day 71

Well... today was different!! Stan got moved...AGAIN! This time upstairs! He is out of ICU now and into a "regular" room at St. Elias. That is because his trach is out and he is off many of the support things. He still has his feeding tube in his stomach, but only gets it at night. Daytime he get three meals a day. He is back on pureed foods and nectar thick juices. I am not sure just why....but I think someone said he had choked on some water.

St. Elias is NEW and the upstairs rooms are just now being opened for use. All the rooms are nice and very spacious. The view from the windows is woodsy on the back side (we were promised MOOSE, but haven't seen any yet) and the front view is another step down care facility with a view of the Chugach mountains behind it. I think we might be able to see our house (our area at least) from the upstairs front windows. We are just a block behind several new hotels and restaurants and across a main thorough fare from Home Depot and Lowes. We had a beautiful sunset out of Stan's new window tonight.

He is in room 214 and his new phone number is 564-3854.

Brian brought their electric massager tonight and worked on Stan's shoulders and neck. He had been asking for it, so Brian left it (behind the TV) so we could use it during the day on Stan.

A big mystery has evolved here. On Jan. 18 ...last Friday...we had a meeting scheduled with the case manager and others. Cheri fell down the steps that day on our way to the meeting and we ended up leaving her and Isaac at the ER of the Native Hospital. Angie and Brian were home, but Brian may have left right after we did. At 1:11 p.m. there is a record of a package being signed for here at our house. Angie is the only one I haven't been able to check with yet. The friend who sent the package had told me the tracking showed it was delivered. I called the Post Office head guy to day and his office faxed me a copy of the signature...I do NOT recognize it at all...in fact, can't really read it. I don't like mysteries unless they are solved (and have happy endings). The package is to ME but is for Stan....it would be nice to find it.

Stan ate pretty good but of course it was "easy" stuff since there was NO chewing. Chewing really wears him out. He did get quite a work over today, besides getting moved, so he worried me a little. His mouth seemed droopy and his speech was "thick." Tonight seemed a bit better. I hope he sleeps well!!

Kathy brought him a frozen chocolate yogurt.... he did tell her he liked Andy's frozen custard yesterday better..........it was the "real" thing, and Kathy was trying to bring him a goody....without the goody part. (it was fat free...maybe sugar sub??). But he ate it all and kept saying how very good it was. He wouldn't have admitted the other, but she asked!!

Stan and a couple of the male aides do have fun together. James told him today that HE makes it fun to come to work!!

Love, M