I, too, was speechless. It's probably a good thing I don't have my TV working quite yet. I don't think Mija and Pilchard are ready for me to jump up screaming, "They won! They won!"

As a side note, I've been giving people in my guild a bit of fun with this season's football team. I started with the Penn State game. Iowa was not expected to win; not expected to keep it even close. They pulled off the upset of the season. I was so excited to report the score that I decided to give every person in the guild who was online in the game when I came on to announce the score, the gold equivalent of Iowa's score. I have continued to do that. Iowa has to win and people have to be online when I announce the score. So far, I have given out 116g to at least 5 people and other smaller amounts to at least 5 others. Two people, who just came back from time away from the game, received a payout tonight for the first time. One of them laughed and asked, "So, next week, what time do I have to be on to get in on this racket?" It's a bit of fun for guild members.

So, yes, this is a huge happy dance. I best figure out how to get the TV up and running.

Beverage: Dr. Pepper

Deb