update

David is likely to welcome in the New Year at St. Vincent's, even though there had been talk of discharging him sooner.  He will probably stay at least through the weekend and perhaps longer as he finishes up his ECT treatment.  My perhaps over-ambitious estimations of his progress may have been due to seeing him in the evenings several days in a row--he tends to do much better in the evening, and as Mary and I discovered today, during the day he can be quite a bit foggier and doesn't seem ready for discharge.  By the way, Mary has been a dynamo, spending considerable time every day at David's apartment organizing and getting it shaped up for his eventual return, or whatever he decides.  Unfortunately her relatives on Long Island are demanding an appearance, so we won't be able to keep her to ourselves much longer, but it has been great to have her on this coast to lend support and dry wit.

Addendum to "strong?" post

If you yourself are not strong, but you know a couple of guys, perhaps with a van, who are, for money, please do let me know.

Anybody strong?

Mary and I want to move a wardrobe into David's place from my place, and a desk as well, but we are not sure we are strong enough to get the items up the three flights to D's apartment.  If you are strong and have some time to spare, don't hesitate to call my cell: 914 924 2994.

If you're having trouble posting to the blog, you can email me: margoshohl@mac.com.

Your suggestions, please

As we prepare David's apartment either for his return, or to rent out, or sell, whatever he decides eventually, we would like to get a few repairs done, especially in the bathroom.  Does anybody know people who do good work at reasonable prices for the following types of jobs:

repairing/replacing sheet rock and painting

re-coating, covering or replacing the bathtub

regrouting bathroom tile 

plumber to unclog bathroom sink (Richard knows somebody, but just in case that person isn't available, back-up suggestions welcome)

We are also mulling over the possibility of creating built-in shelving--carpenters, anyone?

As always, many thanks to all of you. You are so supportive and wonderful!  One positive thing that has definitely emerged from this crisis for me is a renewed sense of community.

Where to visit David

I see I omitted the very crucial information about where David's secret location is.  St. Vincent's Hospital is on W. 12th St. between 7th and 6th Avenues, on the south side of 12th St.  There is a big blue awning that marks the main entrance.  This is not David's entrance, however. Proceed along 12th St. towards 6th Avenue and you will see a second, smaller blue awning.  This is David's secret entrance.  Enter and the security guard will further instruct you.  Generally, you have to tell him you are visiting Shohl on Reiss 2 and sign in.  Then you just take the elevator to the 2nd floor.  You have to ring the buzzer to be let in to David's unit.

We're over the top!

Impressively, your contributions have added up to the entire cost of Dave's top-of-the-line iPod Touch, including the plug adapter. We went a little over, so I'm going to go ahead and get the 3-year warranty as well.  If you sent a check and it hasn't arrived yet, don't worry. There's plenty of ice cream and warm socks out there.

David has continued to improve and we are beginning to think that he may be able to leave the hospital soon, perhaps late next week.

David is receiving!

Okay, folks, here's the lowdown on visiting and calling David:

Visiting hours are weekdays 6:30-7:30pm

and Wednesdays, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays 2-3:30pm.

He can't have more than two visitors at a time, 16 years old and up only, no plastic bags, in the day room only, no cell phones or computers.

There are pay phones for patient use, via which you can call Dave.  Tell whoever answers (usually a patient) that you are calling for David Shohl and hopefully they will find him and let him know.  Can't remember the exact hours, but probably wise to call after 8am and before 10pm.

212 242 9668 (right outside David's room)

212 242 9748 (not too far down the hall).

Again, thanks for your calls, emails, and especially letters, which come almost daily and I can bring to Dave. Nils, I got the flash drive today and am uploading the new music for Dave tonight. Steve, they played the Goran Bach guitar transcriptions for him today after ECT, a big improvement on their usual recovery music.  Jordy, the memo pad is just what he needs, as the short term memory is not too hot right now.  All, David has a folder full of your letters, photos and art to look through whenever he feels like it.  

Dave's social worker came by this afternoon to say that she was going to get things rolling to have the doctors and PT person make the assessment to figure out where David should go when he leaves the hospital.  There is talk of a subacute facility for physical and neurological rehab, but I am secretly hoping that David has recovered enough of his skills to just come to us.  Anyway, I was pleased to hear this kind of talk. It feels like it is getting to be time for David to move on.

What Dave was dreaming during his coma

Apparently, while we were all hanging on David's every breath, he was hallucinating that he was hanging out at Columbus Circle with Mrs. Major and Minor Scales. I was there, too, he says.  If he has to remember something about that period, let it be Mrs. Scales, I say.

He was in pretty good shape today. I noticed that he has recovered his signature floating walk. He says he is beginning to pace the halls to prevent atrophy, and feels he is being kept like an exotic pet.  That, in my view, is a sign of returning health.  This is a man who one month ago was trying to open his eyes.

Dave is slowly, but steadily improving.  He has written a letter and a couple of postcards, has read some of the "Obama issue" of the NYer, and has worn out two pencil erasers. His doctors are encouraging him to read, write and think as much as he can as part of his recovery.  Who would have thought two weeks ago that he would be capable of so much now?

ECT

Dear family and friends, David wants to share with you that due to incapacitating depression, he started ECT (electroconvulsive therapy) this week.  It is not as scary as it sounds anymore--pregnant women who do not want to take pills that cause risk to their unborn baby safely undergo ECT these days.  Dave had his first treatment Wednesday. On Thursday, he was stronger and happier than I have seen him since he first had the seizures.  The procedure itself is hard to go through, though. After the first one, David was sore and somewhat fragile until evening. When I saw him today, after his second, he was also pretty down and somewhat disoriented.  His doctor says this usually happens:  right after the ECT patients tend to feel better, then they crash, but in the long run, if the therapy works, patients achieve a long-lasting better mood.  He will probably have at least two or three more treatments before leaving the hospital.  So far, the signs are good that ECT is working for Dave.  This is very good news, as anti-depressants have not been effective for him.  

Dave's iPod is definitely helping him get through these difficult days.  Your contributions have been pouring in, and we are not far from covering the cost ($463.85, Ron) at this point. If we happen to go over, I will purchase an AppleCare warranty for it, which will extend the warranty from one to three years.  If we go over that, it'll be warm socks, soft T-shirts and more ice cream.  We love Dave!

iPod "really helps"

Well, I just went right ahead yesterday and delivered Dave's iPod (contributions still welcome, Ron), and he told me today that it is a big help.  Many, many thanks to all contributors.  Dave is really touched and keeps saying "Bless them!"  Odd thing about having been in a coma, Dave is wont to forget that he was on life support for two weeks--this makes his comeback, which to me seems so astonishingly fast, feel inexplicably slow to him.  He is doing his best to be patient, as it were. Today he got a social worker who promised to help with all kinds of things, including making sure he starts getting the physical therapy he has apparently not been getting yet, even though it was ordered.  Since he still forgets some things, it is fun to occasionally re-mention some nice card or email or blog post and get the same heartfelt response from him.  His sweetness is undiminished!

Dave laughed

Dave's days are still very much up and down, but the general trend is towards overall improvement.  This evening, Mike, Richard and I were impressed to learn that one of the attendant staff is actually named Orel (note the idiosyncratic spelling) Roberts!  I conferred with Dave's doctor and am relieved and excited to report that I feel Dave is in excellent hands.  D. also reports that he is favorably impressed with the doctor. He took his advice and began composing again!  He says it is just shapes, not really composing, so don't get all excited like I am.

For Lizzie and Roger

Dave loves his almonds.  They're good when he's hungry in the night.

Hope the next entries will continue to be boring

Dave is settling in well in the new unit.  It will be very challenging for the foreseeable future as he gets his neurons and muscles and stamina all going again.  He slept pretty well last night, making it two nights in a row.  He says he is sleeping much of the day as well, which is not surprising.

Dave safely ensconced

Dave moved over from the unit where the emphasis was mostly on physical care for acutely ill patients to an acute rehabilitation unit.  This involved much sitting up for long periods, standing and walking. I was amazed to see Dave do all that and then even sit in the day room to eat dinner at 5:30.  

It helped that he had been able to rest quite a bit better last night and this morning, finally getting that much-needed sleep, and hopefully he is now on the road to overcoming the disturbance in his sleep cycle that resulted from two weeks in the ICU.  

Thanks to all of you who love the iPod idea.  Coincidentally, the doctor who did Dave's intake interview this morning suggested precisely that!  

Revision on visiting/calls

I may have jumped the gun a little on visits there, folks.  Sorry.  As of today, Dave is not yet up for visits or even phone calls yet.  He has been having difficulty sleeping at night, and this problem has grown to awful proportions over the last two days, making the hours and minutes tortuous.  His doctors have been very responsive and careful at the same time, and we all are hoping that they've got it figured out so that Dave can get some rest tonight.  I just spoke to his night nurse, and he is doing well so far, anyway.

Tomorrow the plan is to move him to a different unit, still within St. Vincents Hospital, where he can get the rehabilitation therapy on all fronts--physical, neurological and psychological--that he needs to recover.  I will, of course, continue to do my best to update you.

By the way, several people have asked what they can do or send for Dave, and tonight, after returning yet another defective CD player to a store, I thought that if people wanted to donate a few dollars each to go in on an iPod Touch for Dave, that would actually be very useful.  He has a pretty good radio that can play mp3s through a connecting cord.  I could load his iPod up with the music stored on his computer and he would have a wealth of beloved pieces to choose from, wherever he is. We could even have it engraved with a message of some kind (suggestions welcome).  I think it would be a lovely collective gesture and am willing to coordinate the funds and make the order (hopefully with my educators' discount).  Checks for a modest amount, something like $20 (?), could be sent to me, and if there is money left over, we can spend it on ice cream!  Or whatever you want.

Let me know if you like this idea, or if you don't!  If you have trouble using the comment feature of the blog, you can email me: margoshohl@mac.com.

Stitches out!

Unbelievably, after more than a week of increasingly intense lobbying from me via Dave's coordinating doctor, the surgical team finally sent someone to relieve Dave of the stitches on his arm and eye.  The speech therapist who evaluates Dave's ability to swallow was able to get his real, rather than pureed, menu re-ordered and rescinded the aspiration precautions, with the exception of the "No Straws" rule, which remains in effect.  The new goal is to get the physical therapy people, who are drastically short-staffed just now, to come daily.  They need to help Dave improve his balance, coordination and stamina so that he will be strong enough to leave the hospital ward for a sub-acute rehab.  We think this is likely to take two or three days, or even a bit longer.  But we are never sure, as the situation and estimates of likely outcomes seem to change day by day.

For those of you who have been holding off on visiting, Dave has his cell phone with him now (718) 772 1923.  He thought the best way to see about visiting would be to call him just before you think you might stop by and see if he's up for it.  Visiting hours are 11am to 8pm, I think. Please don't call after 10pm, and be aware that right now even answering the phone is a lot of work for him.  On the other hand, he has certainly taken pleasure in hearing, albeit second-hand, of all your greetings and good wishes for his recovery.

Pleased to report that I'm pleased to report

Dave has gone several days without a fever, has finished all his antibiotics, and is able to stand and walk a few paces with help now.  At this point, the doctors are pretty much just making sure he doesn't spike a new fever now that he has finished all those meds.  If he continues his healing trend over the next couple of days, they will want to discharge him to a "sub-acute" facility where he can continue to get the physical and psychological therapy he will continue to need in a round-the-clock care setting.  

Today he greeted me with a big smile and a hug and said he had been looking forward to seeing me.  He still felt pretty awful for the early afternoon, but after a short nap woke up ready to sit up in a chair.  He was able to tolerate sitting long enough to participate in his first shave since intensive care.  I did some and he did some, and then I asked his one-on-one, Grace, what she thought.  In a very nice voice, she replied, "You tried."  I don't know what she was talking about--I'm still positive we did a great job.

a better day today

Dave is still feeling low, but the nurses and nursing assistants were all much more ready to do what they could (and should) today to help.  He was able to sit in a chair for half an hour or so today, ate a good lunch plus an ice cream bar from "outside", had no temperature and was finally able to have some good restful sleep this afternoon.  Stay tuned.

Less Grumpy Follow-up

Before I left, Dave thought he might like to read the newspaper, and asked for a writing tablet and music manuscript paper.  I left him with Sunday's NYTimes and plan to supply him with the other stuff tomorrow.

Dave's fevers have continued to abate, and the doctor said I can bring food from outside, so he had his first banana in ages.  Otherwise, it was not a stellar day, as Dave felt discouraged, disoriented and anxious.  I blame the nursing staff in part for doing so little for him.  It's easier for them just to let him lie in bed all day, but I think they should have him sit in a chair for at least part of the day, and it wouldn't kill them to give him a shave.  There's a lady who sits in his room all day who is supposed to watch him and make sure he doesn't try to get out of bed and fall.  But if you don't keep the TV on (and Dave hates to have it on all the time) they just fall asleep.  When I left him shortly before dinner, he felt a little better, and curled up for a nap.

Third Week Anniversary

Mark's concert of yesterday seems to have produced two very positive results.  For one, Dave's white blood count is finally normal and his fevers are less frequent and not as high.  The emerging picture on that is that the fevers are probably connected to the pneumonia, which continues to improve.  Secondly, and maybe it's my imagination, but the hospital staff seems more attentive.  I'm hoping this will result in the surgical team finally coming around to take out his stitches, something I have been advocating fiercely for days now.  Taking a step further today, I mentioned to the very nice coordinating doctor that if something doesn't happen soon with that, I may just take them out myself.  What do you want to bet that they'll be gone tomorrow morning?

Dave was vastly improved again today, able to sit up without help and remain sitting without back support.  They're giving him real food (well, as real as it gets coming from the hospital kitchen) and he is eating without help.  

Thank you for your cards and letters, which have begun arriving.  We've been pinning them up on Dave's bulletin board to remind him how much we love him all the time.  I've also been sharing your blog comments with him.  He kann das nicht glauben.

Another concert for Dave!

Dave perked up considerably at the strains of Bach in the incredible hands of Mark Peskanov. They began planning the next Shohl night at the Barge in between Mark's generous renditions of Paganini, Bach, Beethoven and, at the request of the nursing assistant, the long-lost Paganini Variations on "O Christmas Tree".  It was an uplifting afternoon altogether, as Dave has recovered more physical strength and coordination and his voice is strong and clear.  

His fevers are still worrisome, but the apparent blood infection he was thought to have had turned out to be a lab mistake or a contaminated sample, as the next culture came back negative.  So he's still on lots of antibiotics, but not the special permission one, which they never had to give him.  

He's getting physical rehab and I met the therapist today who said she had had him on his feet, shifting weight to wake up his joints, and tomorrow they were going to try a few steps! 

Recuperating in two languages

Last night, when I went to see Dave, he greeted me with a friendly "bonjour!" which I returned, which led to some discussion in French. I always take it as a positive sign when someone is not only speaking, but doing so in multiple languages.

Dave was stronger and more comfortable than I've seen him. He seemed quite alert and made several jokes. He does get a bit distracted from time to time, and will lose his train of thought or repeat something, and I've noticed a new habit he's been displaying of singing, either a song that had come up in conversation or just creating a song based on something mentioned, which is new. Still, he was also showing some impressive improvement physically, moving some things around and pushing his call button, which were all steps up. I'm hoping today he'll be ready for the leg wrestling I'd challenged him to yesterday.

I found Dave much improved mentally and physically.  He's getting strong enough to push the nurse's call button, although he's having trouble picking it up to do so.  He talked with me (on his initiative) at length about plans for transcribing a couple of Sam's compositions for violin and piano, and also about making a transcription or arrangement of something by Bach for Nick, Doris and Mark.  He also talked about a couple of books he was really interested in, one about Asberger's syndrome and the other about castor beans in Egypt (you'll have to get the details from Dave), and invited Stella to France. 

He's been having persistent fevers, though, and today one of the cultures came back positive for the one of the very recalcitrant bugs that originally caused the pneumonia, now in his blood.  They've called in the special permission antibiotics to combat it and started him on those this morning.  During the day today he's had no temperature, which I hope is a sign that the antibiotics are already doing the trick.

From intensive care to just care

Yesterday evening they moved Dave to a regular hospital bed, still in isolation though.  Doctors continue to feel it will be in Dave's best interests to keep visiting to a minimum--he can barely lift his hand and is still having intermittent fevers.  However, the news from doctors continues to be very positive.  When we saw him this morning he was more alert than I've seen him, and full of quips, some of which we didn't understand.  By this afternoon, he was pretty wiped out and we left him resting and listening to his beloved Brandenburg Concerti on his new cd/mp3 player.  

cards for Dave

For people wanting to send cards and such, probably the safest would be to send them 

c/o Margo Rosen

4555 Henry Hudson Pkwy., #1110

Bronx, NY 10471

It takes a while for the hospital mail to catch up with Dave, I've noticed.  I see him every day and promise to bring what you send to him.  While he's in intensive care and/or isolation, cards or letters would be most appropriate.  Things might not make it into or out of his room, due to sanitary precautions.

Dave's held steady and perhaps moved a bit forward, having had no fevers since two nights ago.  He has been doing well with real food and the doctors are eager to move him out of intensive care and into a regular hospital room.  He is still in isolation, so we're continuing to ask you to hold off on visiting until he is strong enough to receive you.  Nick Rosen, under a special dispensation, played him Bach Suites today, which Dave enjoyed immensely.  When I asked him if he'd had enough, he replied, "Not enough."