Day 104 (Dec 4)

Tobias was quiet today.  He seemed tired and struggled to speak.  He did well eating, however.  He is better able to open his mouth and I hardly had to pry open his jaws for the first 30 minutes.  He tired at that point and I have stopped forcing him to continue.  "Forcing" is misleading in this case because Tobias continues to communicate that he wants to eat more, but he can't chew, swallow or keep his eyes open.  I don't know if this is a case of the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak, or whether he doesn't really understand the question I posed to him.

On the way to the hospital, I pass over a major railroad line and I have been blocked several times to allow a train to pass.  Today I was held up to allow a long freight train to lumber by, but it turned out to be a lucky break.  I couldn't see the end of the train and experience taught me that it could be 10 to 15 minutes before the gate would lift up again to allow traffic to pass.  I pulled out my phone and checked my email.  At that instance a new email arrived from the air ambulance company.  They confirmed that Tobias' flight plan had been arranged and I was listed as a passenger in the documentation.  The jet will make the trip in four legs, each flight time lasting almost exactly three hours.  The flight leaves on Monday morning and flies to Winnepeg, Canada.  The jet will refuel in Winnepeg and after a 50 minute stopover, it flies over the Hudson Bay to Iqaluit, Nunavut (also in Canada).  After another 50 minute refuel the flight continues by crossing over Newfoundland and landing in Reykjavík, Iceland.  Our stay in Iceland lasts 50 minutes for another refuel and then we fly to Berlin.  Total flight time is exactly 12 hours.  Total travel time is 14 hours and 30 minutes.  We're heading home, but our trip feels a little bit like the travel graphic used in the Raiders of the Lost Ark when Indy narrowly avoided losing the medallion and is fleeing from Nepal to Egypt.  At least I can cross Nunavut off my bucket list.

I called the air ambulance company to find out when Tobias would be picked up at the hospital and where I should meet the flight crew.  Tobias will be picked up around 8:30 in the morning and I will not be allowed in the ambulance.  I'll go straight to the airport.  The aircraft is apparently very small and I was told by the lady on the 24x7 hotline that I'm not allowed a suitcase.  She made a point to let me know that my presence on the plane will take up even more precious space and there is simply no room for luggage.  I asked her if I need to bring my own food on the plane and she wasn't sure.  She told be to bring something, just in case, but that she would find out specifics tomorrow and let me know.  I'm supposed to go directly to the general aviation terminal and go through their security points, then I can ask to be directed to the medical transport and wait for the medical team to allow me on board.  It all sounds like an interesting experience, especially the part about flying on a plane that is so small that one passenger takes up all available free space.

Tomorrow is our last day at the hospital.  Tobias will be picked up before his day really begins and I won't even go to the hospital because the ambulance will be much faster through security at the airport and I don't want to arrive late.  I'm not sure where to go and what to expect so I'm going to arrive early.  I was able to take Tobias for a walk outside for an hour today.  The weather high is supposed to hold until Monday so I promised Tobias that I would walk with him tomorrow for at least two hours.  The rest of the day will be spent organizing his things in the hospital to discover what can be taken with us now and what needs to be stored until we have another shot at bringing more things to Germany.  Many articles won't be needed anymore.  Tobias has collected several sets of arm splints that created pressure sores for him and had to be abandoned.  Those are still laying about.  Some of the medical equipment will be useful, but I'm not sure we'll be able to take it all.  I think I'll pack up the useful items in a hospital bag and ask the nurse to insist that they travel with Tobias.  I'll carry them on my lap if needed, but there has to be some storage area on the aircraft that the crew can access.  If worse come to worse, he'll have to get new equipment in Germany.

Hope over fear.

This is what the sunset looks like from Tobias’ window.