February 29th Wednesday Day 19 of the next 50 years.
Sorry to everyone waiting for 3 days for me to let you know how Jim is doing. I couldn't remember how to get to my blog (!) and google wouldn't tell me my password. I had to wait for our daughter to come bail me out again! It's been a busy, busy 3 days and I will try to catch you up. Sunday nite he came off Progressive Care and critical care list to the 2nd floor. Monday morning the liason from Rio Rehab came in and discussed possibly being transferred the next day. Wow! I got all our things packed up ready to go Tuesday when they would discharge. Tuesday the physical therapy lady came in and got Jim to sit up on the edge of the bed, then transferred to the recliner, did some arm strengthening exercises with his left arm. They had just that morning put a picc line in for his antibiotics when he left here. Then she asked him to try to lift his bottom off the chair by hanging onto the walker, just to work on his strength and up he stood all by himself! The look on his face was awesome to behold. He surprised himself as much as us and we all burst into tears. Then he sat down, caught his breath and did it again! Alright! We are ready to get outta here and get rehabilitated. Our daughter and her husband decided it was time to go home and get back to work, so off they went.
The infectious disease doctor decided they needed to go in and drain off as much of infection as they could so an ultra-sound this morning connected the infection in the leg and deep in the right side of the abdomen together. This afternoon he went to surgery and had 2 incisions in the rt thigh and 1 in his lower rt abdomen, they drained as much as they could get to and now he has drain tubes for awhile Tomorrow the radiologist will come in and drain the smaller back areas. Jim is feeling a lot of pain in the incision sites but should feel some relief on his right side now. Yesterday he was almost tubeless and now he is back to several.
This has been almost surreal and I am still trying to absorb how critical it is and what a long road we have to go, but I know our God is in control and we are trusting Him to carry us through. Will leave you with one of the verses given to him:
"This I command of you to be strong and courageous, do not be discouraged or afraid, for the Lord your God is with you." Joshua 1:9
Will let you know when he is up to visitors. Right now the docs want him to rest and regain some strength back. Thanks to all of you.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Sunday, February 26, 2012
February 26th Sunday, 16 days into our next 50 years!
Jim's word for the day - "Today is the day of the Lord and I shall rejoice in it"!
Jim got to move downstairs to a huge room with a long cushy seating area for me to sleep on. But
before he could get too settled down they discovered there wasn't a Hoyer lift and that was not going to work, so off down the hall again with his entourage following behind we ended up in Rm 233 only to discover this room wasn't very comfortable either, probably because he brought his bed with him, he has one of the few extenders they could find. Last night was not a good night though. His back gives him a lot of pain and even the meds don't always help. He rolls from side to side and we stuff pillows and then restuff them. Today they are going to get him up in the chair to eat so he's hoping that will be more comfortable.
If you haven't gone off to church already give me a call and hopefully he will be up to more company today. Several family members were here yesterday so we'd love to have friends come, especially those who haven't been able to get up here yet.
Please pray specifically for the infection to continue to decease & desist along his spine and lower back. He said he could do a lot if it weren't for that pain. Swelling in legs, especially the right one, is slowly diminishing. Thank you for your prayers for me. Rest is sometimes sporadic, but once I am up & cleaned up I feel pretty perky until about 9am! Just kidding.
Also, would you put my sister-in-law, Sherry, in your prayers too. She fell off her bike and broke the ball joint in her left elbow. She has a good sense of humor too and said she has a new souvenior from Florida. Thanks again to all of you.
Don't forget to pray for a safe and successful mission trip for all those going to India tomorrow. Let us know if you have prayer requests, too. We all have some pain we are dealing with and God uses others too to help in the healing process. I think I learned that in the Genesis Process somewhere!
Jim's word for the day - "Today is the day of the Lord and I shall rejoice in it"!
Jim got to move downstairs to a huge room with a long cushy seating area for me to sleep on. But
before he could get too settled down they discovered there wasn't a Hoyer lift and that was not going to work, so off down the hall again with his entourage following behind we ended up in Rm 233 only to discover this room wasn't very comfortable either, probably because he brought his bed with him, he has one of the few extenders they could find. Last night was not a good night though. His back gives him a lot of pain and even the meds don't always help. He rolls from side to side and we stuff pillows and then restuff them. Today they are going to get him up in the chair to eat so he's hoping that will be more comfortable.
If you haven't gone off to church already give me a call and hopefully he will be up to more company today. Several family members were here yesterday so we'd love to have friends come, especially those who haven't been able to get up here yet.
Please pray specifically for the infection to continue to decease & desist along his spine and lower back. He said he could do a lot if it weren't for that pain. Swelling in legs, especially the right one, is slowly diminishing. Thank you for your prayers for me. Rest is sometimes sporadic, but once I am up & cleaned up I feel pretty perky until about 9am! Just kidding.
Also, would you put my sister-in-law, Sherry, in your prayers too. She fell off her bike and broke the ball joint in her left elbow. She has a good sense of humor too and said she has a new souvenior from Florida. Thanks again to all of you.
Don't forget to pray for a safe and successful mission trip for all those going to India tomorrow. Let us know if you have prayer requests, too. We all have some pain we are dealing with and God uses others too to help in the healing process. I think I learned that in the Genesis Process somewhere!
Saturday, February 25, 2012
NEWS FLASH, NEWS FLASH, NEWS FLASH
As of 6pm tonight Jim has been taken off the critical care list!!!!
He is being transferred to Two South in the same hospital. THANK YOU JESUS & ALL YOU FAITHFUL FAMILY AND FRIENDS FOR YOUR PRAYERS.
This does not mean he is ready to get up and dance, but that he has improved enough to move a little closer to the door. Monday we will talk to the drs. about the next step. Possible to the Rio Rehab Center around 22nd & Burnside. Will keep you up to date as we get the word.
I always cry when I'm happy so if this blog is tear-stained you know I am ecstatic. Just keep praying for complete recovery sooner than anticipated.
I will certainly be a prayer warrior if you need it, I just talked to another wife whose husband has been here 7 weeks with brain anyerism (sp) and she is an awesome Christian and we spent time talking about how awesome our God is even in painful circumstances. Genesis has been a good preparation for this situation. We have been leaning on all of you and knowing that this situation was in His hands according to His will.
As of 6pm tonight Jim has been taken off the critical care list!!!!
He is being transferred to Two South in the same hospital. THANK YOU JESUS & ALL YOU FAITHFUL FAMILY AND FRIENDS FOR YOUR PRAYERS.
This does not mean he is ready to get up and dance, but that he has improved enough to move a little closer to the door. Monday we will talk to the drs. about the next step. Possible to the Rio Rehab Center around 22nd & Burnside. Will keep you up to date as we get the word.
I always cry when I'm happy so if this blog is tear-stained you know I am ecstatic. Just keep praying for complete recovery sooner than anticipated.
I will certainly be a prayer warrior if you need it, I just talked to another wife whose husband has been here 7 weeks with brain anyerism (sp) and she is an awesome Christian and we spent time talking about how awesome our God is even in painful circumstances. Genesis has been a good preparation for this situation. We have been leaning on all of you and knowing that this situation was in His hands according to His will.
Today is Feb.25, 2012 Jim's comment for the day is this: Happiness is a good bowel movement!!
Yup, I will take his sense of humor any way I can get it. Thank You, God for my husband.
Yesterday he had an MRI to see if there has been any changes in the infection and it is improved a little, not a lot, but not worse. The neurosurgeon is pleased, so we are pleased. His right leg is still quite swollen, but he is able to move it a bit more and quite a range of movement in his left leg. The infection is in the muscle of his right hip and thigh. Because he is so big and swollen too, he had to have meds to relax and meds for the pain in his lower back to do the MRI, he wasn't a lot of fun yesterday. Actually, he slept most of the day. The night before was a lot of turning and interruptions, so he needed it. Monday they (all of the doctors will decide next plan of attack). When they feel he is ready he may be moved within the hospital or to a rehab center where he will get the attention he needs to build his strength back up. Therapists should be in today as he was out of it yesterday.
I appreciate so much that so many of you are following his progress on this blog. Please feel free to forward it on to those who I haven't gotten to in his contact list. We are still keeping visitors down to a minimum because it tires him to talk (did you ever think that would happen)! Now I can get a word in edgewise, but he wants a sign he can hold up saying "shub up", that one of our granddaughters taught us to say.
We are very thankful and blessed and will never take anything for granted again. The doctors, nurses and cnas have been so caring to all of us. He is sleeping again so the therapists should be here any moment or it'll be time for some test or shot. Will fill you in later or tomorrow. Sing a song of praise for us tomorrow.
Yup, I will take his sense of humor any way I can get it. Thank You, God for my husband.
Yesterday he had an MRI to see if there has been any changes in the infection and it is improved a little, not a lot, but not worse. The neurosurgeon is pleased, so we are pleased. His right leg is still quite swollen, but he is able to move it a bit more and quite a range of movement in his left leg. The infection is in the muscle of his right hip and thigh. Because he is so big and swollen too, he had to have meds to relax and meds for the pain in his lower back to do the MRI, he wasn't a lot of fun yesterday. Actually, he slept most of the day. The night before was a lot of turning and interruptions, so he needed it. Monday they (all of the doctors will decide next plan of attack). When they feel he is ready he may be moved within the hospital or to a rehab center where he will get the attention he needs to build his strength back up. Therapists should be in today as he was out of it yesterday.
I appreciate so much that so many of you are following his progress on this blog. Please feel free to forward it on to those who I haven't gotten to in his contact list. We are still keeping visitors down to a minimum because it tires him to talk (did you ever think that would happen)! Now I can get a word in edgewise, but he wants a sign he can hold up saying "shub up", that one of our granddaughters taught us to say.
We are very thankful and blessed and will never take anything for granted again. The doctors, nurses and cnas have been so caring to all of us. He is sleeping again so the therapists should be here any moment or it'll be time for some test or shot. Will fill you in later or tomorrow. Sing a song of praise for us tomorrow.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Ok, now that I have a breather I will try to tell you all why Jim is in the hospital without all the gory details. We were in Hawaii for the very first time for our 50th wedding anniversary! We were having a wonderful time with our daughter and son-in-law. We were on the last day of the cruise which was Feb. 10th, our anniversary and instead of going to dinner (I was all dressed up with someplace to go!) & Jim decided he wanted to stay in bed (sounds pretty romantic doesn't it?), I thought I was giving him the shakes & chills, but alas! he was really ill. The next day we disembarked & it was a looooong day walking to the bus, to the plane, sitting hours in the terminal, 6 hours on the plane, 2 hours from plane to daughter's house. Sunday we spent all day in Everett ER & received lots of pain meds, a CT SCAN for a back problem (I guess). Jim sat around all day Monday and Tuesday morning when he decided we needed to drive home. 8 hours later, after stop & go traffic we arrive home! Next day we go to a chiropractor for a back adjustment, not too helpful, so we go back the next day! Doc adjusts his back & tells me to take him directly to the ER (Kaiser at Sunnyside) because he is concerned he may have had a "minor stroke"! After several hours, and an Ultra-Sound he was discharged. He could not walk by now and had to be lifted into and out of the car. His 2 brothers helped get him into his recliner. Oh yes, he was diagnosed with diabetes because his count was 400! Now this concerned his other daughter and granddaughter from Salem so they stayed with him while I got his diabetes meds. Our granddaughter works for an oncology doctor in Dalles, OR and she was educating him on how to use his meds when the ER doc called and said to get him right back to emergency because he had a "raging urinary tract infection"! You know you are in trouble when 3 of you cannot get him out of his chair to his feet. Ok, lets call an ambulance where you spend several more tense hours in the ER, before they admit him to Progressive Care on the 3rd floor.
Because he is really ill most of his family are there stat! He is finally diagnosed with sepsis all through his body and he has pockets of infection along and between his L3 - S2 vertebrae as well as in his lower muscles. Doctor said as soon as the neurosurgeon came to check him out he would be going into surgery NEXT! to drain the infection away from his spine. Wait a minute! This doctor is scaring the hell out of us, no, no, no he can't be this sick. Just give him a pill and let me take him home! Hours later and lots of people on lots of prayer chains, the neurosurgeon comes in and looks him over, pokes, prods, pushes, exposes and decides he will hold off and see how he is doing tomorrow and we don't want to be any more invasive at this time. "PRAISE GOD, THANK YOU JESUS" could probably be heard all over the hospital!
Next day, hours later, can't really remember as I am numb, the Infectious Disease doctor comes in and tells us that Jim has an E-coli bacteria but it is not a resistant bacteria so now we just need to find out if it is the same in the blood as in the urinary tract so they can treat it with 1 antibiotic rather than a full spectrum. He told us it will be at least 6 weeks on contiuous intravenous antibiotics and then several weeks of therapy in a rehab facility and then home care. Probably a year to complete healing.
It is one bacteria, he is responding well to the antibiotic, he is looking better, sitting up more and today therapists are going to work on getting him into the chair, etc.
Signing off for now. PRAYER IS STILL APPRECIATED. His family needs him - he's got a lot of unfinished business on his "honey do" list!
Feb.24,2012
Thursday was a very busy day. Therapist came in and tried to get him to stand with a walker. Have you ever seen 2 little women (I wasn't one of them) try to get a 309lb guy(he has lots of fluid, he weighed 248 when we left for Hawaii) to get his bare backside out of bed? They finally had to get this funny little lift (forgot its name) & belted him in under his arms and pump it up until he was standing. Then they could move him around at will, (not particularly his choice of wheels, but he was moving), got him into a recliner where he held court most of the day. He had several visitors, mostly family, pop in and by mid afternoon he was pretty weary. Putting him back in that contraption and back into bed was pretty exhausting for him, so Shelly & I kept guard in the lobby. He didn't want us to leave last night so I slept really well on this little window bench and Shelly slept in the recliner. During the night I felt Shelly put more blankets on me and thanked her in the morning. Jim said they weren't trying to keep me warm, just trying to muffle me! How rude! Thank You, God that he feels like picking on me.
At 9:45 this morning he is going down for another MRI to see how much he has benefitted from the meds. So if you are seeing this please pray that there is much improvement, especially the pockets around the spine. The neurosurgeon is still pleased with his ability to move his legs a little more each day and said he would be in about 6pm with the results of the MRI.
Jim has just started singing, "have you every seen a laddie go this way & that way" etc, etc, etc. I hope I will never, ever again get tired of hearing him say funny things. I will never think the same about people who have to go to the hospital again. I will try to be more pro-active. In a week or so I should be able to guide anyone to the cafeteria. I am trying to make light of this very serious time because I cannot even think of the alternative.
I have not had too much time to look at e-mails or to respond, but appreciate all of you who check this blog site who care so much for our family. Will try to post the MRI results tonight.
His sister brought a sign with scripture "I can do everything through Him who gives me strength."
Amen & amen.
Because he is really ill most of his family are there stat! He is finally diagnosed with sepsis all through his body and he has pockets of infection along and between his L3 - S2 vertebrae as well as in his lower muscles. Doctor said as soon as the neurosurgeon came to check him out he would be going into surgery NEXT! to drain the infection away from his spine. Wait a minute! This doctor is scaring the hell out of us, no, no, no he can't be this sick. Just give him a pill and let me take him home! Hours later and lots of people on lots of prayer chains, the neurosurgeon comes in and looks him over, pokes, prods, pushes, exposes and decides he will hold off and see how he is doing tomorrow and we don't want to be any more invasive at this time. "PRAISE GOD, THANK YOU JESUS" could probably be heard all over the hospital!
Next day, hours later, can't really remember as I am numb, the Infectious Disease doctor comes in and tells us that Jim has an E-coli bacteria but it is not a resistant bacteria so now we just need to find out if it is the same in the blood as in the urinary tract so they can treat it with 1 antibiotic rather than a full spectrum. He told us it will be at least 6 weeks on contiuous intravenous antibiotics and then several weeks of therapy in a rehab facility and then home care. Probably a year to complete healing.
It is one bacteria, he is responding well to the antibiotic, he is looking better, sitting up more and today therapists are going to work on getting him into the chair, etc.
Signing off for now. PRAYER IS STILL APPRECIATED. His family needs him - he's got a lot of unfinished business on his "honey do" list!
Feb.24,2012
Thursday was a very busy day. Therapist came in and tried to get him to stand with a walker. Have you ever seen 2 little women (I wasn't one of them) try to get a 309lb guy(he has lots of fluid, he weighed 248 when we left for Hawaii) to get his bare backside out of bed? They finally had to get this funny little lift (forgot its name) & belted him in under his arms and pump it up until he was standing. Then they could move him around at will, (not particularly his choice of wheels, but he was moving), got him into a recliner where he held court most of the day. He had several visitors, mostly family, pop in and by mid afternoon he was pretty weary. Putting him back in that contraption and back into bed was pretty exhausting for him, so Shelly & I kept guard in the lobby. He didn't want us to leave last night so I slept really well on this little window bench and Shelly slept in the recliner. During the night I felt Shelly put more blankets on me and thanked her in the morning. Jim said they weren't trying to keep me warm, just trying to muffle me! How rude! Thank You, God that he feels like picking on me.
At 9:45 this morning he is going down for another MRI to see how much he has benefitted from the meds. So if you are seeing this please pray that there is much improvement, especially the pockets around the spine. The neurosurgeon is still pleased with his ability to move his legs a little more each day and said he would be in about 6pm with the results of the MRI.
Jim has just started singing, "have you every seen a laddie go this way & that way" etc, etc, etc. I hope I will never, ever again get tired of hearing him say funny things. I will never think the same about people who have to go to the hospital again. I will try to be more pro-active. In a week or so I should be able to guide anyone to the cafeteria. I am trying to make light of this very serious time because I cannot even think of the alternative.
I have not had too much time to look at e-mails or to respond, but appreciate all of you who check this blog site who care so much for our family. Will try to post the MRI results tonight.
His sister brought a sign with scripture "I can do everything through Him who gives me strength."
Amen & amen.
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