Back home

Although Dwight's goal is return to our Cape Cod home in west Columbus, he calls Mill Run home. He has been there, with many visits to the hospital interspersed, since last March.

After our adventure this weekend at Grant, he started the new week at Mill Run. He arrived mid afternoon Sunday and had to go through all the admittance procedures, again.

I was enjoying Isaac's 11th year celebration while Dwight was being transferred. We had all enjoyed a wonderful meal and conversation around the antique oak table that at one time celebrated birthdays at Dwight's parents house, then in our large dining room in Leetonia, and now continues on at the Hennhouse. The younger four cousins were at the kids table, lively, non stop conversation going on there to the point that none of them finished their meal. It was fun to observe, the boys had their own conversation, and the girls theirs, both unaware of the other conversation.

Just as plates were being cleared away Dwight called in a panic. The hospital had sent the old prescription list back (the same one we had to fight with them to get updated at Grant). And then, a nursing home Doctor, who has never seen Dwight, looked at it and decided that his pain meds and one other drug were too high and halved them. Why, oh why, do those in the medical profession make their decision on only what they see right in front of them and not look at the whole picture(aka history)? I am sounding like a broken record. (For those of you old enough to remember what happened with a badly scratched record, I am sure you are smiling!)

I really wanted to watch Isaac open his gifts, but I am well aware of my husbands need for me to be with him and help fight these battles. In his room were three Mill Run employees, 2 nurses and one of our favorite aids, in her last year of study to be a nurse. The one nurse was in charge (I had not meet her before), she was going to follow the drug orders, they were fine with her. I demanded to see them, I immediately recognized they were the OLD ones, with multiple hand written changes. I calmly explained her what was what, including getting the right paper work from Grant ASAP. Also that this was not Dwight's nursing home Doctor and I wanted them to follow the orders written by his nursing home Doctor, including calling her if necessary. It took about an hour, two cups of coffee, chocolate (both for me), alittle nagging and things were back to normal. I must say the aid was a great encourager to Dwight and I.

Several residents welcomed me back, saying they missed me. Not quite sure how to interpret that as a couple of them have dementia.

Things are not dull, ordinary or uneventful in the Shirey family and all branches thereof.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ISAAC. MY FAVORITE: 11 year old, middle grandson and Isaac.