Arlene visited in the early afternoon. she called me on the way home to report he was having a second good day in a row. This is the first that has happened since this whole thing started.
He had a new, and temp occupational therapist who she said was really really good, and had an overall good impression about his future and ability to recover further.
He of course asked Arlene for Dim Sum....lol.
I showed up a couple hours later with that. Didn't stay or long because he was in his afternoon nap. He sat up and looked at the clock and said its 3:30 in the afternoon. BINGO! First time hes recognized daylight, time and been able to put it together so easily and quickly. I quiz him on that all the time. what time is it? And what part of the day? For some reason he is always thinking its nighttime and I should be in bed. i never go at night because I could never find a parking spot when I got back or probably a bus - or the right bus....I havent ridden the bus in a month.
Mary Jane apparently showed up shortly after me, so he had a lot of visitors yesterday.
Haight was hilarious last night with all the Halloween stuff. My favorite was a couple walking down the sidewalk in 70s exercise clothing resembling Olivia Newton John in Lets Get Physical.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Friday, October 28, 2011
10/28 Good day
I had a good grounding conversation with Arlene yesterday. Thank you, Arlene. I struggle so much with am I doing enough, am I giving enough, then am very hard on myself if I feel I am not. The whole holding onto expectations thing, while recognized its a self created obstacle, was not getting resolved That conversation helped give me some clarity, and when I spontaneously broke into Doris Day Que Sera Sera while walking Buck last night, I figured I was on my way to getting rid of that.
As a part of my hopeful planned getaway to the forest, I spent a lot of time on amazon last night looking for a good spiritually grounding book to keep me company. Located a great used bookstore across the street from the dim sum place, so stopped today and jammed through the metaphysical section. I was specifically going to find a copy of A Course in Miracles, but the only copy they had was a used older publication and not the one I was looking for. A LOT of people have a hard time getting through this book, and I really wanted to lay my hands on it and read a little bit of it to see if it was something that resonated with me. It comes with some sort of workbook that apparently a lot of people have to use to even comprehend what they are reading. Im leary of this requirement, so although I have a close to $100 in points to spend at Amazon, I thought Id look at it here first. This version has the workbook separate - and frankly its easy for me to read and comprehend as its something Ive been working on for a while - but still not the all in one I was hoping to find so I pass. Turned around and saw the Tao of Pooh, which Carolyn really enjoyed and mentioned she thought I might too, so I grabbed that. Its a short book probably a full day read...definitely wouldn't get me through a 3 day forest stay. Sort of dug around looking for something else and saw Conversations with God...which Ive read...but really like a lot. Its close to the same message as Course in Miracles. But when I pick it up I reallize its book 2 - not book 1. Im not sure Ive read book 2. Open it up to the first page and it says:
uhhhhh......SOLD! Grabbed a used copy of Tao of Pooh as well, as I AM kind of a Taoist at heart, and know it will be lighter. Book 1 I had to digest a page at a time...sometimes a paragraph at a time. It is a slow read, and the Tao I know I can probably focus on longer.
Got there just as he was taking his last bites of lunch. He was expecting his physical therapist, Roel, any minute. Apparently Roel came at least once and saw I was there and gave us 15-20 minutes to visit...I didn't see him because Richard was making me cut his toenails and we were having a discussion about spirituality and beliefs. Richard believes in NOTHING. We are the only beings, on the only planet and what you see is what you get. That's it. I got pretty deep with him and he said it was a hard conversation to have because he had so much to say but it was difficult to get the words. I'm going to start that conversation with him again later at some point. When I got home a girlfriend had sent me a link to a new PBS series on Catholicism which looks amazing, and is supposed to be shattering. I think that is probably meant for him.
When Roel comes back he says hello, and again says that he is doing so well, and I had a brief chat with him about Richard being completely zombie the day after I saw him last. He said yes, he does get that way somedays but all in all he sees him on a slowly progressive UP slope. Even when he has bad days, Roel says he will still get up and walk 50 feet or so for him.
Today however was a very good day. I filmed it today so that I know I'm not an insane person with unrealistic reality. He really does have these incredibly good days...and when they are good he is in a state that is BETTER than he was prior to the stroke.
I knew immediately when I arrived that this was one of those days. I can just tell from his posture, eye contact and speech patterns. He was in the house. I told him immediately I could tell he was doing well and asked if he was trying to do self markers and could he discern that today he was a little bit more together than a couple days ago and he said 'oh yessss...didnt you just see me get up and walk to my bed?' I did. This is like how he was on the last hes doing great day report. I asked how HE can tell hes better and he says hes more balanced and focused.
I don't have the time or wherewithal to go through and edit these videos and splice them together so you can just watch the whole enchilada. In the beginning I'm laughing because he took off like a rocket before I could even press record, and he was staring at the camera hamming as he was going by. You'll notice that after he returns to a seated position his blood pressure is perfect. In the beginning of this journey his blood pressure would have been VERY low.... You'll also notice he is moving his feet much better.
To top all of this off, today he was able to completely arrange himself in bed on his own...and by that I mean he lifts his own legs into bed, and then readjusts until hes straight in bed, then uses the headboard to pull himself up. Mentality he still needed some ques on what to do to his bed, and still needs me to place his hand at the headboard. I merely put his knuckles to it and then he finds the top of it on his own and pulls himself up. And the left is flailing unable to discern if he is at headboard or top of mattress.
Irregardless of all of this, when he has these days, he is in a better physical state than he was pre-stroke. Need the mind to come along for the ride.
I mostly kept this because that is his Chinese roomate speaking to Buck saying Good Boy! He was deathly afraid of Buck in the beginning. I didn't want to be disrespectful and film his face but you can hear his voice. He was doing loops on his walker around the floor getting some exercise. I ran into him a bit later when I went to nuke the lotus package thing and he thought I it was for Buck...expressed by a double pointing to the food and then Buck and saying ohhhhhhhh GOOD boy! HAHA!
As a part of my hopeful planned getaway to the forest, I spent a lot of time on amazon last night looking for a good spiritually grounding book to keep me company. Located a great used bookstore across the street from the dim sum place, so stopped today and jammed through the metaphysical section. I was specifically going to find a copy of A Course in Miracles, but the only copy they had was a used older publication and not the one I was looking for. A LOT of people have a hard time getting through this book, and I really wanted to lay my hands on it and read a little bit of it to see if it was something that resonated with me. It comes with some sort of workbook that apparently a lot of people have to use to even comprehend what they are reading. Im leary of this requirement, so although I have a close to $100 in points to spend at Amazon, I thought Id look at it here first. This version has the workbook separate - and frankly its easy for me to read and comprehend as its something Ive been working on for a while - but still not the all in one I was hoping to find so I pass. Turned around and saw the Tao of Pooh, which Carolyn really enjoyed and mentioned she thought I might too, so I grabbed that. Its a short book probably a full day read...definitely wouldn't get me through a 3 day forest stay. Sort of dug around looking for something else and saw Conversations with God...which Ive read...but really like a lot. Its close to the same message as Course in Miracles. But when I pick it up I reallize its book 2 - not book 1. Im not sure Ive read book 2. Open it up to the first page and it says:"Thank you for coming. Thank you for being here.
You are here by appointment, true; but still, you could have failed to show up. You could have decided not to. You chose instead to be here, at the appointed hour, at the appointed place, for this book to come into your hands. So thank you."
Got there just as he was taking his last bites of lunch. He was expecting his physical therapist, Roel, any minute. Apparently Roel came at least once and saw I was there and gave us 15-20 minutes to visit...I didn't see him because Richard was making me cut his toenails and we were having a discussion about spirituality and beliefs. Richard believes in NOTHING. We are the only beings, on the only planet and what you see is what you get. That's it. I got pretty deep with him and he said it was a hard conversation to have because he had so much to say but it was difficult to get the words. I'm going to start that conversation with him again later at some point. When I got home a girlfriend had sent me a link to a new PBS series on Catholicism which looks amazing, and is supposed to be shattering. I think that is probably meant for him.
When Roel comes back he says hello, and again says that he is doing so well, and I had a brief chat with him about Richard being completely zombie the day after I saw him last. He said yes, he does get that way somedays but all in all he sees him on a slowly progressive UP slope. Even when he has bad days, Roel says he will still get up and walk 50 feet or so for him.
Today however was a very good day. I filmed it today so that I know I'm not an insane person with unrealistic reality. He really does have these incredibly good days...and when they are good he is in a state that is BETTER than he was prior to the stroke.
I knew immediately when I arrived that this was one of those days. I can just tell from his posture, eye contact and speech patterns. He was in the house. I told him immediately I could tell he was doing well and asked if he was trying to do self markers and could he discern that today he was a little bit more together than a couple days ago and he said 'oh yessss...didnt you just see me get up and walk to my bed?' I did. This is like how he was on the last hes doing great day report. I asked how HE can tell hes better and he says hes more balanced and focused.
I don't have the time or wherewithal to go through and edit these videos and splice them together so you can just watch the whole enchilada. In the beginning I'm laughing because he took off like a rocket before I could even press record, and he was staring at the camera hamming as he was going by. You'll notice that after he returns to a seated position his blood pressure is perfect. In the beginning of this journey his blood pressure would have been VERY low.... You'll also notice he is moving his feet much better.
To top all of this off, today he was able to completely arrange himself in bed on his own...and by that I mean he lifts his own legs into bed, and then readjusts until hes straight in bed, then uses the headboard to pull himself up. Mentality he still needed some ques on what to do to his bed, and still needs me to place his hand at the headboard. I merely put his knuckles to it and then he finds the top of it on his own and pulls himself up. And the left is flailing unable to discern if he is at headboard or top of mattress.
Irregardless of all of this, when he has these days, he is in a better physical state than he was pre-stroke. Need the mind to come along for the ride.
At the end he said "that's for sure". His blood pressure was now slightly elevated 138/90something
I mostly kept this because that is his Chinese roomate speaking to Buck saying Good Boy! He was deathly afraid of Buck in the beginning. I didn't want to be disrespectful and film his face but you can hear his voice. He was doing loops on his walker around the floor getting some exercise. I ran into him a bit later when I went to nuke the lotus package thing and he thought I it was for Buck...expressed by a double pointing to the food and then Buck and saying ohhhhhhhh GOOD boy! HAHA!
Thursday, October 27, 2011
10/27 Thursday's bonus
Just got a call from a great guy named Dr Filanosky (fill a
NOW ski) VA x4864
He was calling to follow up with concern about depression
with Richard. He's in the PCP clinic but
specializes in rehabilitation, and was expressing concern that depression could
have a profound impact on his ability to rehab.
Wanted to make sure it was being addressed, and reach out to
provide his contact information in case we needed him to advocate.
LOVE THE VA!
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
10/26 VA
Dr Avins expects recovery to be 6mo to 1 year !$#@!%
His heart is amazingly great, got a chest xray today preliminarily the tech is like meh not so bad! there is a little rattle going on. Also got a full blood workup.
Tunnell is just so amazingly disappointing. They send paperwork that is impossible to follow and not even a current meds list. He gave up and said forget it, I'll just call them...AFTER being baffled by some decisions that were obviously going on.
We spoke to a social worker for sometime about everything, and while it was helpful, in the end we need to wait until Arlene has the Medicaid in hand to talk seriously. for sure the culmination of that is going to be to get him the hell OUT of Tunnell. I think that has just run its course. No one can say for sure that he is even getting therapy because they don't even keep logs. They say trust me....right...when pigs fly. I brought it up in the beginning of the month, and they are still not logging it.
He has been very agitated and disoriented. I mentioned it a week or more ago and they order a urinary tract infection test...it comes back clean and they drop it...so it just gets worse. Last night he called around 6pm frantic saying I need to speak with you as soon as possible. Today at lunch I think I garnered that he might have actually called 911...but last night at around 9 the night shift nurse called me to ask if he called and tell me hes confused. that she notified the Dr. The same nurse that ordered the UTI screen a week or more ago....the same Dr that wrote the orders and then did nothing to follow up. I swear the actual medical care here borders on malpractice.
They took him off Zoloft and put him on a different one....but its a different class...and they did absolutely no weening whatsoever to get him off the zoloft.
I'm kind of at a breaking point here..like I want to reach into someones chest and pull out their spleen....with my teeth.
We are back at the VA on the 7th for Neurology / Parkinsons follow up. After that one Im out of here for a short bit to the middle of nowhere where its just me, Buck, giant trees and stars. I need to have a discussion with God. I'm pretty sure he lives in the Sequoia National Forest.
For what its worth, Buck is pretty sure everything is going to be alright. He keeps telling me that. I wish I could roll with the punches as well as he does.
And for those of you that know him...today is John 3's 22nd birthday. Hows THAT to make you feel old. Hes spending it under the ocean only god knows where. I look forward to the day when we don't need him or anyone else to be responsible for a warhead.
His heart is amazingly great, got a chest xray today preliminarily the tech is like meh not so bad! there is a little rattle going on. Also got a full blood workup.
Tunnell is just so amazingly disappointing. They send paperwork that is impossible to follow and not even a current meds list. He gave up and said forget it, I'll just call them...AFTER being baffled by some decisions that were obviously going on.
We spoke to a social worker for sometime about everything, and while it was helpful, in the end we need to wait until Arlene has the Medicaid in hand to talk seriously. for sure the culmination of that is going to be to get him the hell OUT of Tunnell. I think that has just run its course. No one can say for sure that he is even getting therapy because they don't even keep logs. They say trust me....right...when pigs fly. I brought it up in the beginning of the month, and they are still not logging it.
He has been very agitated and disoriented. I mentioned it a week or more ago and they order a urinary tract infection test...it comes back clean and they drop it...so it just gets worse. Last night he called around 6pm frantic saying I need to speak with you as soon as possible. Today at lunch I think I garnered that he might have actually called 911...but last night at around 9 the night shift nurse called me to ask if he called and tell me hes confused. that she notified the Dr. The same nurse that ordered the UTI screen a week or more ago....the same Dr that wrote the orders and then did nothing to follow up. I swear the actual medical care here borders on malpractice.
They took him off Zoloft and put him on a different one....but its a different class...and they did absolutely no weening whatsoever to get him off the zoloft.
I'm kind of at a breaking point here..like I want to reach into someones chest and pull out their spleen....with my teeth.
We are back at the VA on the 7th for Neurology / Parkinsons follow up. After that one Im out of here for a short bit to the middle of nowhere where its just me, Buck, giant trees and stars. I need to have a discussion with God. I'm pretty sure he lives in the Sequoia National Forest.
And for those of you that know him...today is John 3's 22nd birthday. Hows THAT to make you feel old. Hes spending it under the ocean only god knows where. I look forward to the day when we don't need him or anyone else to be responsible for a warhead.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Its midnight....do you know where your uncle is?
I do....hes calling me saying he needs me to help him get up.
Sent from my Samsung Epic™ 4G
Sent from my Samsung Epic™ 4G
Monday, October 24, 2011
10/24 VA bound soon
There is no place I feel more safe than the woods. The smell of the dirt, pine needles, ferns...I can feel the age of the trees and always stand in awe. Maybe Im a repressed druid.
The touristy part turns me off, Id rather experience it on my own and on my own terms, but the entire area was incredible.
While we were adventuring Nicky was visiting with Richard.
Yesterday I had lunch with Arlene, Lee and Bill. We all met at Richard for a visit then headed back to Castro for a meal. Richard was angry at the world. He is pissed hes not getting any rehab, but its Sunday...there are no therapists on Sunday. He insists on getting in his chair and then insists we push him. This of course pisses me off. We get to the roof and oh the sun is too warm and in his face, his chair is uncomfortable, move chairs move positions - we did this merry go round for 5 minutes and then left. He made Arlene feed him lunch...he was disappointed I didn't have dim sum.
Castro meal was nice. Message of the day was Andrea needs to work through her expecations issues. I admit I do. I came here for a purpose and hes not cooperating.
Today I brought the dim sum...AND I found his chili paste he wanted. He was more affable, but none the better.
It pains me to say it, but I do not think Richard is coming home.
His VA PCP replied to my email on Friday, and we're going at noon on Wed. Im hoping they will intake him.
Saturday, October 22, 2011
10/22...from another point of view
I spent the ENTIRE day across the bridge, and Nicky went to see him today.
I'm posting her report without asking her...sorry Nicky!
I'm posting her report without asking her...sorry Nicky!
Well,
I just got home from my nice visit with Richard. He cried a little when I told
him about poor Rain having to be put down. :[ He completely understood
everything that I was telling him. He is definitely in there, but when he
talks, his speech is somewhat garbled and he told me that he is having trouble
getting the words out of his head (aphasia). He is also aware that he is having
trouble with volume modulation. I had to tell him to speak up and I am not hard
of hearing. I was amused by his Albert Einstein hairdo. He asked for a mirror
to see what I was talking about and he also seemed amused. He is a bit thinner
and more frail then the last time I saw him. I emphasized about fifty times
that he has to make an effort to get better and get the hell out of that place.
I truly believe that his swallowing issues etc. could be helped with general
body exercise. The stronger his body, the stronger his mind and ability to get
other things moving. If I had unlimited funds, I would hire a full time
personal trainer/physical therapist/life coach. Of course, the Parkinson's is
having an impact along with the stroke, but he has to fight a lot harder to get
a lot better. He mentioned that he was going to the VA tomorrow to the
Parkinson's clinic. It wasn't until I left that I realized that tomorrow is
Sunday, so either he's going another day or he thinks he is. He said that he is
only taking Parkinson's meds, but he also told me that he asks the nurse for
sleep meds, which I hope they are only giving him at night. He was asleep when
I got there. The double vision thing is just so awful..for him not to be able
to read has to be utterly maddening. He also mentioned that he is not aware of
what is happening in the world, so I told him about Ghadafi and the troops
coming home from Iraq, and how Obama is now a right-winged hawk because he took
out Mubarak, Bin Laden, and Ghadafi. We laughed a little about that, so I know
he's really in there, just trapped by his poor little body and quite probably
his own inertia.
Friday, October 21, 2011
10/21 better
General upswing today
i asked him what is the difference? this is mental clarity Im talking...and just gerneral wherewithal...
He says I have no idea - I cant even tell a difference. When people say I am better or worse I have no idea what they mean because I feel the same. I asked him to please try to start gauging and judging himself daily so he could have his own personal markers. He asked don't the nurses keep that - and I had a long talk with him about being responsible about his own rehab, because he wasn't rehabbing for the nurses, and what they thought might be completely different than how he feels. He is so stuck on the point system.
Today he was in his wheelchair at the nurses station when I got off the elevator there he is. I guess he was talking to Bella about loosing his phone, and she asked me to fill out a form for Igor. He had his new one on a lanyard around his neck.
He looked like he was about to get up - I mean put his hands on his armrests and started to shift forward I said whoa where are you going - he was just readjusting himself in the chair. Bella says this is VERY good. She was very pleased to see that. He was sort of stuck on the corner of the station and despite me asking him to wheel himself he said he just got done wheeling around the universe and asked to hold his dim sum and my drink so I could push him....so push I did.
He got himself on the edge of the bed to eat...then he got up and moved to sit on his bedside commode and eat from there. He was having a hard time picking the food up to eat but he ate most everything. He really loves the siu mai from there...but always asks me for a chili paste. I asked today and they don't have it..I probably ought to bring some rooster sauce up there one of these days.
His posture is horrible right now. slumping a lot. his left and right are equally weak
He moved himself back into his bed, and I asked him to move himself closer to the head before he laid down and he did that on his own a few inches at a time. Then he took his own shoes off and put them away under the commode and asked me to help him lay down. I asked him to do it and use his muscles. He did a little bit. but was sideways. He used the headboard to pull himself up and I straightened his body. Gave him a shave...had the talk about gauging himself, about me going to Napa tomorrow, his expected visitors tomorrow, the earthquake - which he was SOOOO happy I was here for (grumble mumble)...he thinks I have NOW had a complete San Francisco experience :/
I had to get out of there because of the time and where I parked...and I got some much needed cleaning up here done today.
Tomorrow morning early I'm off to Napa with MY Bill and his partner Chris. I have no idea where we are going, but they asked me to come with them and rent a car... I said I'll drive and they said they'd pay. Whatever it is I'm sure its going to be fabulous. One of my most favorite people on earth. I'm picking them up at 9 and I'm sure I wont be home until late. Going to just bring Buck with me and leave him in the car. He is SOOOOO soft from his bath yesterday I cant keep my hands off him. I swear he rolls his eyes at me.
and on the same animal front I met the owner of the pet store down the hill on Fillmore today at Alamo Square. Had a great conversation with her about foods, then we walked out of the park together and I was explaining my situation here....I mention meeting her to Richard and he says oh shes a good buddy!Polo's picture is in her window, I was probably one of her best customers. So I just had a conversation with her explaining my uncles situation and the whole time she knows exactly who he is.
Best thing I garnered out of it was where to buy my favorite food (The Honest Kitchen) - Pet food Express if you can believe that~! I ran out a couple weeks ago and hes been on more kibble and canned and he gets bored stiff with it...plus its got a lot more fillers than Honest Kitchen...but I couldn't find honest Kitchen anywhere.
His eyes seem to be clearing up. I cant believe how bad he reacted to sprouted grain bread?! his teet is still red but staying under a bandaid with antibacterial ointment for now.
He just loves visiting Richard, and Richard get a kick out of sharing his meal with him. spoiled rotten.
Ill try to get a video on Sunday
i asked him what is the difference? this is mental clarity Im talking...and just gerneral wherewithal...
He says I have no idea - I cant even tell a difference. When people say I am better or worse I have no idea what they mean because I feel the same. I asked him to please try to start gauging and judging himself daily so he could have his own personal markers. He asked don't the nurses keep that - and I had a long talk with him about being responsible about his own rehab, because he wasn't rehabbing for the nurses, and what they thought might be completely different than how he feels. He is so stuck on the point system.
Today he was in his wheelchair at the nurses station when I got off the elevator there he is. I guess he was talking to Bella about loosing his phone, and she asked me to fill out a form for Igor. He had his new one on a lanyard around his neck.
He looked like he was about to get up - I mean put his hands on his armrests and started to shift forward I said whoa where are you going - he was just readjusting himself in the chair. Bella says this is VERY good. She was very pleased to see that. He was sort of stuck on the corner of the station and despite me asking him to wheel himself he said he just got done wheeling around the universe and asked to hold his dim sum and my drink so I could push him....so push I did.
He got himself on the edge of the bed to eat...then he got up and moved to sit on his bedside commode and eat from there. He was having a hard time picking the food up to eat but he ate most everything. He really loves the siu mai from there...but always asks me for a chili paste. I asked today and they don't have it..I probably ought to bring some rooster sauce up there one of these days.
His posture is horrible right now. slumping a lot. his left and right are equally weak
He moved himself back into his bed, and I asked him to move himself closer to the head before he laid down and he did that on his own a few inches at a time. Then he took his own shoes off and put them away under the commode and asked me to help him lay down. I asked him to do it and use his muscles. He did a little bit. but was sideways. He used the headboard to pull himself up and I straightened his body. Gave him a shave...had the talk about gauging himself, about me going to Napa tomorrow, his expected visitors tomorrow, the earthquake - which he was SOOOO happy I was here for (grumble mumble)...he thinks I have NOW had a complete San Francisco experience :/
I had to get out of there because of the time and where I parked...and I got some much needed cleaning up here done today.
Tomorrow morning early I'm off to Napa with MY Bill and his partner Chris. I have no idea where we are going, but they asked me to come with them and rent a car... I said I'll drive and they said they'd pay. Whatever it is I'm sure its going to be fabulous. One of my most favorite people on earth. I'm picking them up at 9 and I'm sure I wont be home until late. Going to just bring Buck with me and leave him in the car. He is SOOOOO soft from his bath yesterday I cant keep my hands off him. I swear he rolls his eyes at me.
and on the same animal front I met the owner of the pet store down the hill on Fillmore today at Alamo Square. Had a great conversation with her about foods, then we walked out of the park together and I was explaining my situation here....I mention meeting her to Richard and he says oh shes a good buddy!Polo's picture is in her window, I was probably one of her best customers. So I just had a conversation with her explaining my uncles situation and the whole time she knows exactly who he is.
Best thing I garnered out of it was where to buy my favorite food (The Honest Kitchen) - Pet food Express if you can believe that~! I ran out a couple weeks ago and hes been on more kibble and canned and he gets bored stiff with it...plus its got a lot more fillers than Honest Kitchen...but I couldn't find honest Kitchen anywhere.
His eyes seem to be clearing up. I cant believe how bad he reacted to sprouted grain bread?! his teet is still red but staying under a bandaid with antibacterial ointment for now.
He just loves visiting Richard, and Richard get a kick out of sharing his meal with him. spoiled rotten.
Ill try to get a video on Sunday
Thursday, October 20, 2011
10/20 earthquake
I felt that effer...whole house just jumped....then as its swaying back and forth and Buck is looking at me like WTF was that....I'm thinking what if that was bigger? Im out the door in my underwear thats what.
I'm sleeping in my clothes....Even if CBS 5 says its an aftershock....AND packing a backpack from now on.
All you Cali people can say that was no big deal, but holy shiznit, I don't like it! Complete loss of control. Feel the same way about being in the middle of the ocean. Colorado, Virgina, Texas...thought they had moved away for my stay...
10/20 No...not really
the very next day he was slipping. i brought him requested Dim Sum - he was verry off.
I mentioned to nursing staff they ordered a urinary tract infection test. He gave urine right there.
Today he was even worse. Couldn't concentrate on anything and very little thinking ability. Analysis results were not in yet.
He did, however, have the wherewithal to call me in the afternoon to say happy earthquake. I guess he felt it, but I did not. I was either in the car, or giving Buck a bath, or not in the waves.
His replacement phone is here and activated.
Buck either has an infection, or is having a pretty sever allergic reaction to me giving him sprouted grain bread treats...his eyes are very gunky...his body is not a fan of grains but his mind is a fan of eating anything that is edible. He also has a teet that is red and inflamed - had blood on it last night so I cleaned and shaved it and put a bandaid on it :/ That has me more than worried. Lord help me if he has cancer. Was hoping a good bath to get the grime off him might help him feel better.
Bill Burge and his partner are in town for a wedding. Going to spend Saturday with them.
Yesterday marked 7 weeks in SF for me.
I mentioned to nursing staff they ordered a urinary tract infection test. He gave urine right there.
Today he was even worse. Couldn't concentrate on anything and very little thinking ability. Analysis results were not in yet.
He did, however, have the wherewithal to call me in the afternoon to say happy earthquake. I guess he felt it, but I did not. I was either in the car, or giving Buck a bath, or not in the waves.
His replacement phone is here and activated.
Buck either has an infection, or is having a pretty sever allergic reaction to me giving him sprouted grain bread treats...his eyes are very gunky...his body is not a fan of grains but his mind is a fan of eating anything that is edible. He also has a teet that is red and inflamed - had blood on it last night so I cleaned and shaved it and put a bandaid on it :/ That has me more than worried. Lord help me if he has cancer. Was hoping a good bath to get the grime off him might help him feel better.
Bill Burge and his partner are in town for a wedding. Going to spend Saturday with them.
Yesterday marked 7 weeks in SF for me.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
10/18 really?
Jesus its a war out here! Just when I'm about to give up the flank the reinforcements come....and that man has indeed not given up.
Egg McMuffin and a cinnamon bun and a cup of coffee packed this am. He devoured the McDonalds.
Im drilling him on whats been going on with him and his progress and he asks to take his blood pressure. Its 122/82. He then wants to get up and get in his chair and move around. Hes standing says take it again, are you dizzy? No.....but ends up sitting down and taking it again....125/86....WHAT?!
Just about that time the occupational therapist sees me and Buck standing in the door and comes over to say that he has been SUPER stable and rapidly improving. WHAT?! Yeah his tremors are almost non existent, in his left and hes been much better at his fine motor skills exercises. o.O
His physical therapist is standing at the nurses station and the update from him reflects thee same - hes walking 150 feet easily with little to no interruption due to dizziness. WHAT?!
I go back to Richard and say WTF - you were ready to throw in the towel a few days ago and now everyone is reporting to me that you are doing better now than you ever have been. He says - I know...funny how circumstances work out that way isnt it....
Good lord.
For the record I went to sleep saying I need to get the fuck out of here last night. This is the biggest spiritual and emotional battle I have ever encountered. When he expresses disinterest in moving forward I say well wtf am I doing here? this has been going on back and forth for a couple of weeks.
But today he is eating like a horse, he is drinking some of my coffee and not choking or coughing once - totally down the hatch. Says he feels like hes been smoking pot hes so hungry all the time. Hes also very thirsty as well, and nothing is ever cold enough.
We went to the roof and I made him do a world of Richard update video, and I cant find the darn thing on my phone now.. :/ His basic message to everyone was that he is having a hard time a
answering the question 'How are you doing today?' He says in comparison to what? Before? yesterday? an hour ago? And he is having a hard time remembering his tasks in swallowing - two hard swallows after a drink - but he was on it today. Maybe this is a small break through in that at least he recognizes this,and now it is on his mind. His volume of his voice is another concern.
Back down to his room, and he stands up - walks to his dresser, gets his electric razor out of the top drawer, sits down...hands it to me....WHAT?>!
Give me a break! Hes like almost normal today.
I gave him the best mustache trim yet, shaved, nature boy'd his face with cream, his lunch came and so did his speech therapist and he ate again.
2 hour easy visit today, and I only left because I needed to - he wasnt pushing me out.
Hes lost his phone - for good. Arlene has ordered a new one should be a week or so.
Egg McMuffin and a cinnamon bun and a cup of coffee packed this am. He devoured the McDonalds.
Im drilling him on whats been going on with him and his progress and he asks to take his blood pressure. Its 122/82. He then wants to get up and get in his chair and move around. Hes standing says take it again, are you dizzy? No.....but ends up sitting down and taking it again....125/86....WHAT?!
Just about that time the occupational therapist sees me and Buck standing in the door and comes over to say that he has been SUPER stable and rapidly improving. WHAT?! Yeah his tremors are almost non existent, in his left and hes been much better at his fine motor skills exercises. o.O
His physical therapist is standing at the nurses station and the update from him reflects thee same - hes walking 150 feet easily with little to no interruption due to dizziness. WHAT?!
I go back to Richard and say WTF - you were ready to throw in the towel a few days ago and now everyone is reporting to me that you are doing better now than you ever have been. He says - I know...funny how circumstances work out that way isnt it....
Good lord.
For the record I went to sleep saying I need to get the fuck out of here last night. This is the biggest spiritual and emotional battle I have ever encountered. When he expresses disinterest in moving forward I say well wtf am I doing here? this has been going on back and forth for a couple of weeks.
But today he is eating like a horse, he is drinking some of my coffee and not choking or coughing once - totally down the hatch. Says he feels like hes been smoking pot hes so hungry all the time. Hes also very thirsty as well, and nothing is ever cold enough.
We went to the roof and I made him do a world of Richard update video, and I cant find the darn thing on my phone now.. :/ His basic message to everyone was that he is having a hard time a
answering the question 'How are you doing today?' He says in comparison to what? Before? yesterday? an hour ago? And he is having a hard time remembering his tasks in swallowing - two hard swallows after a drink - but he was on it today. Maybe this is a small break through in that at least he recognizes this,and now it is on his mind. His volume of his voice is another concern.
Back down to his room, and he stands up - walks to his dresser, gets his electric razor out of the top drawer, sits down...hands it to me....WHAT?>!
Give me a break! Hes like almost normal today.
I gave him the best mustache trim yet, shaved, nature boy'd his face with cream, his lunch came and so did his speech therapist and he ate again.
2 hour easy visit today, and I only left because I needed to - he wasnt pushing me out.
Hes lost his phone - for good. Arlene has ordered a new one should be a week or so.
Monday, October 17, 2011
10/17 Hello world
This is a one way communication vehicle for the most part. I spend a lot of time writing updates, and chronicling my life here, with little to no feedback. Because of this it becomes something I'm doing for myself not for anyone else.... and sometimes I just dont feel like spending the extra hour and a half of my life writing here...sorry.
If there is any major update or change i will be sure to post it here.
For now, Richard remains the same. Somewhat uninvolved in his rehab, and other days wanting more.
His vision and mental clarity seem to be better to me. His physical state seems the same. His short term memory still impaired.
**EDIT**
I of course do not mean to insinuate that no one is grateful! I do not blog for kudos, I do it to have something to look back on in 5 years and remember....and to prevent having to field dozens of emails texts and phone calls daily. Its a one way mic for me, and the pure action of blogging is not as rewarding to me as it is to you, and therefore it can fall to the wayside easier for me than you when I am feeling overloaded.
For those of you that do not know I am the web engine for Americas largest independent youth football league. This year we launched social media hubs which is part of my task, and we are in the last week of regular season and I have a tournament bracketing software system across three leagues I am trying to complete and launch before next weekend. This encompasses 32 cities in the Chicagoland area, over 400 teams, 2000+ games per 9 week season, and thousands of kids and parents that are in the audience so it can be VERY demanding. Right now it is VERY demanding.
Even if I was ready to leave and go home I cannot right now, because I cannot be in my truck in the middle of the redwood forest and have an issue arise with the website in the middle of the playoffs.
I came out here expecting to get him through rehab and on with life and am frustrated by his miniature steps forward. I am with him about every other day right now while I try to complete my project.
I will try to be more communicative when I am able, but the above update seriously does represent what is going on. He is not as participatory as I would like, but has not plateaued.
If there is any major update or change i will be sure to post it here.
For now, Richard remains the same. Somewhat uninvolved in his rehab, and other days wanting more.
His vision and mental clarity seem to be better to me. His physical state seems the same. His short term memory still impaired.
They switched him from Zoloft to Remeron.
I am trying to explore options in getting him into a different facility.
**EDIT**
I of course do not mean to insinuate that no one is grateful! I do not blog for kudos, I do it to have something to look back on in 5 years and remember....and to prevent having to field dozens of emails texts and phone calls daily. Its a one way mic for me, and the pure action of blogging is not as rewarding to me as it is to you, and therefore it can fall to the wayside easier for me than you when I am feeling overloaded.
For those of you that do not know I am the web engine for Americas largest independent youth football league. This year we launched social media hubs which is part of my task, and we are in the last week of regular season and I have a tournament bracketing software system across three leagues I am trying to complete and launch before next weekend. This encompasses 32 cities in the Chicagoland area, over 400 teams, 2000+ games per 9 week season, and thousands of kids and parents that are in the audience so it can be VERY demanding. Right now it is VERY demanding.
Even if I was ready to leave and go home I cannot right now, because I cannot be in my truck in the middle of the redwood forest and have an issue arise with the website in the middle of the playoffs.
I came out here expecting to get him through rehab and on with life and am frustrated by his miniature steps forward. I am with him about every other day right now while I try to complete my project.
I will try to be more communicative when I am able, but the above update seriously does represent what is going on. He is not as participatory as I would like, but has not plateaued.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
10/6 Renegoitiate the contract
Got there as he was eating breakfast.
How are you? not good.
Hes been up all night coughing. He just finishing breakfast but isnt eating it all. Its french toast, scrambled eggs and a crumbled sausage with cream of wheat on the side.
Main complaints are that he feels exhausted of inability to get a
good night's sleep because of his coughing, that he has no strength, that he
just wants to sleep all the time, and that he is constantly dizzy sitting up.
I said I noticed he was not in street clothes, how come? He said he couldn't get them on and made them quit when they were trying...ugh.
I was really frustrated at that point. and then he says...
'I want to renegotiate the deal with Arlene'...huh? 'I don't
want to be a tennis champion I just want to get better and go
home...''
Translation is he doesn't feel like he has the energy to fulfill the
schedule that we set up for him. I'm frustrated some more! I left frustrated needing to absorb, calm down, and brainstorm.
Prior to the stroke he was taking a caffeine
pill daily to give him energy. After talking with Arlene this afternoon I sent a long email to Bella to ask if the Dr could please prescribe him a daily B cocktail (B12
+ B Complex) injection for a natural energy boost rather than caffeine. Also asked a bunch of other questions about assisting him with clearing his lungs with alternatives - a mega c dose, astralagus, and maybe mucinex.
Tomorrow early we have the contrast swallow study.
Meanwhile on my way home Stef Naess calls me so I dealt with the Richard stuff a bit then showered and we went down to the International cafe and talked and talked and talked some more. So good to see her.
Richard's cell called me after I got back and its the fun therapist downstairs (the owner of Max the dog) saying Richard wants another massage. She had Michael the masseur on the other ear and we set something up for him on Sunday. Im pretty out of pocket on Sunday with the Naess girls, but she is there and will assist Michael, and I will stop by early and leave his pay in an envelope.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
10/4 Tunnell Meeting
He is awake this morning, and lucid. I stopped at Starbucks on the way and got a big pumpkin spice latte because we had been talking about it yesterday. We chatted and I gave him a shave as we waited for Arlene to arrive. He is now coughing up huge balls of yellow stuff.
He did not eat my dim sum yesterday because they had put it on the side table and he said he couldn't reach it. Cognitively there seems to be only one way to do things and not much creative problem solving. Like there is only one way to scoot up in bed and that is using the headboard. The dim sum box is far away, but he wouldn't to sit up in bed and reach over to get it.
The meeting I think went well. Present is Bella, the speech therapist, Michelle,and an occupational therapist, Sydney...and of course Arlene and I. Arlene has a strong presence. Id take her into battle any day. It was our mutual intention to get a state of the union for her and to also see how we could better the situation to put him at optimal stress and workload, and perhaps garner an idea of progressive timeline. He is in this peculiar situation that since he is a fall risk he cannot get up on his own so he has to sit and wait for others to help him. This gives him the perfect excuse to sleep all day. He needs to be kept busy to not allow him to do that and the end decision was to actually write him out a schedule. He loves a good routine so he knows what to expect.
The sleeping all day without enough movement has garnered him fluid in his lungs...they think it could perhaps be that is rather the result of small amounts of liquids going down his trachea instead of esophagus. I don't buy it, but Friday we are going to find out as he is scheduled for a Barium contrast swallow study that I get to be present for and film with my phone. This is right at the top of his block at St Francis Hospital, and they are going to wheel him up there.
Don't you guys cough like your life is about to end when you get just a tiny drop of water going down your trachea? I think hed know, but...we will see.
This fluid in his lungs has him coughing, making it difficult to sleep, and its draining his energy.
Sydney with OT wants him in street clothes more to get him out of the mentality of a hospital patient. I'm going to dig through the drawers to see if I can find something comfortable. I agree on the psychological aspect of this, and I also set him up for a haircut next week. That will help as well.
The schedule they wrote out for him has him basically getting up regularly to use the restroom, on a schedule, blocks out his therapy time - really his entire day from 7a to 8p. He has to eat his meals sitting in a chair, and then stay in the chair for 30minutes after the meal to assist throat clearing. Doesn't matter what he does, go do laps on the floor, go watch some TV...whatever.
This is all good and positive. The negative is....that there is a growing feeling that plan B - long term care could be a practical reality, and not preparing for that now could be a mistake.
They are reporting he is refusing and dismissing his therapists, while he is reporting to me that he is doing his therapy...I am not always there because the hours are varied. He is up then he is down...they want to see an incline with less down. But honestly its been less than 60 days since BRAIN surgery, and his meds were possibly off. He takes a truckload of dopamine. Id like to give his brain time to repair before everyone writes him off.
Sooooo....we had to have the what is it you want talk with him. IE do you want to sleep and move to long term care - which is basically God's waiting room - or do you want to get the hell out of here. If you want to get out of here you cant refuse therapy...you need to participate in your recovery and not try to manipulate the system with points or no points...you have to get up and do it...even if your tired...and then when you tire again push yourself for another couple of minutes.
He was ready to do wheelies in his wheelchair.
The next week will settle his meds in and see if there is some cognitive improvement. I met a really great naturopath who gave the some good leads on some stuff for his immunity.
Steffi and Michi Naess are on their way into town this weekend for the wedding of Marty Ronson's daughter, Michelle. Starting Thursday through the end of the weekend my blog posts may be sporadic as I plan to suck every minute of their free time into my soul. After my joie de vie weekend, I'll have my personal exit strategy discussion with him.
He did not eat my dim sum yesterday because they had put it on the side table and he said he couldn't reach it. Cognitively there seems to be only one way to do things and not much creative problem solving. Like there is only one way to scoot up in bed and that is using the headboard. The dim sum box is far away, but he wouldn't to sit up in bed and reach over to get it.
The meeting I think went well. Present is Bella, the speech therapist, Michelle,and an occupational therapist, Sydney...and of course Arlene and I. Arlene has a strong presence. Id take her into battle any day. It was our mutual intention to get a state of the union for her and to also see how we could better the situation to put him at optimal stress and workload, and perhaps garner an idea of progressive timeline. He is in this peculiar situation that since he is a fall risk he cannot get up on his own so he has to sit and wait for others to help him. This gives him the perfect excuse to sleep all day. He needs to be kept busy to not allow him to do that and the end decision was to actually write him out a schedule. He loves a good routine so he knows what to expect.
The sleeping all day without enough movement has garnered him fluid in his lungs...they think it could perhaps be that is rather the result of small amounts of liquids going down his trachea instead of esophagus. I don't buy it, but Friday we are going to find out as he is scheduled for a Barium contrast swallow study that I get to be present for and film with my phone. This is right at the top of his block at St Francis Hospital, and they are going to wheel him up there.
Don't you guys cough like your life is about to end when you get just a tiny drop of water going down your trachea? I think hed know, but...we will see.
This fluid in his lungs has him coughing, making it difficult to sleep, and its draining his energy.
Sydney with OT wants him in street clothes more to get him out of the mentality of a hospital patient. I'm going to dig through the drawers to see if I can find something comfortable. I agree on the psychological aspect of this, and I also set him up for a haircut next week. That will help as well.
The schedule they wrote out for him has him basically getting up regularly to use the restroom, on a schedule, blocks out his therapy time - really his entire day from 7a to 8p. He has to eat his meals sitting in a chair, and then stay in the chair for 30minutes after the meal to assist throat clearing. Doesn't matter what he does, go do laps on the floor, go watch some TV...whatever.
This is all good and positive. The negative is....that there is a growing feeling that plan B - long term care could be a practical reality, and not preparing for that now could be a mistake.
They are reporting he is refusing and dismissing his therapists, while he is reporting to me that he is doing his therapy...I am not always there because the hours are varied. He is up then he is down...they want to see an incline with less down. But honestly its been less than 60 days since BRAIN surgery, and his meds were possibly off. He takes a truckload of dopamine. Id like to give his brain time to repair before everyone writes him off.
Sooooo....we had to have the what is it you want talk with him. IE do you want to sleep and move to long term care - which is basically God's waiting room - or do you want to get the hell out of here. If you want to get out of here you cant refuse therapy...you need to participate in your recovery and not try to manipulate the system with points or no points...you have to get up and do it...even if your tired...and then when you tire again push yourself for another couple of minutes.
He was ready to do wheelies in his wheelchair.
The next week will settle his meds in and see if there is some cognitive improvement. I met a really great naturopath who gave the some good leads on some stuff for his immunity.
Steffi and Michi Naess are on their way into town this weekend for the wedding of Marty Ronson's daughter, Michelle. Starting Thursday through the end of the weekend my blog posts may be sporadic as I plan to suck every minute of their free time into my soul. After my joie de vie weekend, I'll have my personal exit strategy discussion with him.
Monday, October 3, 2011
10/03 VA Neurology
Well apparently our pep talk regarding the VA appointment today laid heavy on his mind all night as he kept waking up worrying that he wasn't going to make it, then called me at 7am
(30minutes before transport was due) to voice his concern that no one had picked him up yet.
Screw the VA and their not enough parking! Seriously! I had to park several blocks away then climb that damn hill, and just as Im cresting it the office manager calls me to guide me into the correct building.
Hes in a room waiting for me while the Doctor is reviewing his record....wearing his dead friends nightgown over his street clothes which is a total jinx. I'm finding him a sweatshirt and taking that thing away. This is a new doctor... Dr White...looks like he just got born yesterday he is so young, and hes wearing a UCSF id badge. I think he might be training as at the end of it he went to confer with Dr Glass and they both came back in together. Dr. Glass redid some of the movement tests that you will see in the video and they talked shop about it saying that is definitely a 2-3 because if it was a level 1 then...blah blah medical terms I don't understand and choose not to remember.
When this starts he was just beginning and testing his eye movement.
Left that building and went across the street to the clinic side (where PCPs are) and called his transport which is on a bat phone you just pick up and connect. He wants me to go down to the cafeteria with him so we followed the maze of hallways until we got there. This very closely resembles a vail mountain cafeteria with different stations of food...but the REAL reason he wanted me to go there was the view. This is taken out the glass wall of windows in the eating area. They also have a duty free shop full of weird items...cuisenarts, digital cameras, underwear, woolite, peanuts...that ought to give you an idea....
(30minutes before transport was due) to voice his concern that no one had picked him up yet.
Screw the VA and their not enough parking! Seriously! I had to park several blocks away then climb that damn hill, and just as Im cresting it the office manager calls me to guide me into the correct building.
Hes in a room waiting for me while the Doctor is reviewing his record....wearing his dead friends nightgown over his street clothes which is a total jinx. I'm finding him a sweatshirt and taking that thing away. This is a new doctor... Dr White...looks like he just got born yesterday he is so young, and hes wearing a UCSF id badge. I think he might be training as at the end of it he went to confer with Dr Glass and they both came back in together. Dr. Glass redid some of the movement tests that you will see in the video and they talked shop about it saying that is definitely a 2-3 because if it was a level 1 then...blah blah medical terms I don't understand and choose not to remember.
When this starts he was just beginning and testing his eye movement.
His blood pressure was his normal 144/86 ish...when he stood it dropped to 100/68ish. This is about the same as it has been.
He left to confer with the other doctor. Their mutual main point of interest was his blood pressure. Apparently the carbidopa (this is dopamine) messes with your blood pressure, and his carbidopa protocol was unusual....most take instant release not time release.
So the consensus end of this appointment was to rehaul his meds. All instant release carbidopa, no time release, and to decrease the amount he was taking as well. I dont see it in my notes, but I swear there was also a further decrease in the ropinerol to 1 tab a day instead of one tab twice a day. This is the one we already reduced from 2 tabs twice a day.
Things we are supposed to be monitoring after this adjustment are dizziness / blood pressure, hallucinations, and tremors.
They IX-nayd the botox explaining that once injected it diffuses and they didn't want to interfere with his swallowing issues or therapy. He was fine with that. He wakes up to a pool of drool on his pillow.
He asked that he return in 1 month so we set another appointment for November 7th 9am.
Left that building and went across the street to the clinic side (where PCPs are) and called his transport which is on a bat phone you just pick up and connect. He wants me to go down to the cafeteria with him so we followed the maze of hallways until we got there. This very closely resembles a vail mountain cafeteria with different stations of food...but the REAL reason he wanted me to go there was the view. This is taken out the glass wall of windows in the eating area. They also have a duty free shop full of weird items...cuisenarts, digital cameras, underwear, woolite, peanuts...that ought to give you an idea....
Shared a Chai Tea while we waited for transport and when they come I asked if he wanted me to pick him up some lunch and meet him back over there. He said no. Then I mentioned that I was going back to that awesome dim sum place he sent Carolyn and I to (its on the road out) and he said oh yes please...Carolyn, the shrimp didn't hold a candle to the calamari!
When I got back to Tunnell with some for him, he was sleeping unusually hard. I had to do a sternum rub to wake him up and he whispered a response to me and fell back asleep as I was explaining what was in the box. I left him alone.
Got a handwritten note from the doctor regarding med changes and went over that with Adella the awful nurse. She put it in his records. I also asked her why he was comotose. She essentially shrugged. Also saw Igor the social worker as I was walking in and let him know we were expecting to have a meeting with everyone tomorrow.
I forgot to look at his roommates bed, but I believe he left for surgery today so he may be alone in the room again.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
10/2 Berkeley Bound
So he called me at like 1am ish? I am not sure of the time and I had fallen asleep with my phone in the bed and it just barely woke me up at the end of it...Called me back again near 2am. He wants to know if he has any appointments today....I explained the time, that everyone was sleeping that it was Sunday, and that I was bringing him sushi around lunch. When he does this I swear they have done something to his meds.
Buck had a potty emergency at an unreasonably early hour for a sunday so we crawled the streets at sunrise. Thank god no one else in the entire city was awake.
I discovered confectioners sugar in the cabinet and had a perfect cup of coffee while I worked on a website project.
Spent the afternoon with Arlene and Lee in Berkeley. Berkeley is like a cleaner San Francisco that doesn't smell like a toilet ;) The bay area bridge is scary. Going that direction you are on the lower portion and the only time I remember seeing this as a thinking adult is when it collapsed....it's all I can think about...and the two east side lanes have sun shining through the supports which creates an epileptic seizure inducing flickering of light.
Richard called me in the middle of the bridge not talking very coherently, plus I have traffic, wind and other things interfering. I think I hear him mentioning messages...and I think hes saying this because I called him earlier to let him know I was going to be later since Arlene and Lee had invited me to visit. When I say WHAT?! He quickly apologizes and tells me to go back to sleep. Richard can exit a conversation on the telephone faster than it starts. WAIT WAIT! Its almost 1pm now, and Im on the Bay bridge on my way to Berkeley...OHHHH! He lights up. Tell him we'll all be over a bit later and will bring him his sushi.
Its my first venture out of the city really. Its not a far dive its just a popular route with traffic. They live way
up on a hill with double back turns on the way. Little slice of heaven
up there on a perfect 68 degree sunny day.
We visited and took a long walk up in the hills / regional park. Great day. Glad we turned back when we did because this is probably the latest Ive gotten home and Im sure they got home even later.
Lee has a a current obessisive project with a new exercising thing. Involves smaller pilates type balls and we did a back stretch and OH MAH GOD! My hips and back still feel good.
We convoyed back over the bridge to go to Richard and got there at about 5pm just before dinner was coming. Took a bit as they were filming some movie on upper Pine. All I saw were blacked out armored vehicles and a really cool blacked out custom motorcycle...like a batmobile bike.
I left them to visit and walked about a half mile to his/my favorite sushi place to get him some dinner. He ate well, swallowed well, drank his entire ensure like shake to wash it down and had a couple bites of his lemon meringue pie. Good meal. All sitting up in his chair and eating on the table.
Nurse comes in to give meds we ask what it is - its the carbidopa again...and its crushed....MOTHER TRUCKER! She left came back with a pill, but of course I'm thinking they probably did that to him last night and that's why he was all looped out calling me at 1am.
Transport to the VA is coming at 7.30a. We got his clothes together for him and I took his birkenstocks home with me.
It took me AN HOUR to find a fooking parking spot.
/shake angry fist at San Francisco
His voice was good. He was lucid.
Buck had a potty emergency at an unreasonably early hour for a sunday so we crawled the streets at sunrise. Thank god no one else in the entire city was awake.
I discovered confectioners sugar in the cabinet and had a perfect cup of coffee while I worked on a website project.
Spent the afternoon with Arlene and Lee in Berkeley. Berkeley is like a cleaner San Francisco that doesn't smell like a toilet ;) The bay area bridge is scary. Going that direction you are on the lower portion and the only time I remember seeing this as a thinking adult is when it collapsed....it's all I can think about...and the two east side lanes have sun shining through the supports which creates an epileptic seizure inducing flickering of light.
Richard called me in the middle of the bridge not talking very coherently, plus I have traffic, wind and other things interfering. I think I hear him mentioning messages...and I think hes saying this because I called him earlier to let him know I was going to be later since Arlene and Lee had invited me to visit. When I say WHAT?! He quickly apologizes and tells me to go back to sleep. Richard can exit a conversation on the telephone faster than it starts. WAIT WAIT! Its almost 1pm now, and Im on the Bay bridge on my way to Berkeley...OHHHH! He lights up. Tell him we'll all be over a bit later and will bring him his sushi.
We visited and took a long walk up in the hills / regional park. Great day. Glad we turned back when we did because this is probably the latest Ive gotten home and Im sure they got home even later.
Lee has a a current obessisive project with a new exercising thing. Involves smaller pilates type balls and we did a back stretch and OH MAH GOD! My hips and back still feel good.
We convoyed back over the bridge to go to Richard and got there at about 5pm just before dinner was coming. Took a bit as they were filming some movie on upper Pine. All I saw were blacked out armored vehicles and a really cool blacked out custom motorcycle...like a batmobile bike.
I left them to visit and walked about a half mile to his/my favorite sushi place to get him some dinner. He ate well, swallowed well, drank his entire ensure like shake to wash it down and had a couple bites of his lemon meringue pie. Good meal. All sitting up in his chair and eating on the table.
Nurse comes in to give meds we ask what it is - its the carbidopa again...and its crushed....MOTHER TRUCKER! She left came back with a pill, but of course I'm thinking they probably did that to him last night and that's why he was all looped out calling me at 1am.
Transport to the VA is coming at 7.30a. We got his clothes together for him and I took his birkenstocks home with me.
It took me AN HOUR to find a fooking parking spot.
/shake angry fist at San Francisco
His voice was good. He was lucid.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
10/1 MUNIless
First day of the month = my MUNI pass has expired. Im waffling on buying another. I think they may even give you a couple day grace period in the beginning of the month when it has expired, but regardless, we drove in this morning.
That liquid stevia I bought is ruining my coffee mojo, so we parked next to the rehab unit and walked about a half a mile to a Starbucks. Buck lays down on the sidewalk and waits for me...so cute. Got my normal and a couple bran muffins for us....but even Starbucks wasn't perfectly satisfying.
I walk in and hes close to showing the full monty, and I go to rearrange his robe as hes waking up saying your flashing the world and he hisses shhhhhhh like I'm disturbing the universe...
He's just waking up for the first time apparently? Im not sure how this is possible because I know he takes morning meds with breakfast. He didn't want to eat his muffin but asked me to leave it.
I have finally gained access to his email, so last night I went through and printed out some of the ones I thought were important, and a couple others that were funny. One was from an old high school friend that was one of those viral FW emails, but it was a quiz on things you remember from your childhood that I thought would be fun to do together...things like what was the name of the indian princess on the Howdy Doodie show. That was funny and fun to do with him. Some of the phrases to complete I didnt even have to give the multiple choice answer he just blurted it out.
He needed to get up to use the restroom and wants his wheelchair to get what would be three steps to the bathroom door. I asked him to just stand up instead and I would help him and I really didn't need to help him much at all. He uses my hand for leverage to stand, but walks to the rest room on his own just fine. I kept my hands on him in case he leaned one way or the other but really, he didn't need it.
Im giving him a shave and we are talking, and a new CNA walks in saying Ohhhhhh you're getting a shave and getting cleaned up? So we exchanged niceties, Richard knows her by name and says when did you graduate from school? She replies in the 90s something and I declare I'm feeling old...then I go back to the conversation with Richard...we were talking about Buck and his potty routine...but she thinks I'm still talking to her so that was a funny comedy of miscommunication. Turns out she is from Houston and did her CNA work at TSU.
I cleaned out his drawers of excess mail, photos, notes and stuff ...partly to give him more room for his food stashing (he saves a half a sandwich every day to eat when he pleases and miscl other things) but mostly to find some photos that had been sent so I could bring them back for the photo project thing.
I asked if he had seen any therapists yet today, and he replied no, thank god. He wanted the day off. He says hes getting up and moving around on his own and doing the stationary bike while he watches a little bit of TV. His therapist told me yesterday that he did 10 minutes. This is a big improvement over the first time we did it and he lasted maybe 3 minutes.
I brought him his sneakers so he could be more steady on his feet in his physical therapy. This was a suggestion/request of his therapist, as the Birkenstocks aren't cutting it.
His limit I swear is a a built in alarm - its one hour. Since he was so happy to hear no therapy is likely today, I gave him the rest of the day off and told him we'd put the sneakers on tomorrow and get some exercise in.
That liquid stevia I bought is ruining my coffee mojo, so we parked next to the rehab unit and walked about a half a mile to a Starbucks. Buck lays down on the sidewalk and waits for me...so cute. Got my normal and a couple bran muffins for us....but even Starbucks wasn't perfectly satisfying.
I walk in and hes close to showing the full monty, and I go to rearrange his robe as hes waking up saying your flashing the world and he hisses shhhhhhh like I'm disturbing the universe...
He's just waking up for the first time apparently? Im not sure how this is possible because I know he takes morning meds with breakfast. He didn't want to eat his muffin but asked me to leave it.
I have finally gained access to his email, so last night I went through and printed out some of the ones I thought were important, and a couple others that were funny. One was from an old high school friend that was one of those viral FW emails, but it was a quiz on things you remember from your childhood that I thought would be fun to do together...things like what was the name of the indian princess on the Howdy Doodie show. That was funny and fun to do with him. Some of the phrases to complete I didnt even have to give the multiple choice answer he just blurted it out.
He needed to get up to use the restroom and wants his wheelchair to get what would be three steps to the bathroom door. I asked him to just stand up instead and I would help him and I really didn't need to help him much at all. He uses my hand for leverage to stand, but walks to the rest room on his own just fine. I kept my hands on him in case he leaned one way or the other but really, he didn't need it.
Im giving him a shave and we are talking, and a new CNA walks in saying Ohhhhhh you're getting a shave and getting cleaned up? So we exchanged niceties, Richard knows her by name and says when did you graduate from school? She replies in the 90s something and I declare I'm feeling old...then I go back to the conversation with Richard...we were talking about Buck and his potty routine...but she thinks I'm still talking to her so that was a funny comedy of miscommunication. Turns out she is from Houston and did her CNA work at TSU.
I cleaned out his drawers of excess mail, photos, notes and stuff ...partly to give him more room for his food stashing (he saves a half a sandwich every day to eat when he pleases and miscl other things) but mostly to find some photos that had been sent so I could bring them back for the photo project thing.
I asked if he had seen any therapists yet today, and he replied no, thank god. He wanted the day off. He says hes getting up and moving around on his own and doing the stationary bike while he watches a little bit of TV. His therapist told me yesterday that he did 10 minutes. This is a big improvement over the first time we did it and he lasted maybe 3 minutes.
I brought him his sneakers so he could be more steady on his feet in his physical therapy. This was a suggestion/request of his therapist, as the Birkenstocks aren't cutting it.
His limit I swear is a a built in alarm - its one hour. Since he was so happy to hear no therapy is likely today, I gave him the rest of the day off and told him we'd put the sneakers on tomorrow and get some exercise in.
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