In the Hospital Again

Saying good morning to Dwight this morning, I had feeling we were in for 'it' again. But he often sounds tired and his conversation is a little off before breakfast. But about 40 minutes later he called and asked me to come see him, he needed to talk. Normally he knows I babysit Esther Faith on Tuesday, but he had either forgotten that or that it was Tuesday.

Pastor Tim had stopped in to see him before he went to dialysis and he immediately knew some was wrong and talked to me when he realized Dwight was have difficulty holding the phone and communicating. After talking to him and the nurse, we knew another infection had descend on my dear husband.

Off to Grant Hospital again. And again some in the ER thought he was having a stoke or something.... Please listen to me, I know what an infection does to my husband, please start the testing--find it and treat it.

We were there by 10:3o, it wasn't till 4 that they gave him a broad spectrum antibiotic. It was 6:30 when he got to a room. No food, no drink, no pain meds all day. But the infection was affecting him so that he wasn't aware of the pain. It was 8:30 before I was asked all the admitting questions. Gr-r-r.

Dwight also told me that he has been getting antibiotic shots at the nursing home for about four days, I knew nothing about that. I do believe I should have been told, and I will be calling tomorrow.

Dwight was sleeping when I left, he gets another dose of antibiotics at midnight, hopefully we will see some improvement. Also, they are to get him into dialysis first thing in the morning, three days without is one to many.

Thanks Pastor Tim for your help and thanks to all friends and family for the prayers going up.

Pity Party

I am hosting a Pity Party, all are welcome, altho' I know few will attend. Every once in awhile it is necessary, then you move forward.

First off, Dwight is doing quite well. It seems the antibiotic did its job, he is pretty much back to his normal. He is going to a new pain management Doctor on Friday. We are praying they can get him on a better management than he is on now. Someone at the nursing home, who doesn't see him to discuss his pain, keeps changing his drug program.

My self pity list:

1) I have been using Dwight's desktop PC since mine got sick, but his has limited hard drive and keeps yelling at me.

2) In the fall the dryer quit. Just stopped being helpful. You can faintly hear the heating element come on, but no tumbling is happening. Took the back off the dryer, the belt is intact and there is no fuse. Just a no go show boat. Not an overly big deal, I just hung some clothes line in the basement, dug out the clothespins, a fan and hang the clothes.

3) Just before Christmas my blue tooth printer decided to go off line. And of course the CD ROM is no where to be found to reload in the PC and get the printer to do its job. Gr-r-r

4) This morning I tried to run the dishwasher, it is very full of very dirty dishes. It is (was) a good dishwasher, a Maytag, you don't have to rinse your dishes dishwasher. It has been moved four times and still ran well, mostly. It is at least eighteen years old. Sometimes the door won't shut tight, it gets caught on the counter top. It was installed by Dwight in the wheelchair and an elderly gentleman from down the street so a couple hiccups are acceptable. Till this morning, the door wouldn't close tight--at all. As I tried the usual tricks the door removed itself partially from the dishwasher and now will not close or open completely. Just kinda hanging there. I truly appreciate the knowledge God gave someone to invent the dishwasher, and I am one who greatly enjoys that blessing. Guess it is time to shop. From somewhere where they install without spending a fortune . Guess I keep hanging my laundry for now.

I could list many other of life's challenges, but those are the ones that are causing me frustration today.

Thanks for attending my party, there is still coffee in pot, nice and hot--it works fine. Want a cup?

Getting Better

Thursday they changed Dwight's antibiotic and we started seeing improvements. He has been given this antibiotic by IV twice a day and by Sunday afternoon he was definitely better.

He had both Doctors visit him again on Friday, both presenting their opposite ideas to him. At this point neither will be used.

Dwight had several visitors from Church yesterday afternoon which served to put him in a great mood. I am not sure I can say the same about the Steeler's loss in the evening tho'.

It is planned for Dwight to return to Mill Run this afternoon. The IV antibiotic will be administered as a shot there.

I thank the Lord for his recovery from this round and to all of you who prayed for us, we really appreciate it and know it helps. This round has really wore me out, would love a couple normal days, but I know better.

Now to finish getting the Christmas decoartions taken care of......

What to do?

I can not honestly say I am seeing any improvements in Dwight. He is alittle more awake, but not totally understanding what is being said to him. It could be that the board spectrum meds just aren't doing much because he is resistant to them, or it could be that he is just so bad.

One Doctor has suggest one extreme that I don't believe Dwight could handle, and is a kinda like locking the barn door after the horse is stolen. Another Doctor suggest something totally in the opposite direction. They can't be further apart. I just don't know what to do. I have prayed with no answer. I have searched the scripture and felt like I was studying a math book when it is a history test I am going to take. I have prayed some more. Mostly, "God this is your man, your servant. You know better than any Doctor what is going on and what needs done. Please show us your will." And I wait, we all wait. It is hard on all of us: wife, children, in-law children and grandchildren, and extended family. My Mom worries so and wants to be here.

They finally got a result from the urine culture this AM and will start on a new antibiotic. We will see. How much more must my dear husband suffer? I love him so and miss the 'real Dwight'.

God, please, show us what is your Will.

At the Hospital Again

When I spoke with Dwight Monday morning I knew we having a problem. I hoped I was wrong, but about 12:30, in the middle of making mac n cheese from scratch, I got the dreaded call. Off to ER, all the classic symptoms of a bad infection. Only they didn't tell me his urine was mostly blood.

He didn't arrive until after 1:30. And it turned into a mostly waiting day. He didn't leave for a room till 1:30 in the morning. They did a chest X-ray, was the same spots they always see and declared pneumonia. A CAT scan and lots of blood work. The scan did show a serious problem, but no one worked on it till this morning in dialysis. Not something a dialysis RN does, but did, thank you.

Several DRs in, waiting on cultures to grow on the blood work, Dwight was given a general antibiotic in the ER. He continues to sleep, not eating or drinking anything. Another waiting game....

I have received several posts on Facebook of people praying, We thank all of you.

Flattery will get you what?

It was very crowded as Karin, the kids and I walked and enjoyed the lights at the Zoo, cold too. Isaiah and I walked together, as Karin, Isaac and Esther-Faith led the way. As we walked Isaiah told me that not only did I not look my age I didn't act it. Smiling in the dark, I felt like telling him that his Christmas present was already ordered and on its way. Then he landed a homeroom, he told me that he didn't know any Grammies (how many does he know?) that not only own an Iphone, but know how to use it as well or as much as I do.

Many he does need another gift.....

As Christmas approaches, Dwight continues the much same. His pain is more intense as he now has more joint issues but continues on the same amount of pain meds, which aren't giving him enough relief. With all the room changes he has had this year he is back in the same room as he was in last Thanksgiving and Christmas.

We know God is in control, even when we don't even come close to understanding. One day Dwight will be healed and pain free, in the mean time we praise God for His love and Salvation and strive to serve Him as He requests.

I am thankful I was able to get Dwight a Kindle and the NIV Bible loaded on it so he can continue to read God's word. He also has a favorite author and I have bought him several of her novels.

Merry, blessed CHRISTmas to all. The gift of redemption, born in a stable, is truly the reason for our celebrations.

Ramblings

For the few of you who regularly check my blog--and have found nothing lately--I apologize. My brain and ambition have also been missing some what lately. I know there are 'definitions' and lots of advice on curing/handling it. I know them, I counselled them, so I don't need them repeated to me. Thanks anyhow. It just is where I am now, but I don't intend on staying there. Life and stress can do that to you sometimes. And for those of you who know well, you know I am not just sitting in my stupor, but things are still getting done. Sometimes I get more done in a day than a person who is at their norm. Pity party over. Thanks for reading and not responding to it.

Dwight continues at the Care Center (AKA Nursing home). He is moved regularly it seems to different rooms, often to the confusion of family and friends who can't keep up. He has been in three different rooms in the last month. He is currently in room 121, a private room, although we are not, nor are we going to pay for a private room. He is not there at our request but because of the remodeling to 'old' rooms now that the new wing is open. The heavy push, verbally to move Dwight to another nursing home ended when Dwight and I continually insisted on a written request to move him. (When and why in writing please.) It seems we stirred something up. He was told he can stay. BUT not in a private room. That is out of my pay scale. I would like back all the time I spent going to many different nursing homes, making phone calls, and actually starting the paperwork. Not to mention the stress on both of us and the kids.

While in the first of three rooms Dwight was carrying a fever, after much requesting they ran a culture on his urine and found two UTI's. Yes, two. One related to MRSA. Took two more days to start antibiotics. After a week of antibiotics there were to test again, but it keep being put off. Now there is another complication. More waiting. And while waiting, he is really missing seeing the grandchildren, who aren't allowed in with the contagious infection. Not seeing family on BIG holidays is hard on anyone.

There is always fun stuff happening when you are a grandparent. Esther Faith has declared that I am her friend, a high honor indeed. Aurora declared (and is upset) that I am not old enough to have white hair mixed in with my blonde. Isaiah has decided that I don't like him as much as the rest because he isn't as cute as them. (Doesn't being very handsome, kind, loving and bringing me Tim Horton's count for anything.....?) And the other two, what fun to watch them interact, they are such great friends and share their own special jokes and laughter.

And speaking of Tim Horton's....so love that I was 'carded' (Golden Buckeye card) to get the senior discount. Sweet, naive boy thought I was 38. :).

I had a great trip home to New York and celebrated my 60th birthday (again) with my family there. Enjoyed so seeing everyone. There just wasn't enough time to converse with everyone, I need to head up again for some more time with every one. We even has snow for me, loved it. Can't have my birthday (Oct 29) without snow.

Now we are mostly caught up. My sewing/embroidery machine and lots of projects are calling me.....