I left my job about 2 weeks ago. I wanted to finish this night time graduate degree this May (2 months from today, more or less), so I overloaded on credits to wrap it up. I worked through the 1st month of the semester, so now I am playing catch up.

One chick at work e-mails me quite frequently since I was the project manager on a large project and she worked for me. She just told me that the guy in the outside window office across from her is in the cardiac unit of the hospital. He is only in his late 50s and is health is poor. He buried his wife within the last 5 years and he has not done well since.

Compared to most a-hole architects, this is one of the nicest people you'd want to know. In fact, he is the "technical glue" in the office. While others are trying to vaunt their designs, he knows how buildings really go together. He is the "go to" person and will put his own work aside to help anyone out.

What do you bring to a grown man in a critical area of the hospital? Please advise.

Friendship, a smile and kind words!

Friendship, a smile and kind words!

Or, simply:

YOURSELF.

Seriously ... during my last open heart surgery in 2003 I had a few different visitors. While I certainly appreciated the members of the FGMC that brought some model FGMCs for me ... I also appreciated the people who just CAME. It was very comforting to know that I mattered to them ... that, whether they really understood what I was experiencing or not, they were there to support me.

HTH........

Cort:33swm."Mr Monte Carlo.Mr Road Trip".pig valve.pacemaker

PICS:lego.HO.model.MCinfo.RT.CHD = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort

"If you fall, I will catch you" ... Cindy Lauper ... 'Time After Time'

You don't have to bring him anything material

Or maybe you could bring him some "material" if you catch my drift... :AH-HA_wink:

A flask filled with pain-go-bye-bye-juice.

Unless this hospital's different from every other hospital in the free world, some remotely edible food might do the old man a world of good.

Friendship, a smile and kind words!

What he said.

Or maybe you could bring him some "material" if you catch my drift... :AH-HA_wink:

What Wilmanjoe said, Mr. Nick.

Hey...at least he'd die happy...

A dick in a box?

Naw. I agree with those who said good company. It's always appreciated, and I'm sure it'd make him feel great to see that he meant enough to you for you to take time out of your day and come in to see him. That would be great for both of you, actually..

That's a tough one....maybe as an architect you could find something architect themed........

You and something for him to read (when he is doing better). I got very bored when I had my open heart.

You and something for him to read (when he is doing better). I got very bored when I had my open heart.

Thanks to all of you guys for the advice.

I went to the hospital tonight and he was happy to see me. I stayed about 45 minutes and he talked "shop" a lot...I told him, when he gets home, he needs to just hang out and get his strength back up, so he needs to FORGET about work for a while.

As I approached the room, his MD was in there talking to him and it looks like he has been through a lot and that he will be looking at some recovery time. Yikes.

As for something to read, I went to Barnes and Noble afterwards looking for a pictorial book I could buy for him - he's thinking of retiring Idaho or Montana way.

It's nice there in summer when we were there. I don't know how it would be in winter though, very cold I would imagine. I'm glad he is doing better. I hope he gets well soon.

Edited March 17, 200719 yr by Pontiac Custom-S

I always find the Pop-Up Book of Human Anatomy to be entertaining.

Life is too short, I am sure you both felt good after the visit, Bob.

Wow... sorry to hear that.