Tile and plumbing and lights—Oh My!

Well, most of last week was consumed by tile installation, which began with “laying the field” of whole tiles and then slowly came to completion after all the cuts were made and fit into the smaller areas and irregular corners.  The lobby floor has a pair of wide arcs that reflect the ceiling soffits above, and the installers did a fantastic job with this feature in light of the fact that tile prefers to be cut in straight lines, rather than smooth curves.  We both left town for short individual trips before grouting was complete, and I was the first to see the finished product yesterday.  To say I was thrilled would be an understatement…

A sweeping arc along which the floor tile changes orientation mirrors the overhead soffits throughout the reception area.

The wet tables are now nearly complete, kennels have been installed in all the wards, and the large dog run has been tiled to a height of 6 feet to facilitate cleaning. Scavenger hoses, which can be seen hanging from the ceiling, will evacuate waste anesthetic gas.

Finishing touches in the examination rooms include sinks and sanitary drops for hidden trash and medical waste containers.

SRP brought power into our shell last week, and we had the opportunity to see the hospital lighted for the first time just before we headed out of town.  While sunlight and work lamps had provided enough illumination to get the job done, the complex lighting scheme really breathed life into the building and creates a warm atmosphere while helping give the space a larger feel.  Supervisor Clint is particularly enamored with the red pendant lights over the reception counter, but I’m thrilled with the neat adjustable spot lamps that illuminate a couple niches in the reception hallway.  They’ll be perfect for highlighting some of the many Sansevierias that I have collected and hidden away in our little backyard greenhouse for years; they’ve been waiting for a place to be put on display and introduce others to one of my hobbies.

The plumbing crew is back again this week, installing sinks, faucets, and toilets; it’s hard to believe that only three months ago we had nothing but pipes sticking out of trench cuts in the slab!  Clint has informed us that he has scheduled a final cleaning and touch-up for late this week.  All that will remain is the installation of smaller equipment and several inspections to get our certificate of occupancy.

Our search for staff will conclude this week, and we will be able to introduce our team to you shortly after.  We received over 250 applications during the hiring process, and have narrowed the list down to a small group of fantastic people.  Keep your fingers crossed that they will take a chance on a promising new hospital with a tremendous amount of potential!