Day 89

As I prepared myself to write an update for Sunday, I read my morning emails. This is the first paragraph from Molly's email today:



Hi Madeline. Maybe this will be the day. This is the day the Lord has made, and maybe it’s the day Stan will come home. God’s timing is perfect, so we’ll trust Him to choose the day. I’m praying for a peaceful transition from hospital to home – peaceful, meaning no medical emergencies, and peaceful, knowing that God will take care of every situation and lead you in the path He wants you to take. He’ll guide you with His eye upon you, in the way that Stan will benefit from. For you know the plans the Lord has for you, plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.





It seemed a great way to start this email!!!



"Today IS the day the Lord has made! WE (The Knowltons) will rejoice and be glad in it." Ps. 118



I talked to the doctor yesterday (Sunday) and he said he sees no reason for Stan to NOT come home today.



Sunday: I left home in time to see Stan before going to church. I'm so glad I did. His breakfast was sitting on the tray....waiting for family. I fed him and checked with his nurse about meds. His headache was bad again, and not just when he coughed. It turned out that he was pretty stopped up .... I think the effort made his head feel like it would burst, so he would stop trying.



After church (actually I left during the last song) I hurried back to the hospital to feed him his lunch. Stan's head was still aching and nothing had "helped" yet with his other problem. Andy and his girls came in close to 3:30. He was on his way to the house to finish insulating around the turret room windows to make that room warmer for Stan. (He did a great job!!) Kathy came after church and just when Andy arrived she had mentioned that she was going to the university to listen to Phil's girl friend's clarinet recital. I had wanted to go, too, since I hadn't heard Kacee play yet. (Louise, did Danny play the alto or the bass clarinet??)

So, with Andy and family there with Stan, Kathy and I went to the recital. The six students participating are all majoring in music education. A group of their "practice teaching" 6th grade students came and performed a couple of pieces, too. The ensemble finished with a piece by Mozart, using two clarinets, a soprano, alto, bass, and contra alto clarinet. It was beautiful.



It also lasted a lot longer than we expected. It was after six when I got back to the hospital, and there was Stan's dinner...waiting for me to feed him. He wasn't feeling much like eating....still....but I encouraged him with the info that if he didn't eat, he might be put back on the IV type food into his tube...and have to stay another day. He ate! But oh the misery he was in!! (He finally managed to "get the job done" about midnight! So coming home should still be a "GO.") I hope that also helped the headache.



Brian arrived after work and was greeted by Kathy with an, "Hello, Stranger!" He responded with, "Hello, Stranger than me!" I had never heard that comment before....Kathy, either. She was "impressed." heehee



Deryl and Kelly came and brought communion. That was a treat that we all shared in with Stan. Deryl shared the same thought that Rick E. had brought that morning....based on the 23rd Psalm.



I packed up a lot of "stuff" to take home.....in prep for today!! There will still be a load! And I have been taking things or sending things home for several days!! We did "live" there for six weeks.....! Boy, do things accumulate!



I have to remember his teeth and razor today. We got him a nice electric razor not long after he arrived at St. Elias. They were shaving him with the cheapest little Bic you've ever seen....and they SCRAPE your face to pieces.



For the record.....many of his nurses and aides were / are very loving and most tried to take good care of him. There was a lot of miscommunication that caused that care to be downgraded at times.... So I didn't mean for my other emails to paint a totally bad picture. There were way too many serious issues to not have real concerns ....even for his safety, which I hope they will address for future patients' care. I think the four "biggies" were his cathetar being ripped out of him (fortunately, it BROKE instead), his PICC line malfunctioning and causing a huge bleed, his head getting bonked, and his BP being taken on the forbidden arm. Each one of those had the potential to be very painful and / or fatal!



He is anxious to come home. And we are anxious for him to be home.



I keep thinking I should give you weather reports....and failed to do so. The past week or so has been very cold again, with absolutely gorgeous blue skies and views of the snow covered mountains to the north and west of us!! (The ones that are snow covered year round, and an artist's dream "when they show.") I tend to get used to the lovely, but cold, days, and easy driving. So today, I get to adjust my thinking to driving in fresh snow! We got about four or five new inches over night. I didn't even know to expect it, so what a surprise. (How weird can I get....to be "surprised" by new snow in February in Alaska????)



I have to get going.....deliver my car to Paul's Body Shop for a new back bumper and front windshield..... Then get a ride to the hospital and maybe come in the TransCare vehicle with Stan!



I'll let you know how the day goes.......



Love, M