Last Gasp Books

Sun and warm air dropped over everyone’s roofs and heads on Sunday. I kept the window rolled down as the full Alemany Flea Market appeared on my port side. No shopping for treasures today — I was going to say good bye to a friend of 36 years. S. Clay Wilson’s ventilator had been removed and it
was expected that he would soon pass.

Visiting an ICU is always a grim adventure. The ward is full of hope and folks hanging by one fingernail to our world. Wilson was napping and his hospital bed was inflating and deflating in a slow silent wave under him, keeping bed sores at bay. He had been cleaned up and was breathing quite well on his own. A brace on his ankle was switched daily to make sure his tendon did not deteriorate from lack of use and give him a drop-foot condition.

He seemed peaceful napping. Lorraine and I began to say hello to him and he woke slowly, and batted open his eyes. The tube was now out of his head and the head had returned to almost normal size. A few scabs on his head and a two-week beard growth were all that seemed different about Steve.

We started giving him news and greetings from his friends. He turned his head to where Lorraine was standing and then back to me when I talked. I told him a bad joke and he responded not unlike most people I tell bad jokes to. He didn’t change expression. He was able to cough a bit, and moved his legs several times. The oxygen absorption was at 100%. This was remarkable, I thought. I touched his arm and told him that when he got better we would get him out of there. He responded with a facial expression that seemed to say: “what’s stopping you.” Paul Mavrides saw him today and confirmed that his attentiveness was much greater and that he was improved from last week.

Wilson is not out of the woods by a long shot. Recovery will be a long time, but breathing on his own is a big step. He is able to hear people and some response is clear. They will have to move him soon and perhaps he can get into a facility like Laguna Honda which took care of Gary Arlington for a year and a half. Gary is now living by himself down by the ball park.

I came to say goodbye to Wilson, but said see you later instead.

- Ron Turner