March 5th, 2012   Day 24

 Oh, nuts!  I just about had today's blog done and something happened and it's all gone! 

Yesterday was a busy day, several visitors, thank you.  Today has been an interesting day.  Began with the surgeon coming in to check Jim out and tomorrow they are going to pull the tubes out of three of the open incisions on his right thigh and abdomen so they can tell how much they are healing.  The nurses that change the dressings are saying that they are healing nicely.  The hospital coordinators are encouraging a move to rehab on Wednesday but I'm not sure the surgeons think that Jim is ready.  He needs the tubes out first and there is the one on the left that may come out tomorrow because it has a different type of drain.  All very interesting.  He has lost a lot of fluid and his legs look like legs rather than tree stumps now. 

We appreciate the visitors we've had even though Jim still falls off to sleep now and again.  I'm thankful for the opportunity to just sit and watch him.

It was another red letter day.  Jim is able to sit up on the edge of his bed all by himself (still needs a little lift getting legs back up, but that is a big accomplishment as he couldn't even pick his feet up to walk 3 weeks ago.  He also, took 6 steps, sat down and rested, got up and took 15! more steps toward the door.  Said he was going home.  That took a lot of effort and he has been drifting off to sleep all afternoon.  Said he thought he could lick a momma cat today, instead of 3 kittens yesterday.  He has been a trooper all through this ordeal.  Never complains, not even about the food.

You Thursday night guys and you know who you are, are going to be eating tofu pizza and sugar free candy from now on!  The cafe where Jim has coffee with his buddies are next on his list.  But I think the D Q is still on his ok list, just has to be a child size butterscotch dipped cone.

It has been an experience being sheltered in here.  We don't watch tv and if we do turn it on, we realize nothing has changed, just the names.  Temperature is a constant 71 degrees, people wait on us, it's kinda like Hawaii.  Naaaaaaaah!

We'll keep you up to date tomorrow as the moving date is on the near horizon.  Visiting hours are pretty strict.  You can check the place out by going to: www.legacyhealth.org/rio.

Those of you suffering from colds right now, get better and I will be praying for you.  Take care of yourselves.

Love you,
Judy