WOW! It was may birthday....and WHAT A BIRTHDAY! Since I don't feel (or look ) my age, this one didn't count. Right?
It was a rough day for Stan. He was supposed to have two therapists come, and I was wishing I knew how to get hold of them to cancel. His prune juice etc was NOT working, but making him feel miserable with need. I had to listen to his discomfort all day, and it is very sad to not be able to do anything. Finally, about four with Pete and me doing what we could, he had enough success to settle down and enjoy the evening's company. I know that isn't a pleasant subject, but if this is an update and prayer request listing.... this was a bad day for us. (I was expecting several from church to come that evening and wanted the house to be a little more presentable. This is a house that has been neglected for over 3 months of my going to the hospital and now adjusting to a pretty rigorous schedule. Stan, in all his misery, was worried about me trying to clean house on my birthday!! What a guy!!) (The therapists got lost and /or delayed, so when they called to say they'd come later, I did cancel for the day. He was too exhausted for them to work with him.)
Some of the men have a regular Bible study on Tuesday evenings, as do the women, also. They asked if they could come include Stan in the Bible study, and I knew he would love that. The women decided to come and include me in theirs. So it was to be a really nice evening of fellowship and Bible study. Little did I know!!
I was expecting a few to come around 6:30. Andy, Grace, and kids were here and Grace was leaving to take Andy to work when someone announced that people were starting to arrive. I was in the kitchen with Ashley thinking I should have Grace go by Costco for me on her way back. Ashley ran to catch her while I got my debit and Costco cards for her. I started down the stairs hoping to still catch her, when to my surprise the entry was FULL of people, all carrying food and gifts. I think they may have been shouting SURPRISE! They sang Happy Birthday! To this day, I don't think I know for sure who all was here. I took pictures around, but didn't get back downstairs until the end. I thought I saw John Brewer, but he isn't in my photos... Stan said he WAS here. I wonder who else I may have missed. Stan says there were 100 people here, I said about 50, but I think it was really more like 30... and there were those who couldn't come but sent cards! I do wish my scanner and my brain worked together with this computer. I would email you a picture of my cake. It was adorable!!! A very HAPPY cake.
There were veggies and dips, cheese cake, and Dreyers ice cream (the only kind I eat! I know I'm fussy, but why eat a dessert you don't like??? This is my father in law's fault. I didn't use to eat ice cream at all, until he brought home some EXPENSIVE brand once!! I am hooked on Dreyers vanilla! YUM) And Rick E replenished my fresh pineapple supply! I do love it!! The day before, Mandy and Jeff had brought me over an early birthday cake, so I really was well feted this b'day!
The bouquets!! I took their pictures.... they are all so pretty. And the array of other items, all geared to make me feel special. (It worked!!! thank you all so much.)
Stan was very touched by it all, too. He had been mentioning my birthday everytime someone asked him the date. (His therapists do this regularly to check his awareness. As soon as he heard FEBRUARY, he has been saying, "the 26th is my wife's birthday." (Maybe his memory is TOO good!!)
After all the eating and visiting, we did have a Bible study and prayer time. I am so very blessed!!!
It is now Thursday evening, and the days are pretty settled into our busy routine....of Home Health visits, meds, feedings, changing, washing bedding, etc. So help me, if I don't benefit from all these trips up and down stairs by losing some weight...there is NO justice.
Prayer needs (besides asking for prune juice provided relief) are relief for Stan's neck pain and for his left arm and leg to recover and his left side vision (both eyes) to improve. I am told that this phenomena causes him to "think" he is upright, when in reality he is leaning toward the left. He has "blank or black" areas in his vision as the left side of each eye is impaired. A prayer request for me is that I will be able to keep him free from bed sores and infections.
Thank you all so much!!!
May God bless you richly for your continued care and prayers on our behalf!
Love, M
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Feb 24, 2008
Hello again!! I hesitate to write too often now, as each day seems to be a carbon copy of the one before. Well, not really...but I thought there should be something to tell. So, lo and behold, I decided to be the "comic relief" for this update.
First, it is another beautiful day in paradise. Gorgeous blue sky sunshine that makes me want to go dig in the dirt.....except my dirt is still covered with snow and ice.
I really am busy....24/7.... that is quite a "number" but it really is a good picture of my time. So, just in case I have an extra minute or two, I have devised some interesting ways to use them.
First, I caught the vacuum beater bar in a fight with a throw rug....and they both "lost." The rug lost a long piece of yarn, and the vacuum lost its ability to run until the yarn was removed. This was my job....if I wanted to continue cleaning the floors. I used scissors, tweezers, screw drivers, whatever I could get my hands on....and did manage after a LOOOOOOOOOONG time, to make the appliance worthy of its hire again.
Not to be outdone, the dryer thought of something even more fun for me to do. Someone (I can't imagine how this happened!!) washed a disposable diaper and dried it, too. All was well until I went to empty the lint screen. It refused to give up its abundance of loot....I tugged. It held tight. I tugged, and eventually I came up with an EMPTY lint screen.... The dryer thought it had won the tug of war. The lint screen area was so full, I could not pry it loose. I had to find something (turns out the handiest thing that was narrow enough and sturdy enough for the job, was the crank for Stan's bed!!) I used it to pry open (gently, gently so as not to break anything) the area, and while holding it open (about an inch or less) I was able to get my fingers in and pull out the diaper remnants. It only took a dozen or so times of reaching in, readjusting the crank, etc...to finally make the dryer see it My Way....and so also be functionable again.
To give Stan his meds in his stomach tube, there is a syringe that I put the little opened pointed end into the glass of meds and pull them up into container...works just like any syringe. Only this one has a rubber end that seals the container as I pull it up. This rubber or something only lasts about two weeks....more like ONE week. Then it begins to be almost impossible to pull up or to push back down when I put the pointy end into Stan's tube. I, being rather practical or miserly, want to use it until it absolutely won't work any longer. Today was THAT DAY! I was pulling the meds up into the container when the rubber part came loose from the plunger/puller and so as I was pulling with all my might!!!! it now released with a suddenness that caused the glass of meds to explode all over........my jeans and shirt, the curtain and window, the rug, the cabinet, the recliner, the table...and therefore everything on the table including the adorable get well card Luke made Papa..... I not only had a major clean up project, but I had to start over with the meds....meaning dole out the correct doses of ten different meds, crush them up to a powder, mix them with water so they could go thru the syringe and Stan's tube....
The "good" thing was, I had NOT yet given him any of his morning meds, so I didn't have to wonder what and how much of what he had already got. Wheeee! THAT is a big big relief!!
(I did not ....do not.... use or even think a bad word!! Even tho Phil and Isaac might think otherwise!! If you've never heard about my "cussing" incident with them....well, it was like this:
We were leaving Applebee's parking lot one night a couple of years ago. The car ahead of me was taking too long to pull into the street, so I .... who always "reads" license plates...said, "Okay, ESL, let's go." Suddenly Phil is dramatically looking all around. I ask him what he is doing. He says, "I'm looking for the four white horses. When my mother starts cussing, it must be the apocolyse!" I have to "rerun" my thoughts to see what he thought I had said. Apparently, ESL sounded a bit "iffy." Isaac agreed...saying that he wasn't going to comment, just thought maybe I forgot he was in the car. )
So, my clothes have been changed, the rug has been scrubbed with rug cleaner, a towel, some peroxide, and another towel. The table, chair, etc have been wiped clean, but I still have the curtain, window, and window sill to clean. Since they are easily "out of sight, out of mind" I tended to forget until now that I still have some more of my mess to take care of. Ce L'vie!! I have found a few other fun things to do, but they weren't quite as messy as this was. Like forgetting to turn the lever and open the tube when administering meds once, and because the "old" thing was so hard to push sometimes, didn't realize this time was hard to push because it was sealed shut!!! I managed to push hard enough that I "blew the safety cap off" and spewed stuff out unto his bed. I bet I will find something even more entertaining for my next report!!
Katrina and Ashley came with Andy yesterday for a short visit. They spent the day selling hats for Kathy's husband John. It was a beautiful blue sky day for the beginning of the Fur Rhondy (Anchorage's winter time CARNIVAL). But it was still cold enough that the girls' hands got mighty cold. Katrina said it was hard to make change or write, etc. They'll be selling again next Saturday when the Iditarod starts.
Luke and Grace stayed home because that little Varmit has been running a pretty high fever for 3 or 4 days. Tomorrow he comes to the doctor unless he is way better.
Isaac celebrated his cousin Jake's b'day (and his dad's) by going to Hatcher Pass with Jake. I haven't seen him yet to know how he did. Pete did get them for church this morning.
Pete got a job, but now he needs to get a life.............(whee, some moms are never satisfied!!) He is running large equipment for a snow removal outfit. The first night on the job, the foreman had all the other employees come watch him operate the rubber tired back hoe. He's been working 16 to 20 hours a day since he started. I guess they were really behind the eight ball .... He has "built a mountain" of snow where they dump, where before they were just dumping with no "plan" and when they ran out of room, they'd find another lot to dump in. Or something like that. But I am worried about his lack of sleep. He did tell me that he gets to be the one to haul snow downtown for the start of the Iditarod. This always intrigues me.... snow is removed from the streets and then it is put back for the race. I would imagine that after the ceremonious start of the race, the streets have to be once again cleared of snow. Where else but in Alaska!! I still am amazed at the closeness of the "last frontier" and the big city life here. I remember one night going to the post office after work and then driving home... I had to stop for an airplane to cross the street in front of me near the post office, and then on my way up my road to home, I had to stop and wait for a couple of dog sleds to cross in front of me.
Dave M came from church with communion for Stan and me a little while ago. That is always nice. And I got to see Stan through Dave's eyes. Dave hadn't seen him for about 3 weeks, and he marveled when Stan rubbed his eye with his right hand. Dave said it was way better than the last time he saw him use it. So each day does bring improvement, but when I am right there each minute, I tend to not see it. PTL for each added strength.
The OT and I got Stan into the sling and moved him to the recliner by ourselves on Friday, and then Pete and I got him back to bed later.
Today, I had to call Angie for help to pull him up in bed so I could feed him. There were no guys available and when he scoots down in the bed, it bends in the wrong place for him to be sat up. This is a constant problem with anyone who is stuck in bed. That is why his head got hit in the hospital...he was being pulled up!!
Hopefully, any excitement in my future updates will be caused by Stan learning new things, and not by me trying to see what else I can make a mess with!!!
Love, M
First, it is another beautiful day in paradise. Gorgeous blue sky sunshine that makes me want to go dig in the dirt.....except my dirt is still covered with snow and ice.
I really am busy....24/7.... that is quite a "number" but it really is a good picture of my time. So, just in case I have an extra minute or two, I have devised some interesting ways to use them.
First, I caught the vacuum beater bar in a fight with a throw rug....and they both "lost." The rug lost a long piece of yarn, and the vacuum lost its ability to run until the yarn was removed. This was my job....if I wanted to continue cleaning the floors. I used scissors, tweezers, screw drivers, whatever I could get my hands on....and did manage after a LOOOOOOOOOONG time, to make the appliance worthy of its hire again.
Not to be outdone, the dryer thought of something even more fun for me to do. Someone (I can't imagine how this happened!!) washed a disposable diaper and dried it, too. All was well until I went to empty the lint screen. It refused to give up its abundance of loot....I tugged. It held tight. I tugged, and eventually I came up with an EMPTY lint screen.... The dryer thought it had won the tug of war. The lint screen area was so full, I could not pry it loose. I had to find something (turns out the handiest thing that was narrow enough and sturdy enough for the job, was the crank for Stan's bed!!) I used it to pry open (gently, gently so as not to break anything) the area, and while holding it open (about an inch or less) I was able to get my fingers in and pull out the diaper remnants. It only took a dozen or so times of reaching in, readjusting the crank, etc...to finally make the dryer see it My Way....and so also be functionable again.
To give Stan his meds in his stomach tube, there is a syringe that I put the little opened pointed end into the glass of meds and pull them up into container...works just like any syringe. Only this one has a rubber end that seals the container as I pull it up. This rubber or something only lasts about two weeks....more like ONE week. Then it begins to be almost impossible to pull up or to push back down when I put the pointy end into Stan's tube. I, being rather practical or miserly, want to use it until it absolutely won't work any longer. Today was THAT DAY! I was pulling the meds up into the container when the rubber part came loose from the plunger/puller and so as I was pulling with all my might!!!! it now released with a suddenness that caused the glass of meds to explode all over........my jeans and shirt, the curtain and window, the rug, the cabinet, the recliner, the table...and therefore everything on the table including the adorable get well card Luke made Papa..... I not only had a major clean up project, but I had to start over with the meds....meaning dole out the correct doses of ten different meds, crush them up to a powder, mix them with water so they could go thru the syringe and Stan's tube....
The "good" thing was, I had NOT yet given him any of his morning meds, so I didn't have to wonder what and how much of what he had already got. Wheeee! THAT is a big big relief!!
(I did not ....do not.... use or even think a bad word!! Even tho Phil and Isaac might think otherwise!! If you've never heard about my "cussing" incident with them....well, it was like this:
We were leaving Applebee's parking lot one night a couple of years ago. The car ahead of me was taking too long to pull into the street, so I .... who always "reads" license plates...said, "Okay, ESL, let's go." Suddenly Phil is dramatically looking all around. I ask him what he is doing. He says, "I'm looking for the four white horses. When my mother starts cussing, it must be the apocolyse!" I have to "rerun" my thoughts to see what he thought I had said. Apparently, ESL sounded a bit "iffy." Isaac agreed...saying that he wasn't going to comment, just thought maybe I forgot he was in the car. )
So, my clothes have been changed, the rug has been scrubbed with rug cleaner, a towel, some peroxide, and another towel. The table, chair, etc have been wiped clean, but I still have the curtain, window, and window sill to clean. Since they are easily "out of sight, out of mind" I tended to forget until now that I still have some more of my mess to take care of. Ce L'vie!! I have found a few other fun things to do, but they weren't quite as messy as this was. Like forgetting to turn the lever and open the tube when administering meds once, and because the "old" thing was so hard to push sometimes, didn't realize this time was hard to push because it was sealed shut!!! I managed to push hard enough that I "blew the safety cap off" and spewed stuff out unto his bed. I bet I will find something even more entertaining for my next report!!
Katrina and Ashley came with Andy yesterday for a short visit. They spent the day selling hats for Kathy's husband John. It was a beautiful blue sky day for the beginning of the Fur Rhondy (Anchorage's winter time CARNIVAL). But it was still cold enough that the girls' hands got mighty cold. Katrina said it was hard to make change or write, etc. They'll be selling again next Saturday when the Iditarod starts.
Luke and Grace stayed home because that little Varmit has been running a pretty high fever for 3 or 4 days. Tomorrow he comes to the doctor unless he is way better.
Isaac celebrated his cousin Jake's b'day (and his dad's) by going to Hatcher Pass with Jake. I haven't seen him yet to know how he did. Pete did get them for church this morning.
Pete got a job, but now he needs to get a life.............(whee, some moms are never satisfied!!) He is running large equipment for a snow removal outfit. The first night on the job, the foreman had all the other employees come watch him operate the rubber tired back hoe. He's been working 16 to 20 hours a day since he started. I guess they were really behind the eight ball .... He has "built a mountain" of snow where they dump, where before they were just dumping with no "plan" and when they ran out of room, they'd find another lot to dump in. Or something like that. But I am worried about his lack of sleep. He did tell me that he gets to be the one to haul snow downtown for the start of the Iditarod. This always intrigues me.... snow is removed from the streets and then it is put back for the race. I would imagine that after the ceremonious start of the race, the streets have to be once again cleared of snow. Where else but in Alaska!! I still am amazed at the closeness of the "last frontier" and the big city life here. I remember one night going to the post office after work and then driving home... I had to stop for an airplane to cross the street in front of me near the post office, and then on my way up my road to home, I had to stop and wait for a couple of dog sleds to cross in front of me.
Dave M came from church with communion for Stan and me a little while ago. That is always nice. And I got to see Stan through Dave's eyes. Dave hadn't seen him for about 3 weeks, and he marveled when Stan rubbed his eye with his right hand. Dave said it was way better than the last time he saw him use it. So each day does bring improvement, but when I am right there each minute, I tend to not see it. PTL for each added strength.
The OT and I got Stan into the sling and moved him to the recliner by ourselves on Friday, and then Pete and I got him back to bed later.
Today, I had to call Angie for help to pull him up in bed so I could feed him. There were no guys available and when he scoots down in the bed, it bends in the wrong place for him to be sat up. This is a constant problem with anyone who is stuck in bed. That is why his head got hit in the hospital...he was being pulled up!!
Hopefully, any excitement in my future updates will be caused by Stan learning new things, and not by me trying to see what else I can make a mess with!!!
Love, M
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)