Dave’s Diary Report from the VA Horsepital. 2-24-04
Ken Gale and I went to visit Dave Cockrum at the VA Extended Care today (Tuesday, 2-24-04) and though he was exhausted by his “Physical Terrorist” session, he was glad for a visit. No one had been to see him since Friday when Rachel Kadushin dropped by and Paty’s son Phil came to visit.
He sat up by himself and contemplated eating the micro-waved plastic food, but I had brought a thermos of steak and potatoes soup, so that was consumed first. He ate well and had a salad, pudding, fruit and milk from his tray. The cold stuff is okay, it’s the micro-waved hot stuff that’s quite repellent.
He got a good appetite from walking 130 feet (!) with a walker and he walked three steps up a stairs! The edema on his legs is still going down. Before his legs looked like major movie monster special effects now they look like independent film monster special effects, quipped Ken.
The roommate he likes is going home Wednesday, so Dave will be in there with the screamer…. He was subdued when we were there, and only yelled out once or twice. Sigh.
Dave was wearing non-hospital clothes this time, a Green Lantern t-shirt and sweats, and that’s a real improvement. The nurse was talking about the doctor sending him home, but then she says everybody wants to go home, but they have to be able to walk and get around before they do. She told Dave he could go home and get a girl to run around for him, y’know, someone to get stuff. I mentioned Dave’s wife might not like that, and Dave has her and Barbara at home to help out, and she said, oh, he’s married? But since there’s folks there to help him, yeah, he should go home.
It’s hard for his wife to visit from South Carolina!
We talked about movies and the Buffy TV series and what a sub tender does (that’s what he did during Viet Nam) and his tender feets and Ken made him laugh, that’s good medicine. I was dressed up as Batgirl, but his roommate thought I was Wonder Woman (no, she’s the one with the flag on her butt!) Then Dave was getting tired, so we ran away, bravely.
He would really appreciate visits, as that helps the nurses give better care and gives Dave a break from the monotony of the Horsepital and the television. Soon he may be going to South Carolina and it’s harder to get there on the NYC subway, so all you locals, go visit him! Some of the great artists out there need to know they are still cared about!
Dave Cockrum Extended Care Nursing Home, NA1A Bronx Veteran Affairs Medical Center Floor 1A, Room 10, Bed D 130 W. Kingsbridge Road Bronx, NY 10468
Dave at hospital - 1-718-741-4303 Visiting hours are 10 AM – 8 PM
- report from Mercy Van Vlack 2-24-04
[ February 26, 2004, 06:24 PM: Message edited by: Nightcrawler ]
From: Metro NYC also known as NJ | Registered: Jul 2003
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posted
How exactly is someone supposed to get better while eating hospital food? Is this some kind of reverse psychology, make them hate being here so they will leave sooner?
The man needs food smugglers more than visitors.
Well, prayers for Dave Cockrum and get well soon. Hope you NY'ers find time to pick up his day a bit.
Green Lantern shirt huh? Needs some fashion advice.
[ February 26, 2004, 02:53 PM: Message edited by: Blockade Boy ]
From: East Toledo | Registered: Jul 2003
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posted
i heard that a party of comics' authors have been working on a tribute comic book for dave cockrum. do you know something more about that initiative? i'd been very glad to buy this book, once it will be released.
posted
I hope his stay is going better. Both my grandfather and dad have been and are regular visitors to the VA. And while the staffs usually do a bang up job here in South Carolina, there is the problem of having roomates. Some of them can crawl a saint's nerves. Don't get me wrong, with my grandfather passed away now, my dad is very fortunate in that he has had only minor stays, but a lot of the people in the Dorn VA are just waiting to pass on, and it shows in how they act and the severity of their infirmaties. Plus, these people served, so they are due all kinds of respect.
If anyone can forward this to dave...Dave, i hope to hear you are home soon and that your visit did you some good. You are missed here, so let that both be a comfort and a spur to do well and get back to us. A fan, Rick Bennett.
-------------------- Damn you, you kids! Get off my lawn or I'm callin' tha cops!
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