Life in Cleveland

Another week of Comp Care (comprehensive special needs care - it wouldn't be medicine if we didn't shorten it to something almost unrecognizable) has flown by. In fact, now we are down to only one and a half days left. It's been a whilrwind, even just from a work perspective. I am not sure which was more dizzying - navigating the commute through the center of Case Western's University Circle or navigating the electronic medical record system. But after 3 weeks, I've got the knack... until I make a wrong turn (either system, just as lost). I am quite sure I know why I didn't take computer classes in college - definitely not my thing. But I'm not sure why I STILL don't have a map of Cleveland. I wonder about this everytime I get lost.

Thanks to Mapquest, though, I've managed to find the friends who've migrated into Cleveland over the past few years. Earlier last week I dropped by Marie (formerly Murray) and her husband Jeff's place to meet the family and have dinner. I got immediate smiles from Moira, a perplexed frown from the one-year old Ella and after a dinner's worth of furtive, side-long evaluations (- Mom, I LOOKED at her!!) Kasha gave in and gave me a green light to come again: I found myself being recruited heavily by both twins to read the bedtime story. Marie intervened, and I got invited back to Sunday Mass & brunch instead. They live pretty close to the Ruics, so that was perfect and I got to spend most of the day with them. Conversation ranges from FBI agents to making your own Christmas beer and maple syrup and crazy ER stories. We had all lines represented: EMS, nursing and physician!

Marie, Kasha & Moira - a mellow post nap moment

Saturday, even out of town, has a way of making itself classic: you can't escape Saturday chores, and you might as well enjoy coffee, bagels, the morning air and good company while you're at it. So Brueggers (not found in Illinois) got paid a call, then all the errands, AND the wash got done - all before company started dropping by around 11:30 for football. Marie is all Michigan, Ed all Ohio. Hannah wore an Ohio shirt and Michigan bib, depending on the parent was closest to her. I went back to my birthroots to side with Marie - and the losing team - since nothing but red and gray... or rather scarlet and gray as I got repeatedly corrected - followed the guests in.

Somewhere in the middle of the last quarter I slid out to attend the one and only Porkulous - the one event in Cleveland where you can witness sausage, bacon and ham being made in the average kitchen. Well, the garage, actually. Enter Ildi & Scott (last sighted by me in 2003 at their wedding!) - their kitchen temporarily became a miniature Penzey's Spices and the garage had enough meat in it to rival a butcher, not to mention send the neighborhood dogs wacky. It was a very fun afternoon and evening. I can't claim any work, but it was a sight.

Also a delightful suprise was walking in and finding not only Ildi but another college classmate and music ministry-mate, Ericka. I met all the husbands, kids and good friends-who-like-making-sausage. It's definitely a community oriented task: don't try turning 60 lbs of meat into breakfast edibles on your own.

Ericka with her Gabriella, Ildi & I with Ildi's boys Xander and Liam respectively.

Now it's back to work for a few more days... I spent part of today at a unique group home / skilled nursing facility for very advanced cases of cerebral palsy. It's an interesting story of how one orphan special needs baby got dropped off at home of a woman named Hattie Larlham, and eventually it became a farm, then an orphanage, now a high-tech rehab - school - nursing home. It's sad to see how bad the cases can be, but encouraging to see the creativity and commitment of the staff. There are even two artists - a painter and a sculpter - who showed us some impressive creations by some of the kids.

So in few days, it's off to NY for Thanksgiving....

Now Cleveland's more than skyline. :)

More great stops on the next Autumn Circuit!

November 23, 2009

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Where in the World?

MetroHealth Hospital, Cleveland, IL

I realize that some months keeping up with my location can be like the old game of Where in the World is Carmen Sandiago? You have to piece together names, destinations, county routes and addresses - until I finally pull my bloggership together and get everyone up date. :)

So here I am - mostly in Cleveland this month. I'm working at the hospital above at a clinic for special needs children and adults. It's a busy rotation and I'm seeing a lot of diagnosis that I usually only see in books. The hours are long, but the company is good and weekends are free! That of course means I'm not staying in one place....

When at my current home base, I'm in Cleveland Heights with a lovely family Marie & Ed Ruic, and their 2-year old, Hannah. Jeanette knew Marie from Franciscan. I'm sort of a late evening arrival every night, but Hannah gets used to checking in on me before she goes to bed. Marie generously prepares hot dinner nightly - what a treat!

Fall has been beautiful here, barring a few truly "November Gray" days. The perk of some parking garages is that they give you nice views... the taller one where I usually end up parking on the top floor has a great view of the city. I tried for a nighttime skyline shot, but my camera couldn't quite capture the city lights (given the background lights!). Still, I enjoy the view!

So last weekend I went down to Franciscan and we fortunately had the same great sunshine - it actually was warm. Walks were definitely in order! Donna hosted me (far L), incidentally in the same house in which Justyna had first hosted our Honors' dinner senior year. (They were roommates then.) Justyna and I enjoyed a relaxing Saturday afternoon and her mom served us some lovely meals! As usual, I always learn something new... like pomegranates & feta cheese with balsalmic vinegar makes an outstanding salad and cocoa powder is a fantastic topping for vanilla bean ice cream. (We did talk about more than food!)



Of course, the Blackburn family is the other main attraction! Lydia is the newest addition, so we made acquaintance. Hannah (R) and Cecilia (L) are very happy in their shared role as older sisters. We endeavored to be adventurous and check out local cusuine... Fortunately pizza is really hard to do badly so we had a fun lunch if a little squished in our old-fashioned wooden booth.

We had a lot of fun at the park before I took off north on Sunday afternoon!


Little Cecilia - very ticklish!

That's all for now, folks!

November 11, 2009