Again, I am writing this the "morning after."
Stan's brothers arrived at the hospital about 4:30 p.m. He was so excited to see them. And they kept saying "how good he looked." And he does....look pretty good.
He ate two meals yesterday again. He was pretty tired during dinner and wasn't sure he wanted to eat. He had a kind of speghetti for lunch. Noodles do NOT puree, so he didn't eat much of them. He ate the rest of his food, tho. Then for dinner he had beef stir fry and rice, a creamy soup we think was vegetable, broccoli, and strawberries. He ate 98% of it. He has to be taking in enough calories to sustain life before he can get off the feeding tube.
The OT (occupational therapist....works with upper body) made him "earn" his juice earlier. He told me he was thirsty, so I mixed up some apple juice for him (it has to be thickened), and had just given him a couple of sips when she came in. She was teaching him to use his hand and arm to get a spoon to his mouth. The juice doesn't stay on very well when the spoon gets turned sideways or upside down. His hand hurts a lot right now....I think he has a pinched nerve in his neck. I do want him to be able to do things, but sometimes he needs other attention, too.
He also had PT (phyical therapy....which is the lower extremities). He was "supposed" to get a shower, but it didn't happen. They had a chair that looked like it had a padded toilet seat and a mesh back and side to strap him to..... He was really looking forward to that, but the aides got busy. (I looked at that chair, and remembered my conversation with the nurse the day before....and wondered why it or something similar couldn't work for a toilet. A bed pan does NOT work, but when I suggested two of his sons help him unto a commode and steady him, I was refused....too much liability. So, why not use that shower chair!!! It looked ideal. )
Hopefully, he'll get the shower today. I was told they wanted me in with him to learn how to do it. I helped mom and Julie, I am pretty sure I can manage this.
He proudly showed off the fish Eric brought him the night before. They are beautiful.
I tried to make a snow ball........there is no way to make a snow man with this snow. Just a lot of fluff. Pretty tho....the trees are LADEN down.... everything is White! It was 4 degrees on my way to the hospital yesterday (Friday), and 6 on my way home. The forecast is for minus 3 tonight (Saturday). Poor Chuck and Danny picked a cold spell to come!! It is supposed to warm up by next weekend (to the high teens).
I was told he may get his trach taken OUT today or tomorrow!!! That will be exciting. He is READY!!
Everyone comments on his "cool" haircut. He loves it....
I guess his most specific prayer need now is to have his left side respond to "his" commands. So far, there is no results there.
Thank you all for your support!! I know it keeps him focused on the right direction instead of him getting discouraged over what he can NOT do. We keep telling him what a miracle he is and what a miracle every little accomplishment is! To see what he is doing now and compare it to just two weeks ago.... God has truly been at work answering our prayers!!!
Love, M
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Friday, January 11, 2008
Day 58
Hi..... For those who may be wondering, I MADE it off my hill with no trouble. Brian spent the morning snow blowing our driveway, and by then the roads had been plowed!! So, thank you for your prayers.....God answered them in the best possible way! I have had to "plow" thru snow before that packed up under the car and tried to stop me. It is much nicer to drive on a plowed road. (There has been "evidence" of a snow plow entering our property a couple of times since Stan has been sick.........I think the initials JF might fit the culprit!! Thank you!!!)
Andy and Pete were with Stan from about 9 a.m. so I wasn't worried about him wondering where I was. When I got there he had already had his lunch. He had lasagna (can you imagine that pureed!!), vegies, and applesauce. He told me the lasagna was dry.
He had his trach "buttoned" shut and his voice sounded much more like "him" and much stronger. The RT removed the button at bed time, saying it was a lot of work for him and he needed rest. He hadn't complained about it, his oxygen levels stayed high, so we were disappointed that she removed it, at least while he still had company.
The boys showed him videos of our two year old grandsons shooting a target with a bow and arrow. Hey....they are GOOD!! Kathy's husband also showed us a photo of his recent hunt. Stan NEVER tires of seeing hunting pictures!!!
I finally remembered to take the hair clippers, and I took pix as Pete shaved Stan's head. He had a most interesting hair "cut" up to now. The spot where he was shaved for surgery has grown back in to about 1/2 inch long, the rest of his hair kept growing and he had already needed a haircut, so that is the "long and short" of it. He loves the "Yul Brenner, Telly Savalis, Howie Mandel" look.........(I bet I butchered those names, but you must recognize at least one of them!!)
He has really been complaining of a neck ache. When he sits up, it is scary looking...his head falls forward and looks too heavy to hold up. We place pillows every which way. Paula's "bone" pillow helps a lot, but still it aches...and I am wondering if a nerve is pinched there because he has been saying his right hand (the useable one) hurts now, too. We all try to massage his neck often, and last night Deryl gave him a "chiropractic" treatment....very gently trying to stretch those muscles so they can relax.
I hate to see him have to take too much pain meds...especially since they are giving him oxycodone more often than tylenol.
He told me "they" asked him if he wanted dinner, but he told them "no, he wasnt' hungry" (this was at lunch time). "They" must have ordered it anyway, because about six p.m. his tray arrived. He had (pureed) pork roast, beans, asparagus, strawberries, and orange juice. Deryl and Kelly arrived about then and the fun began!! Everyone knows that strawberries dipped in chocolate are a real gourmet treat. Deryl warmed up a Hershey Kiss and I scraped some of the melted part onto his spoon and gave him a lick. A little stayed on the spoon (hardened) so when I would give him a bite of strawberries, he would get a taste of chocolate with them. Yummmmy! (Don't tell!)
Eric, Heidi, and Brooke came in later bringing a beautiful fish carving. I have placed it on a shelf in his room, and will leave it for a few days....so any of you who can come see Stan, don't forget to take a look!!
Brian didn't get time to come before work because the snow blowing took too long. He doesn't get off until 9:30 p.m. and was heading home, pretty tired. He called to tell me he got the mail, and I let him "talk" to Stan over the phone. I guess Stan told him how much he missed him, because he turned around and came back to the hospital.
Brooke and Heidi had a "surprise" for me.........it was a GOOD one, too. They had cleaned off my car when they got there. Brian started it for me, so it was clean and cozy when my time to go arrived!! (I get this treatment from Ashley, Katrina, and Isaac too, when they're there. Aren't I special!!!) (If you don't live where it snows and gets cold and you have to clean and warm up your own car late at night, you just won't appreciate how nice it is to have it done for you!)
Today (Friday) Stan's brothers will arrive. He has been "expecting" them every day since he learned they were coming. When he naps during the day, he thinks it is a new day when he wakes up. It has to be very confusing!!
I'm sorry for the "next day" report again. I just am too sleepy when I get home at night. I actually got 5 1/2 hours straight with no wake ups last night! Wow....I did take one of the 400mg Ibuprophen pills the doctor gave me before going to bed. Maybe it makes a difference! I hope I don't start being a pill taker, tho. I don't like being dependent on "stuff."
Well.... I had better get my day going or I'll be meeting myself coming home.
Love, M
Andy and Pete were with Stan from about 9 a.m. so I wasn't worried about him wondering where I was. When I got there he had already had his lunch. He had lasagna (can you imagine that pureed!!), vegies, and applesauce. He told me the lasagna was dry.
He had his trach "buttoned" shut and his voice sounded much more like "him" and much stronger. The RT removed the button at bed time, saying it was a lot of work for him and he needed rest. He hadn't complained about it, his oxygen levels stayed high, so we were disappointed that she removed it, at least while he still had company.
The boys showed him videos of our two year old grandsons shooting a target with a bow and arrow. Hey....they are GOOD!! Kathy's husband also showed us a photo of his recent hunt. Stan NEVER tires of seeing hunting pictures!!!
I finally remembered to take the hair clippers, and I took pix as Pete shaved Stan's head. He had a most interesting hair "cut" up to now. The spot where he was shaved for surgery has grown back in to about 1/2 inch long, the rest of his hair kept growing and he had already needed a haircut, so that is the "long and short" of it. He loves the "Yul Brenner, Telly Savalis, Howie Mandel" look.........(I bet I butchered those names, but you must recognize at least one of them!!)
He has really been complaining of a neck ache. When he sits up, it is scary looking...his head falls forward and looks too heavy to hold up. We place pillows every which way. Paula's "bone" pillow helps a lot, but still it aches...and I am wondering if a nerve is pinched there because he has been saying his right hand (the useable one) hurts now, too. We all try to massage his neck often, and last night Deryl gave him a "chiropractic" treatment....very gently trying to stretch those muscles so they can relax.
I hate to see him have to take too much pain meds...especially since they are giving him oxycodone more often than tylenol.
He told me "they" asked him if he wanted dinner, but he told them "no, he wasnt' hungry" (this was at lunch time). "They" must have ordered it anyway, because about six p.m. his tray arrived. He had (pureed) pork roast, beans, asparagus, strawberries, and orange juice. Deryl and Kelly arrived about then and the fun began!! Everyone knows that strawberries dipped in chocolate are a real gourmet treat. Deryl warmed up a Hershey Kiss and I scraped some of the melted part onto his spoon and gave him a lick. A little stayed on the spoon (hardened) so when I would give him a bite of strawberries, he would get a taste of chocolate with them. Yummmmy! (Don't tell!)
Eric, Heidi, and Brooke came in later bringing a beautiful fish carving. I have placed it on a shelf in his room, and will leave it for a few days....so any of you who can come see Stan, don't forget to take a look!!
Brian didn't get time to come before work because the snow blowing took too long. He doesn't get off until 9:30 p.m. and was heading home, pretty tired. He called to tell me he got the mail, and I let him "talk" to Stan over the phone. I guess Stan told him how much he missed him, because he turned around and came back to the hospital.
Brooke and Heidi had a "surprise" for me.........it was a GOOD one, too. They had cleaned off my car when they got there. Brian started it for me, so it was clean and cozy when my time to go arrived!! (I get this treatment from Ashley, Katrina, and Isaac too, when they're there. Aren't I special!!!) (If you don't live where it snows and gets cold and you have to clean and warm up your own car late at night, you just won't appreciate how nice it is to have it done for you!)
Today (Friday) Stan's brothers will arrive. He has been "expecting" them every day since he learned they were coming. When he naps during the day, he thinks it is a new day when he wakes up. It has to be very confusing!!
I'm sorry for the "next day" report again. I just am too sleepy when I get home at night. I actually got 5 1/2 hours straight with no wake ups last night! Wow....I did take one of the 400mg Ibuprophen pills the doctor gave me before going to bed. Maybe it makes a difference! I hope I don't start being a pill taker, tho. I don't like being dependent on "stuff."
Well.... I had better get my day going or I'll be meeting myself coming home.
Love, M
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Day 57
What a day... snow to clean off before leaving home. More snow to clean off before coming home. It has been snowing all day, and I hear it could keep it up for a couple of days. My biggest worry is getting up and down the hill to see Stan.
He had quite a day today!! A full course turkey dinner! (Pureed, of course!) Turkey, mashed spuds, carrots, and peaches, with apple juice to drink. Have you ever seen pureed turkey??? Interesting!!! The apple juice was thickened a little...he could still sip it, but it wasn't as thin as normal. He also tried the thickened water and found it not too bad. He really enjoyed his dinner. He ate every bite, and scraped the bowls!! First the speech therapist tried to get him to hold the spoon, but he just couldn't manage, and was SO wanting to EAT. She fed him the first few bites and then had me do it. She got to feeling secure enough with MY feeding him that she left for a few minutes. (I passed the test!!) He really did like the dinner. Mom had some similar and did NOT want that stuff. The difference may be that she hadn't gone 57 days without eating the real stuff.
I got a statement from the first hospital today. Stan is my "million dollar guy" and I have documentation to prove it. Thank goodness for insurance!!
Kathy decided to test Stan's vision tonight, so she held her hand over his left eye and had me hold up different numbers of fingers for him to identify. He passed with flying colors. Then she changed eyes and covered the right eye. He wasn't so adept at saying out I cold read to herl (WHEEEEEE!!! Guess you've figured out I am here to entertain you tonight. That should read ...adept at saying how many fingers I was holding up.)
The above was written last night....but I went to bed after that weird entry.....so now it is morning. Sorry!!
To finish the story of Kathy and the eye exam.... Stan fumbled around trying to tell how many fingers I held up and apparently doesn't see as well with his left eye. (Remember, Kathy has her hand over his right eye..) We keep asking, "Stan, how many fingers do you see?" Finally, he says, "I see FIVE of Kathy's fingers!"
He did so well with his meal that they plan to "button" up his trach today and see how he does breathing in and out through his nose and mouth....something he hasn't done since about day 2....whenever he was put on the ventilator. With the speaking valve, he has been breathing IN thru the trach and OUT through his mouth, and his oxygen levels have remained pretty stable. If he succeeds with the button for a couple of days, they will remove the trach. If he keeps eating as well as he did yesterday, they will remove the stomach tube. (I don't think it has been six weeks for the stomach tube yet. When it was put in I was told it had to remain for six weeks whether it was still needed or not....because it took that long for the incisions to scar together, or he would have an area between the stomach and the area outside the stomach that food could leak into.
When it was lunch time (Wednesday) the speech therapist asked him if he would like to sit up to eat, and he said, "I'm ready." So he was put into the chair and sat upright for the meal...which is way more "normal" than eating in bed....and will help him develop more muscles. So..every day he is still advancing by leaps and bounds!! His brothers are coming tomorrow (Friday) to see him and Cheri will be here on the 17th. Won't they be amazed!!!
Welllllll........I looked outside, and I have more snow to clean off than both of yesterday's cleanings put together!! I hope I can get out of our road. I just discovered that I left Stan's cell phone in his room, so if I get stuck, I am stuck!! Guess you'll have to wait for the next installment to know "Did she, or didn't she?"
Love, M
He had quite a day today!! A full course turkey dinner! (Pureed, of course!) Turkey, mashed spuds, carrots, and peaches, with apple juice to drink. Have you ever seen pureed turkey??? Interesting!!! The apple juice was thickened a little...he could still sip it, but it wasn't as thin as normal. He also tried the thickened water and found it not too bad. He really enjoyed his dinner. He ate every bite, and scraped the bowls!! First the speech therapist tried to get him to hold the spoon, but he just couldn't manage, and was SO wanting to EAT. She fed him the first few bites and then had me do it. She got to feeling secure enough with MY feeding him that she left for a few minutes. (I passed the test!!) He really did like the dinner. Mom had some similar and did NOT want that stuff. The difference may be that she hadn't gone 57 days without eating the real stuff.
I got a statement from the first hospital today. Stan is my "million dollar guy" and I have documentation to prove it. Thank goodness for insurance!!
Kathy decided to test Stan's vision tonight, so she held her hand over his left eye and had me hold up different numbers of fingers for him to identify. He passed with flying colors. Then she changed eyes and covered the right eye. He wasn't so adept at saying out I cold read to herl (WHEEEEEE!!! Guess you've figured out I am here to entertain you tonight. That should read ...adept at saying how many fingers I was holding up.)
The above was written last night....but I went to bed after that weird entry.....so now it is morning. Sorry!!
To finish the story of Kathy and the eye exam.... Stan fumbled around trying to tell how many fingers I held up and apparently doesn't see as well with his left eye. (Remember, Kathy has her hand over his right eye..) We keep asking, "Stan, how many fingers do you see?" Finally, he says, "I see FIVE of Kathy's fingers!"
He did so well with his meal that they plan to "button" up his trach today and see how he does breathing in and out through his nose and mouth....something he hasn't done since about day 2....whenever he was put on the ventilator. With the speaking valve, he has been breathing IN thru the trach and OUT through his mouth, and his oxygen levels have remained pretty stable. If he succeeds with the button for a couple of days, they will remove the trach. If he keeps eating as well as he did yesterday, they will remove the stomach tube. (I don't think it has been six weeks for the stomach tube yet. When it was put in I was told it had to remain for six weeks whether it was still needed or not....because it took that long for the incisions to scar together, or he would have an area between the stomach and the area outside the stomach that food could leak into.
When it was lunch time (Wednesday) the speech therapist asked him if he would like to sit up to eat, and he said, "I'm ready." So he was put into the chair and sat upright for the meal...which is way more "normal" than eating in bed....and will help him develop more muscles. So..every day he is still advancing by leaps and bounds!! His brothers are coming tomorrow (Friday) to see him and Cheri will be here on the 17th. Won't they be amazed!!!
Welllllll........I looked outside, and I have more snow to clean off than both of yesterday's cleanings put together!! I hope I can get out of our road. I just discovered that I left Stan's cell phone in his room, so if I get stuck, I am stuck!! Guess you'll have to wait for the next installment to know "Did she, or didn't she?"
Love, M
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Day 56
I was too tired to write last night, so it is now Wednesday morning. Stan didn't "fail" us yesterday. He had a couple of exciting things happen.
He had his chocolate pudding...the therapist said he ate about an ounce. He was "too tired" or he could have had more. He did seem more tired yesterday. I have asked if they could let him have a four hour stretch once during the night when he could just sleep if possible. He is poked, prodded, etc all the time, and rolled regularly every two hours.....so it keeps him from getting any of that "deep sleep" they say is important to healing.
We are also concerned about the amount of coumadin he is getting. I didn't even know he was getting it until Monday! The pharmacist came and talked to me yesterday and promised they would check his INR daily and keep us informed of any jumps in his numbers...right now he is at 1.14 ...as opposed to 6.8 when the stroke happened.
Instead of getting into the chair yesterday, they sat him up on the side of the bed. He doesn't have the muscle tone, strength, or balance yet to sit by himself, but he tried. There were people on all sides holding him up, but also having him try to hold himself up. It was a "good" first try.
Last night when they were turning him...not long before I left.... he did something I had been thinking about suggesting, but to my knowledge NO ONE had said anything to him about it yet. There is a "grab bar" hanging above his head...and when they turned him, he reached up and took hold of it and helped in the turning!!!! Oh...and there is one more thing, too. They finally came up with a call button that he can work, and he has successfully "called" for the nurse twice yesterday.
Today he has a "lunch tray" ordered. (all pureed foods, but FOOD!) He has been saying "they don't feed me, I haven't had a bite for three days..." I respond to him that he hasn't had a bite in 53 days!! Now we'll both have to change our tunes. (I thing it was Molly who mentioned one of my favorite songs the other day..."God will make a way, where there seems to be no way...."
God is so good! He's so good to me!!
Love, M
He had his chocolate pudding...the therapist said he ate about an ounce. He was "too tired" or he could have had more. He did seem more tired yesterday. I have asked if they could let him have a four hour stretch once during the night when he could just sleep if possible. He is poked, prodded, etc all the time, and rolled regularly every two hours.....so it keeps him from getting any of that "deep sleep" they say is important to healing.
We are also concerned about the amount of coumadin he is getting. I didn't even know he was getting it until Monday! The pharmacist came and talked to me yesterday and promised they would check his INR daily and keep us informed of any jumps in his numbers...right now he is at 1.14 ...as opposed to 6.8 when the stroke happened.
Instead of getting into the chair yesterday, they sat him up on the side of the bed. He doesn't have the muscle tone, strength, or balance yet to sit by himself, but he tried. There were people on all sides holding him up, but also having him try to hold himself up. It was a "good" first try.
Last night when they were turning him...not long before I left.... he did something I had been thinking about suggesting, but to my knowledge NO ONE had said anything to him about it yet. There is a "grab bar" hanging above his head...and when they turned him, he reached up and took hold of it and helped in the turning!!!! Oh...and there is one more thing, too. They finally came up with a call button that he can work, and he has successfully "called" for the nurse twice yesterday.
Today he has a "lunch tray" ordered. (all pureed foods, but FOOD!) He has been saying "they don't feed me, I haven't had a bite for three days..." I respond to him that he hasn't had a bite in 53 days!! Now we'll both have to change our tunes. (I thing it was Molly who mentioned one of my favorite songs the other day..."God will make a way, where there seems to be no way...."
God is so good! He's so good to me!!
Love, M
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Day 55
Oh dear...I really wanted to build that snowman!! For those of you who don't understand Alaska snow....it just won't stick together. When I got to the hospital the wind chill was a little much even for me. (I did manage to walk around down town with Pete, covering 6 or 7 blocks in single digit weather, wearing my light weight jacket, no gloves or hat.) I did take two pair of gloves with me to the hospital in case anyone volunteered to help. Shortly after I got there we had a pretty good blizzard for about an hour, too. But the snow is so dry and fluffy, it just won't even make a snow ball. I thought maybe it would, since Kathy threw the one a couple of days ago. But when she came and I asked her to go help me, she said she had to work and work to get it to stay together long enough for her to throw it. Maybe I need to make an igloo instead..........out of ice blocks. Hmmmmm Stay tuned..
It will depend on how I feel, I guess. I hate to admit it, but I am pretty sore, and am a bit concerned about what tomorrow will bring. Pete and I went "shopping" to get Stan some of those thermacare heat pads for his knees, and some nice soft warm socks for his feet when he is sitting up in the chair. On our way back to the hospital.....almost in sight of the hospital, but not quite....I was stopped at a red light waiting to turn from Denali street onto Tudor...when I grabbed my head and cried "OW! OW!" It wasn't until AFTER that that I figured out what was wrong. I had just been rear ended by a large GMC Yukon vehicle. My back bumper is no longer a very pretty sight. I really truly didn't need any more stress in my life. I hate "paper work" and "insurance" stuff, and all that goes with these things ...the inconvenience!! Even if there is no pain........... I thought my plate was full, but I guess I had room for dessert!
(The first snow of the season is usually wet enough to make a snow man. Remember my first email update on Stan...the day he had the stroke it snowed and was the snow man kind, and I wanted to make one SOOOO bad.)
Back to Stan!!!! He ate five bites of applesauce for the speech therapist today. He liked it! He did fine! She is bringing chocolate pudding tomorrow!!!
I also found a bag of chocolate candy on the shelf in his room when I got back from shopping. AND he said "someone" melted a little and put it on his tongue. Does anyone know who that was, Deryl???
He was in the chair for over an hour again today. And didn't really fuss about hurting until he was back in his room. Then he said "they forgot to take the brick out of the chair." He is having plenty of knee pain, and we are trying to alleviate it. He looks so good sitting in the chair, all shaved and handsome...I took his picture. When I get it developed I'll try to scan it in to show you all.
We did get several inches of new snow in our driveway. It is supposed to be cold for the rest of the week....meaning single digits at night.
I left around 10:30 tonight, hoping to get some sleep, so I guess I better go "get it."
Love, M
It will depend on how I feel, I guess. I hate to admit it, but I am pretty sore, and am a bit concerned about what tomorrow will bring. Pete and I went "shopping" to get Stan some of those thermacare heat pads for his knees, and some nice soft warm socks for his feet when he is sitting up in the chair. On our way back to the hospital.....almost in sight of the hospital, but not quite....I was stopped at a red light waiting to turn from Denali street onto Tudor...when I grabbed my head and cried "OW! OW!" It wasn't until AFTER that that I figured out what was wrong. I had just been rear ended by a large GMC Yukon vehicle. My back bumper is no longer a very pretty sight. I really truly didn't need any more stress in my life. I hate "paper work" and "insurance" stuff, and all that goes with these things ...the inconvenience!! Even if there is no pain........... I thought my plate was full, but I guess I had room for dessert!
(The first snow of the season is usually wet enough to make a snow man. Remember my first email update on Stan...the day he had the stroke it snowed and was the snow man kind, and I wanted to make one SOOOO bad.)
Back to Stan!!!! He ate five bites of applesauce for the speech therapist today. He liked it! He did fine! She is bringing chocolate pudding tomorrow!!!
I also found a bag of chocolate candy on the shelf in his room when I got back from shopping. AND he said "someone" melted a little and put it on his tongue. Does anyone know who that was, Deryl???
He was in the chair for over an hour again today. And didn't really fuss about hurting until he was back in his room. Then he said "they forgot to take the brick out of the chair." He is having plenty of knee pain, and we are trying to alleviate it. He looks so good sitting in the chair, all shaved and handsome...I took his picture. When I get it developed I'll try to scan it in to show you all.
We did get several inches of new snow in our driveway. It is supposed to be cold for the rest of the week....meaning single digits at night.
I left around 10:30 tonight, hoping to get some sleep, so I guess I better go "get it."
Love, M
Monday, January 7, 2008
Day 54
Sometimes I think I am losing count!!! I stayed until after midnight last night, so didn't have the energy to stay awake to write.
I had a few interesting emails this morning.......... one (from my Molly) suggesting a snowman be built outside Stan's window. There is enough snow there, but I'm not sure if it will stick together, but I intend to find out!!
Another (from my nephew Steve in AZ) told about his friend's dad who had a stroke in October. Here is a quote from Steve....
. "Joe is probably 20 years older than Stan. He was an Army Intelligence Officer just after WWII, and spent his entire life working for the Government. Chris went to visit Joe, who is recovering in a care facility, he has his wits, can speak pretty well, but cannot walk. Aides move him to his chair and back. Joe is a little confused about his condition. He asked Chris how he got in so easily, said the warden kept him under close guard.
Anyway thought you could relate, it was cute. Joe really thinks he's in a prison.
I'm glad Stan is progressing well, sitting up should be good for his lungs. It's not doubt that Stan can out joke everybody in the room, he already knew the punch line to any joke I ever tried to tell him. "
Stan said just last night that the hospital he is in is "easy to get into, but hard to get out of." I am sure he feels like he is in prison, too.
Okay...here's the way he gets in and out of the chair......
The aides place a non inflated air mattress under him in the bed......they do this by rolling him to one side, placing it up against his back side, rolling him onto it, and then pulling it on under him. Then using a large vacuum cleaner looking hose, they inflate the "raft." It is very strong and inflates in seconds. Then, putting the chair flat and of course the bed is flat, and having them at the same level, Stan and mattress (it has handles along its side) is pulled over onto the chair. Then it is deflated and the chair is positioned to fit Stan's comfort. (Which means repositioning it several times during the 90 or so minutes he is able to stay up.) Then the process is done in reverse to put him back into bed. Pretty ingenious....
He did stay in the chair for a good hour and a half Sunday. He is holding his head up better, but it does get tired. Paula brought him a lovely white satin "bone" shaped neck pillow...and I do believe it is just the "ticket" for neck comfort. (John snuck out and threw a snow ball this time!)
His hips and knees get more painful......... Pete had me bring his ReLiv for the doctor to check out. She decided on "not now" because certain ingredients will counteract with his COUMADIN! We didn't know he was on it!! She explained the reasons.........I am hoping to find a better solution!! But the risk of a clot is greater than the risk of another bleed right now.
God does work in "mysterious ways" ... or you might say His timing is heavenly!!! Just last night I received an email from my brother in law with an attachment (two pictures of me playing while Audrey from Tulsa is singing) and a note from Audrey with her email address attached!! Audrey was "my pharmaceudical source for homeopathic meds/ natural meds/ (you know what I mean!!) in Tulsa. She uses a lot of the things Julie got from her alternative med doctor. I am going to email her and ask about things that thin the blood other than these drugs.
Stan is TALKING... I mean, almost NON stop. I tried to get him to relax his tongue because when you can completely relax your tongue, all your muscles are relaxed. It is the LAST muscle to relax.... it has been a huge help to me especially during labor contractions...... but it is not easy. You have to really concentrate on it...float it in your mouth...so you can't be thinking about other things and you certainly can't be TALKING. This guy wouldn't "shut up."
He tried, and you could feel it start to help, but he just has a lot of talking to catch up on!!!
It is now 9 a.m. and I want to get there soon, so I better let this suffice for now. I need to find gloves if I plan to try the snow man construction! Kathy, bring some gloves!!! You can help me. Anyone else want to help??
Love, M
I had a few interesting emails this morning.......... one (from my Molly) suggesting a snowman be built outside Stan's window. There is enough snow there, but I'm not sure if it will stick together, but I intend to find out!!
Another (from my nephew Steve in AZ) told about his friend's dad who had a stroke in October. Here is a quote from Steve....
. "Joe is probably 20 years older than Stan. He was an Army Intelligence Officer just after WWII, and spent his entire life working for the Government. Chris went to visit Joe, who is recovering in a care facility, he has his wits, can speak pretty well, but cannot walk. Aides move him to his chair and back. Joe is a little confused about his condition. He asked Chris how he got in so easily, said the warden kept him under close guard.
Anyway thought you could relate, it was cute. Joe really thinks he's in a prison.
I'm glad Stan is progressing well, sitting up should be good for his lungs. It's not doubt that Stan can out joke everybody in the room, he already knew the punch line to any joke I ever tried to tell him. "
Stan said just last night that the hospital he is in is "easy to get into, but hard to get out of." I am sure he feels like he is in prison, too.
Okay...here's the way he gets in and out of the chair......
The aides place a non inflated air mattress under him in the bed......they do this by rolling him to one side, placing it up against his back side, rolling him onto it, and then pulling it on under him. Then using a large vacuum cleaner looking hose, they inflate the "raft." It is very strong and inflates in seconds. Then, putting the chair flat and of course the bed is flat, and having them at the same level, Stan and mattress (it has handles along its side) is pulled over onto the chair. Then it is deflated and the chair is positioned to fit Stan's comfort. (Which means repositioning it several times during the 90 or so minutes he is able to stay up.) Then the process is done in reverse to put him back into bed. Pretty ingenious....
He did stay in the chair for a good hour and a half Sunday. He is holding his head up better, but it does get tired. Paula brought him a lovely white satin "bone" shaped neck pillow...and I do believe it is just the "ticket" for neck comfort. (John snuck out and threw a snow ball this time!)
His hips and knees get more painful......... Pete had me bring his ReLiv for the doctor to check out. She decided on "not now" because certain ingredients will counteract with his COUMADIN! We didn't know he was on it!! She explained the reasons.........I am hoping to find a better solution!! But the risk of a clot is greater than the risk of another bleed right now.
God does work in "mysterious ways" ... or you might say His timing is heavenly!!! Just last night I received an email from my brother in law with an attachment (two pictures of me playing while Audrey from Tulsa is singing) and a note from Audrey with her email address attached!! Audrey was "my pharmaceudical source for homeopathic meds/ natural meds/ (you know what I mean!!) in Tulsa. She uses a lot of the things Julie got from her alternative med doctor. I am going to email her and ask about things that thin the blood other than these drugs.
Stan is TALKING... I mean, almost NON stop. I tried to get him to relax his tongue because when you can completely relax your tongue, all your muscles are relaxed. It is the LAST muscle to relax.... it has been a huge help to me especially during labor contractions...... but it is not easy. You have to really concentrate on it...float it in your mouth...so you can't be thinking about other things and you certainly can't be TALKING. This guy wouldn't "shut up."
He tried, and you could feel it start to help, but he just has a lot of talking to catch up on!!!
It is now 9 a.m. and I want to get there soon, so I better let this suffice for now. I need to find gloves if I plan to try the snow man construction! Kathy, bring some gloves!!! You can help me. Anyone else want to help??
Love, M
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Day 53
Guess I am on my own tonight!! I do feel better, and did go in to be with Stan for most of the day.
Nothing exactly NEW today.........just MORE talking, more sitting up in a chair and more time spent in the sitting area in the front lobby. Well...he did get a snow ball thrown at him, and a snow ball to hold in his hand. Guess that is new!!
He was pretty sleepy this morning when I got there. Carl E. and I visited for a good hour without waking him.
Pete and Brian had gone to the men's bfst at the church. Stan often cooked his famous crepes for this once a month event.
After Carl left, and I had to answer the phone in Stan's room twice, and the "big" guys came and turned him..........and he slept ON...Katie came and he woke up right away. So she told him jokes. Unlike when John told his jokes, Stan made the mistake of opening his eyes, so Katie KNEW he could hear her. She even acted out her first joke....but go no laugh. He said, "I don't laugh so much lately." The second joke HE explained to us. Katie said he "passed," since he obviously "got" it.
Stan has a large room here....which is good. He often has in excess of 8 adults visiting...and other times two two year olds to boot! They are pretty good little boys...if I do say so!!
The "mechanism" to get Stan into the special chair is interesting. I'll have to watch it sometime and then explain it to everyone. It's been explained to me, but I would probably confuse you if I tried to explain something I don't understand!!! heehee
Pete wheeled him out to the lobby to visit with Kathy, John, Paula, and me. Kathy snuck outside and threw a snow ball at the window in front of his face. Carl (who had been in to see Stan, AND we thought had left) was visiting someone in a catty corner room to the lobby and SAW Kathy throw the snowball....so he had to come investigate. Too bad Stan hadn't kept hold of the snowball Kathy brought in to him. He could have nailed Carl!!! Now that would have been "news worthy."
His hips and knees have really been hurting the last couple of days....or he is just now able to TELL us they are hurting. I sure wish I knew of a solution for that problem ASAP.
Pete stayed the night, Phil and Kacee are there waiting until Pete and/or Andy return to stay the night. Stan likes the company when he is wakeful.
He still remembers all his "old" sayings. We were looking at the light fixtures in the very high ceilings of the lobby. I told him to tell Kathy how HE would put them up....and he didn't fail me. He said, "Take a shot of Old Crow and fly up." He still prefers to think it is 2006 instead of 2008, tho.
Each day continues to be as good as or better than the one before.....PTL
Love, M
Nothing exactly NEW today.........just MORE talking, more sitting up in a chair and more time spent in the sitting area in the front lobby. Well...he did get a snow ball thrown at him, and a snow ball to hold in his hand. Guess that is new!!
He was pretty sleepy this morning when I got there. Carl E. and I visited for a good hour without waking him.
Pete and Brian had gone to the men's bfst at the church. Stan often cooked his famous crepes for this once a month event.
After Carl left, and I had to answer the phone in Stan's room twice, and the "big" guys came and turned him..........and he slept ON...Katie came and he woke up right away. So she told him jokes. Unlike when John told his jokes, Stan made the mistake of opening his eyes, so Katie KNEW he could hear her. She even acted out her first joke....but go no laugh. He said, "I don't laugh so much lately." The second joke HE explained to us. Katie said he "passed," since he obviously "got" it.
Stan has a large room here....which is good. He often has in excess of 8 adults visiting...and other times two two year olds to boot! They are pretty good little boys...if I do say so!!
The "mechanism" to get Stan into the special chair is interesting. I'll have to watch it sometime and then explain it to everyone. It's been explained to me, but I would probably confuse you if I tried to explain something I don't understand!!! heehee
Pete wheeled him out to the lobby to visit with Kathy, John, Paula, and me. Kathy snuck outside and threw a snow ball at the window in front of his face. Carl (who had been in to see Stan, AND we thought had left) was visiting someone in a catty corner room to the lobby and SAW Kathy throw the snowball....so he had to come investigate. Too bad Stan hadn't kept hold of the snowball Kathy brought in to him. He could have nailed Carl!!! Now that would have been "news worthy."
His hips and knees have really been hurting the last couple of days....or he is just now able to TELL us they are hurting. I sure wish I knew of a solution for that problem ASAP.
Pete stayed the night, Phil and Kacee are there waiting until Pete and/or Andy return to stay the night. Stan likes the company when he is wakeful.
He still remembers all his "old" sayings. We were looking at the light fixtures in the very high ceilings of the lobby. I told him to tell Kathy how HE would put them up....and he didn't fail me. He said, "Take a shot of Old Crow and fly up." He still prefers to think it is 2006 instead of 2008, tho.
Each day continues to be as good as or better than the one before.....PTL
Love, M
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