This old dog can learn new tricks

As I was folding towels a couple of days ago, I suddenly realized that I had spent almost 43 years taking great care in making sure the tags on the towels were on the inside of the folded towel, not sticking up like a little tongue wagging at me. What a waste of my freaking time! I would actually unfold a towel or wash cloth and refold it to have the tag out of sight. The previous day I was at Walmart and saw a clump of white washcloths, 18 for $3.50, which I promptly threw into my basket. You really cannot have too many 19 cent white washcloths. Personally, I like cheap washcloths better anyway. So, now I'm folding all these items and after carefully dealing with the tag on about 3 of them, I had my moment of clarity. I immediately got up and went to fetch the scissors and cut the tag off every towel and wash cloth in sight. Talk about freedom! Do I live on the edge, or what?

From now on I intend to have the scissors with me when I fold towels. And not just to cut off the long strings that wrap themselves around other items. Don't tell me you can't teach an old dog new tricks!

A few words about the grands

Gage broke his foot almost three weeks ago. He was at the "end of soccer" party at McDonald's and another child fell on his foot. So, he has a cute little blue cast on it. He also has a little blue boot to wear while walking. The doctor didn't want him to go to school for at least a couple of days, so Wendy stayed home with him the first day and then he stayed with me the next day. There was a lot of television watching going on...in fact, he finally got tired of it and wanted to draw. We got out papers and crayons and he made a book of himself in different scenarios. They were very interesting and I don't know what made him think of them. He drew some of them and gave me detailed instructions for drawing others. At one point he said, "At least I'm not watching t.v."

Gage and Zane got haircuts recently. They got "gelled" and their hair was pushed up in the front. It looked really cute. Gage never liked it when Wendy tried to push his hair up, he would brush it back down. But, I think he liked the way it looked when they did it at the barber shop. They came to Carolyn's house from the barber shop and we all ate supper with Carolyn and Brent. When they were leaving and we were giving hugs and kisses, Gage said, "Don't mess up my hair." I haven't seen it pushed up since then, however.

Carlee was really sick a few weeks ago. She had viral bronchiolitis. She was too sick to cry for about a week. The pathetic looks she gave us would break your heart. It looked like she was pleading for help. She took nebulizer treatments and finally felt well enough to cry a little after a week. Since then she has rallied back and is keeping Carolyn busy trying to get enough food in her. She's added cereal to her diet and this week has started on peas. Carolyn made all of Kate's food and she is doing the same for Carlee. Carlee loved the peas, by the way. She made Carolyn give her more!

Kate continues to escape the house and play outside. Last week, when it was cold she went out, apparently right after a meal (see photo with stocking cap and bib.) I guess she put on the stocking cap herself, because I'm pretty sure none of us would have let her out without putting a jacket on her.

11-29-07 Update on Wayne

Wayne had good news today. The doctor who was worried about the pacemaker said that everything looks good. The issue that had worried him had resolved and it looks like there should be about five years of usage left in the current pacemaker. So, it looks like no more surgery for Wayne this year! Obviously, we are very happy to get that news. Now we just have to wait a little longer for the pathology report to find out whether or not chemotherapy will be necessary. We should hear something soon. I called earlier this week and was told that the final report takes about six weeks.

Just wanted to let you know the good news.

11-27-07 Update on Wayne

Wayne is progressing nicely, for those of you who are still checking in to this site. He is tired a lot, but we suspect it has something to do with the Chantix...the stop smoking drug, as well as the residual effects of the surgery and anesthesia. This morning he was up and out of the house before 7. Quite a change from yesterday when he didn't leave until 11:30.

Tomorrow, November 28, will be five weeks since the surgery. We still haven't gotten the pathology results, so we don't know whether or not he will require chemo. He has an appointment with the cardiologist on Thursday. The reason for the visit with the cardiologist is to check on his pacemaker. The resources were somewhat depleted during the surgery, so it needs to be replaced. Geez!

11-9 Update on Wayne

Wayne is greatly improved from a week ago, but is still taking it very easy. He has walked to the office from our house on a couple of days. He has done seed sales work there for several hours and then he walks home. One day he had just under a mile on the pedometer. Then the next day he had about half of that. The doctor had told us that he would have good days and the occasional bad day. These bad days, however, are so much better than the days in the hospital that they hardly qualify as bad days...just days when he does less walking and spends more time in bed. A friend picked him up yesterday and took him to lunch, and another one did the same today.

Probably the thing that is the most difficult, especially at night, is that he can't get more than 2-3 hours of sleep at a time. He has to get up and empty the pouch that frequently. Tonight he wants to hook the pouch to a bottle or bag (made for this purpose) so he can get more continuous sleep.

I really don't have to do that much for him at this point, so my failure to blog (or do much of anything else) has less to do with him and more to do with trying to get on track again. I'm not that motivated to clean house or do mundane chores at the best of times, but I usually manage to get it done. For the past few weeks my "schedule" has been interrupted and I am having some difficulties getting myself focused. I just have to make myself some new rules and stick to them. I have to do that periodically and it usually helps get me going in the right direction again. I really need to do it.....NOW!

Thanks, once again, to all of you for your support. It has made this very difficult transition a little easier.

11-3 Update on Wayne

Friday, November 2

It was great to get Wayne home yesterday. We got discharged by 11:00, but it took until after 12 to get a cart to shuttle Wayne and his stuff down to the car. I had been sending plants and flowers home with Brent for a couple of days, so we had only one plant to take with us. The plants and flowers are really beautiful...now. I need to get the mums planted, but the ground is pretty solid out there. I haven't done any work in the flowerbeds since spring.

Anywhooo, the trip home was very smooth and only took 65 minutes. I surprised Wayne with a new recliner for the bedroom. Figured he'd be more comfortable watching TV from the chair rather than the bed. He really seems to like it.

He still isn't eating much...a one-year old would consume more food than he is right now, but that is supposed to be normal. According to the information we've been given, his appetite will return after a couple of weeks. So far, his favorite food has been an apple. Still, he only eats one or two slices at a time. He's supposed to drink about 64 ounces of water a day from now on. That will be a real challenge for him. He's working on it, though. He hasn't had a cigarette since October 23 and really hasn't acted like it's bothering him. He has a prescription for Chantix, but he hasn't started taking it yet. Since nausea is a possible side-effect, he wants to wait a little longer before he starts the regimen.

All in all, I think the day went as well as it could have. He walked out to the barn and fed the horse and walked out to the mailbox with me and around the driveway.

Saturday, November 3

Wendy and Kelly and the boys came over this morning for a visit. Wayne and Kelly and the boys walked out to the barn to feed the horse. It would have made a cute photo if I had run outside to take it. The photo I did take was when the boys were horsing around inside the house. That's Zane on top of Gage, who's on top of a giant stuffed reindeer.

Wayne is continuing to walk around the house. He put on my micro-fiber loop houseshoes so he could dust the floor as he walked. I told him I wanted to make sure he had something to hold onto in case he slipped, so I gave him the dust mop. Safety first!

He had Raisin Bran for breakfast, a very small amount of pot roast, gravy, potatoes & carrots, and 1 slice of apple for lunch and half a grilled cheese sandwich and a slice of apple for supper. Not much, but it is a slight improvement. Robin and Chad came by and she brought him a couple of peanut patties, so he dug right into one of them. I loaned him my pedometer so he could tell how much he walked.

About 4:00 we drove down to visit the kids. We went to the Bubela's first. When we were ready to leave, Wayne walked across the field to the Garner's. We were back home by about 5:30. By then Wayne had walked over 3000 steps and he was pretty tired. So, I fed the horse for him and then made his (Wayne's, not the horse's) supper.

I think he's doing as well as can be expected. I think I am, too. I'm not known for my patience for patients. Usually, I'm good for a couple of days, but then people need to get on the road to recovery.

11-1 Update on Wayne

At last, we're going home! I asked Wayne how he was feeling and the video in this blog was his answer. Don't worry, he's not going to give up his day job...I don't think lip-synching is one of his talents.

He's still finding it difficult to eat...nothing tastes right to him, plus he doesn't have any appetite at all. For lunch today, he ordered a hot dog, with chili on the side and cheetos. The size of the wiener was a little intimidating, as you can see in the photo. Well, I'm trying to add the photo...so far, I'm not having any luck. If you see it, I got lucky.

He does seem to have a bit more energy. Of course, the bar hasn't been set too high over the last week. I think he's ready to go home, though, to begin this new chapter. Thank you to all of our family and friends for the care and concern that you have shown. Thank you for the prayers, the visits, the phone calls, the flowers and cards. Your support has made a big difference and we'll never forget it.

I'll try to update again tomorrow to let you know how the transfer from hospital to home goes.