This was a lovely day.

And it was a day of great concern.

The lovely part first.   Bobbie came over at about 11:30AM so that I could go to Hilbert for Georgina's bridal shower.   It was wonderful.   We had a lovely lunch, turkey or ham sandwiches on croissants.  There were salads and desserts too.  It was great.   A nice crowd of  Deeleys and Harveys (Kathy's family).   It is easy when the new member of the family is so sweet.

I apparently know more about Georgina and Shane as I aced the questionnaire with 14 out of 17 right on the questions asked.  I guess that Shane and I are on the same wavelength.   He is a special guy.   I am glad that he found Georgina.

I found out that Matt and Koiru and Alana and Coleton are coming home for the wedding.  What joy there will be then.

The bad new is that Dick is still very uncomfortable.   I told you that he had pneumonia.   We took his temperature this evening and it is still high.  If it is still high tomorrow, we will take him to the hospital.  He is in too delicate a situation to mess around.

So.  Pray for the night.

God love you

 Mary

A long and exhausting day after a long and exhausting night.   But at least we have reasons why Dick is feeling so bad and there is a way to heal it.

We got up about 7AM because Jody was coming to clean.    The night was very broken as Dick has been having trouble breathing and sleeping.


So Bobbie got here to help take him to the Plymouth Clinic to have Dr. Fehrman look at the foot.   He says it looks OK as far as he can see except for the ulcer that was there last Monday.    He is referring us back to Dr. Moreno to work with us on healing the wound as that is Dr. Moreno's specialty.   We got home too late to get the appointment scheduled with Dr. Moreno, so I will do so on Monday morning.
Dr. Fehrman got us an appointment with Lynn Wilderman PA because of the shortness of breath and pain.   She listened to his chest and prescribed Xrays and blood tests which confirmed her initial diagnosis of pneumonia in his right lung.   The good thing about that is that you can cure pneumonia.    He is now on antibiotics and a stronger diuretic to help relive the fluids.  If he becomes worse, I am to take him right to emergency in Sheboygan and have him admitted.   But we need to see if the meds will help.   Usually, they work pretty quickly.
Besides all that, we also had to go to Wisconsin Prosthetics today to have his new prosthesis put on.  We could not postpone because the new one will provide stability as the old one was too big and becoming very floppy and his knee was painful along with the soreness from rubbing.
He is SO tired and still cannot sleep.    I just don't know what to do about that.   Guess there is nothing I can do.   The trouble is that when he doesn't sleep, I don't get much either.

Oh Well, When he is healed,  I will be able to rest again.

God love you

Mary

Dick and I are very tired tonight.   Last night was rather patchy.    Dick kept waking up and then I wake up too.   I told him it is like having a baby in the house.

We had a very light breakfast and I just worked around the house until lunch time.   My friend Bob Fleming had called a couple days ago because we like to get together once in a while to discuss his art and my writing and the things we have in common.    He is also working on a St. Brigid Icon for the CWI for me.   I fixed a marvelous spinach, pear and Gorgonzola salad and tuna sandwiches for our lunch.    Boy was that good.  

Bob shared his sketches AND a story that he has written with me.   An absolutely charming story.   I hope he gets it published as he intends with his own illustrations, then I can share it with you all.   I lent him Cindy Matyi's book A Little Town of Spirals so that he could see one way of printing.

So this was a lovely day.   I finished it by watching that old movie THEM about the giant ants.   One of the greats.

Tomorrow we have the appointment with Wisconsin Prosthesis to hopefully correct the problems that Dick is having with his amputated leg and we see Dr. Fehrman about he operation.   I am concerned about the incision as the hot spot does not look any better and the incision does not look any better to me.   Dr. Fehrman will know.

My sister Nora called today and we had a really nice visit.   We are SO enjoying the box of pears that she sent from Harry and David.  I used one of them in that spinach salad.  They are sweet as can be and so delicious.

Have a good Friday.

God love you

Mary

This has been a tiring day.

I am exhausted so have decided to turn in now.   It is shortly after 8PM and I am to tired to even document my day.

I love you all.  We are OK.  God loves you too.

Mary

We were home most of the day today and able to stay in the house.   As the temperatures rose, we were so glad to be able to stay in a home with air conditioning.  It was only 25 years ago in our home at Creek Side condos that a hot summer caused Dick to say   " I don't care if the heat spell ends tomorrow, we are getting air conditioning." 

And the next year I got a call from Aunt Helen.  The heat was oppressive and she couldn't stand it any longer.   So I sent Dick to get her and take her to our home to cool off.   She said that I saved her life.  

Aunt Helen was not a cat person,  But  she told me that on that day,  Dick ensconced her on the couch in the living room.   She felt something near her and opened her eyes to find our Taco looking right into her eyes.   He also was a gentle sweet child of God and they bonded nicely.   It made her feel welcome and safe.   Helen got air conditioning that summer herself.  

I wonder how we all survived all those thousands of years without it.

Today was trash day and this day as every Tuesday, we give thanks for the men who come to pick up and dispose of the trash that we put out for them.  Can you imagine if there would be any path to us at all if we could not get rid of all the junk that comes into this house? 

Barbara called today.  How good to hear her voice.   We want to win the lottery so that we can move south now.   We are dependent on so much until we are really ready at this point.   Of course, as long as Mother needs me, I would not move anywhere else anyway.

Three of the tomato plants that Jeff and Kathy gave me are growing nicely, even the cherry tomato that broke.   I am amazed to watch it growing new leaves and stems at every broken place on it's poor stalk.   Year for it.

I found on of the daily Haiku that does not sound too bad.

The incessant wind
Is moaning around the house
Trying to enter.

Most of them are pretty bad but this in not the worst.  It gives me hope.

God love you

Mary

Boy What a day.

Last night was terrible.   Dick kept waking up and as he was having so much trouble getting in and out of  bed and the chair, I got very little sleep also.

It seems that that surgical shoe is useless.   He has slipped on it.  It has twisted it off twice that I know of and it was not helping keep his ankle straight at all

As we had an appointment with Dr. Fehrman after 4PM because he had surgery today, I spent a good hunk of the day going through my closet and drawers.   I have a big trash bag full of clothes to take to St. Vinnies.   Tomorrow I will check out the closet downstairs.

Bobbie met us at The Clinic at 4:30 or so.    Dr. Fehrman is both pleased and not pleased with the healing.   The main wound looks great and the two wounds on the ankle are almost healed.   The not pleased part is that there is a kind of open sore with one of the stitches near the new bone spur which is not good.    Not fatal at this point, of course.   They gave us a new boot, a walking boot and brace with inflation ability to keep things firm and protected.    I have to change the dressings, dry, one to two times a day and we will see him in Plymouth on Friday morning.

So we will hope for a good night's sleep tonight and a better day tomorrow.   Dick is really still a bit disoriented, I believe from the residue of the anesthetic.   Should wear off pretty soon.

So Tomorrow we will be home all day, get used to the new boot and do some leg washing.

Take car and God loves you

Mary

You all will be pleased to know that things were very quiet during the past 24 hours.    Dick slept quite well.   He wakes up a lot, normally, and did. but he still slept more than his usual sleep.   I think his body just got too worn out to fight.  He also took a nice nap this morning but has forced himself to stay awake this afternoon, so we are hoping for a repeat of last night.

We had a quiet day.   I spent it watering plants, cooking, washing clothes and writing a lot of notes that needed to be written.

Tomorrow, the quiet days will be over.   I need to pick up a prescription for Dick during the day and we will see Dr. Fehrman in the late afternoon.   Please pray that all is well with that foot.   I worry because the foot keeps turning and because of the circulation problem.

It is almost time for bed and am I ever ready.   I did not take my usual afternoon nap.   But I did spend about an hour out on the deck enjoying the late afternoon air and nature's party.

Have a great week.   I am hoping for the same.   Good news is the hope for us.  Pray hard.

God love you

Mary

Today is much improved.    The anethetic seems to be out of Dick's system and he is not talking goofy anymore.

We had a rather difficult night.   It seemed that every hour on the hour, he was waking up and getting up for either pain or bathroom.   I figured this would happen and had my "baby monitor" on so was there if he needed me.   Several times he did need me.   Roxie was a bit irritated because, of course, if she was settled in I shoved her aside for "the Man".   I am not sure if she really accepts this as the natural order of things.

His blood sugar count was a bit high (for him not for other diabetics) but we attributed it to the fact that he did not really eat yesterday.    He had no appetite at all.    Today he had a good breakfast, lunch and is having soup for his supper so I expect a great improvement tomorrow.

I will

Aren't these flowers beautiful?

They are a gift from Brenda and Richard.   The Teddy Bear and Candy  Bar are a nice touch with the lovely flowers.

I will not dwell on today.   Or maybe I will.

I left to pick him up from Memorial Hospital shortly after 8AM.   We left the hospital at about 10 AM with a prescription for pain medicine, a surgical shoe and good wishes.

When we stopped to pick up the prescription on the way home, we discovered that (as this is the Vicodin prescription )and we got it refilled on May 28, it would not be covered by insurance.   I had all the prescriptions that the hospital had taken from us  and were dispensing to Dick while he was there, stating that this was much cheaper than taking them from their stuff.  Lo and behold, there was no vial of Vicadin.  We went home thinking that possible we had not brought it to the hospital but it was not at home.  So I called the hospital and Lo and behold again.   They had it in their safe.  Apparently.   Narcotics have to be locked up and an error was made in the notification of the nurses on the 4th floor that this was down in the safe and they sent us off without our meds.
Needless to say I am Pissed.   I had to drive back to the hospital to pick up the mends.   Then when I got home, Dick was going to the bathroom without me there to help and fell. 

I called my neighbor to help but we needed more bodies and had to call 911.   They are wonderful.  They got him up and back in his chair.    He is safe and sound.   There seems to have been no damage to the foot.  I left a message with Dr.  Fehrman's office and have talked to his nurse.  We have an appointment for Monday at 4PM.  So I have the weekend to be a really bossy Mother Hen.

Pray for me.   I am not doing as well as I would like too.   I try to operate on the premise of the Duck.    Appear serene and unruffled on the surface and paddle like hell below the surface.  But today I am losing it.

Pray for me AND Dick

God love you

Mary

Short and sweet.  We got up at 5P30AM this morning and arrived at Sheboygan Memorial at 7AM.   Dr. Fehrman was still pretty much on schedule and Dick went in for the surgery shortly after 8:30AM.   

They were all done and he was back in his room and Dr. Fehrman updated Bobbie and I all before 10:30AM.

The surgery went well.   Dr. Fehrman accomplished what he had hoped to by removing the toe and the affected part of the metatarsal bone of the little toe area of his right foot.   He is pleased with the way the flesh came together but is cautious about the fact that we still have to see if there is enough circulation to heal the incision.  It will definitely be easier than the hole made by the callous but still will require good blood flow so don't stop praying.   We are so grateful for you all and your concern.

Tomorrow he comes home.   Then you need to pray for me because I have to take care of him. 

God love you all

Mary

Sorry I forgot to post last night but it was a rather busy day and there are a lot of things to do to get ready for tomorrow.

Yesterday, Bobbie came in the afternoon to help take Dick to Wisconsin Prosthesis, so Tim could cast him for the new prosthesis that he is preparing.    With the new one, that will fit better, as the stump has shrunk over time, we should be able to clear up the rash and tender spots that keep appearing at the top of and right under the sleeve.

We also heard from the hospital for his history and lots of questions.   We ended up being aware that the fact that when he stops taking the Warfarin had not been addressed.   After calling Dr. Fehrman's office who asked why Dr. Sharon had not addressed it.   We finally got hold of Sue in the anti coagulation department.   He stopped taking it yesterday, of course, but we had to go to the Plymouth Anti Coagulation Clinic to make sure that he was not soaring, which would have meant that the surgery would have to be postponed or drastic measures taken to be sure that he didn't bleed to death.   He was right where he is supposed to be normally.   They prefer it a bit lower for surgery but this will be OK.

I went shopping this morning.   Took Dick to the Clinic at 11AM.   Mike from Accessability, the motorized chair place, came and adjusted the foot rest and arms for us and told us what tools we need and how to do it.   He will come whenever we need help though.   He saw the Celtic Knot that I am working on and commented on it.   He has a tattoo of Celtic Knots and other designs on his arm.  He is a member of the Tribe of the Blue Rose.   A Scottish reenactment group.   They will be at the Highland Games over Labor Day.    You can search Tribe of the Blue Rose and find out about them.

After he left, I left for Mom's.   I decided that since it is unlikely that I will be able to get there until late next week at the earliest, I had better be sure that all her bills were up to date and the checkbook in good order and we needed a visit.    Jeff was there too so I got to visit with him too.   I told him about the two tomato plants that broke when I took them out of the box and felt better when he told me that he broke a couple too.  They for some reason got all leggy too fast.

Home again, we got Dick's bandages and leggings all changed and gave him his bath.    Now we are just waiting for tomorrow.

The hospital called this morning.  His surgery is scheduled for 8:30AM and we have to have him there at 7AM.   Remember to pray for him tomorrow.   At this point I plan on coming home to sleep tomorrow night and will update you then.

AS I have to get up at 5:30AM,  I will be going to bed early.  So that is all for tonight.   Hope this isn't too rambling.   My mind is rambling you know.

God love you

Mary

It did get up into the mid 80s today.   Quite a change from the 30 to 50s that we had last week.   This is the strangest weather year ever.

I had picked up a purple basil the other day on the way home from church and planted that out on the patio in one of the big pots.   I tool the small green basil that I had put in there in the Tupperware planter with waterer that I got from Becky to see how it will work.   I love basil and have three kinds now.

I fried out for the Memorial Day festivities.  I won't have to cook from scratch til after Dick comes home from his surgery.   I fried brats and Chicken legs.  

The brats were the Apple Kraut Miesfeld Brats.   Really good.

I am trying to bet a quilt square ready to work on while Dick is having his surgery.

So tomorrow we go to see Tim at Wisconsin Prosthesis to have his stump casted.   And  we will find out what is going to happen with the shoe after the surgery.

Pray for us Please.

I am so worried.

Mary

Today was totally quiet.   I did take a nice walk this morning.   We had a spattering of rain this afternoon but it was pleasant most of the day.

I mainly just puttered.   What a pleasure to be able to do that for a whole weekend.

I am working on the publicity for our next Sheboygan County CWI meeting.   We are going to co host Bloomsday with 52 Stafford.    Bloomsday, the honoring of James Joyce's Ulysses, is actually June 16 and there are big celebrations all over the world.   It started in Dublin in 1954 and has spread.   New York and Spokane also have celebrations and Australia has taken up the flag.

We are fudging a bit.    As 52 Stafford has a well attended Craic on Wednesday nights, which this year is June 15TH.   We are going to celebrate Bloomsday EVE and get a jump on the rest of the world.   If we get any response, we will adjust accordingly.  Should be fun.  Music, Drink, Irish food and readings.   I am working to plan them so that everybody gets an idea of the celebration but is not subjected to a full reading of Ulysses.  I, myself, have managed to struggle through the first chapter.

So that is the day.  We got the Dick's bath and his wounds dressings changed, so I feel very good.  He even got a bit of sleep this morning, from 8:30 to 12:30PM.    He is still sleepy. 

We just had leftovers to eat today so all I had to do was heat things up.   Such a deal.   I am frying out brats and teryaki chicken tomorrow if anybody wants to join us.   I can even come up with vegetarian if it becomes necessary.   Come on down.

God love you

Mary

It was nice to have a day that did not have any big errands involved in it.   I am trying to spend these three days just resting, reading and getting myself geared up to take care of Dick next week following the surgery.

I did have to go out this afternoon to Mass at 4PM.   Since Dick needed some medications, I did a run by Walgreens on the way.   We decided to order food from Sweet Basil tonight for a little date.   So.  I called just before I left for church.  

Fr. Van Beck is still having shortness of breath because of his injured ribs, so Mass was a bit short.   No sermon will do that.  I had called ahead the order and they said it would be ready at 5:15PM so I dawdled a bit by visiting with some friends on the way and begging for prayers for Thursday.   Thank God for such wonderful people that are willing to lift up our problems along with theirs.  

So I picked up our dinners.   We both had steak though I got steak and shrimp.   Really good.   More than enough for tomorrow too and then I am going to fry out on Monday.

So until tomorrow.

God keep you safe and sound.

Mary

The day was cool.   At least most of it.   I did notice that this afternoon,when I was coming home from Mother's house, that the sun felt pretty good.   I guess that is a good sign of spring.

We had to get up by 6:30AM this morning in order to get Dick over to Aurora for his pre op blood test at 8:15AM.  We left just as Jody arrived to clean the house.   The testing went pretty well, though Dick had a slippery vein.   Then we picked up Mac Donalds for breakfast.    A nice reward for being poked with a needle.

I tried to take it pretty easy the rest of the morning as this afternoon was again quite full.    I fixed Dick some noodles and gravy (a perfect Kunert meal) for lunch and joined my banker friends at Dairy Queen.  

I went from there to the post office to get stamps and mail a package.   Then on to visit Mother and take care of this week's bills.    Since I won't be going on Monday as it is Memorial Day, it made sense to just spend part of this afternoon with her and get everything caught up.    We had a nice visit.   She seemed a bit weary when I got there but our visiting usually perks her up, and me too.

When I got home I prepared a meatloaf and baked potatoes for our supper.   Always another popular meal around hear.   I do make a good meatloaf if I do say so myself.   Yea.   Meatloaf sandwiched for lunch tomorrow.

So this will be a very quiet holiday weekend.   The only place I have to go before Tuesday morning is to church tomorrow night.   We have decided that we are going to order takeout from Sweet Basil.   Now that we know they HAVE takeout, we can make it kind of a date.    We like dates.

I am going to plant tomatoes and basil tomorrow.  

Have a great Memorial Day weekend yourselves and remember those who served in the actions that  have kept us free and for whom we celebrate this special day and weekend.   I remember my uncles coming home after WWII.  They are all gone now.    Such a noble time.

Love and God love you

Mary

Philip Neri prayed, "Let me get through today, and I shall not fear tomorrow." I read this quote in this saint's biography and was impressed.   There is a lot to be said about not being afraid of tomorrow.   After all we can do little about that today. Another busy day.    I had my dental appointment for cleaning this morning at 9AM.  That went well.   Dr. Joe says I am doing a beautiful job and sent me out with instructions to eat hard candy and drink coke. Home again we had plenty of time to get Dick ready for his trip to see Dr. Sharon for his preop examination.  That went well.   We talked to him about Dick's trouble sleeping and after all of this surgery stuff is over he will order more sleep studies to see if there is anything better than the CPAP machine he has now. Tomorrow morning he will have his lab work.   It is a fasting test so we are scheduled for 8:15AM. After that, we wait for June 2 and then it will all be over with. The rest of the day was fairly quiet.   I spent it cleaning off the desk, the table, the counters and folding clothes. It was quite chilly today.   Since it is supposed to hit 80 on Monday, and we are not experiencing tornadoes, I don't think it is necessary to complain. Bless you and yours. Mary

This has been quite a day.     I got up a bit early so that I could do our grocery shopping early.

Bobbie and I had to drive Dick to see Dr. Fehrman, the orthopedist, for a 9:30AM appointment.   So I went shopping at 7AM..  Everything went quite well and I was home again before 8:30AM.   I had plenty of time to put the groceries away before we loaded him up for the drive to Aurora. 

Boy is the new motorized chair ever wonderful.   He tootled out the door and down the ramp so easily and when we came back Bobbie and I didn't have to push him or steer him at all.   He is still a bit awkward on the steering but that will take time and he is basically right on.

Now for the news of his appointment.   Dr. Fehrman had the Xrays of Dick's foot and was able to show us that the infection has eaten away at the toe and the metacarpal bone of the little toe on his right foot.  There were three choices for treatment.   Antibiotics which have a rather poor prognosis because of the poor circulation in the leg.   Amputation which we are not at all ready for.   Or the removal of the infected to and part of the bone.   This will take a long healing also because of the poor circulation but would leave the leg for support.

I told Dick it was up to him and I would support him in whatever he decided.   We could have taken time but he said he just wants to get it over with and has opted for the toe removal.   The surgery is scheduled for 6/2/2011 at Sheboygan Memorial Hospital.

Pray for us.   

Had the spring servicing of our air conditioner today too.   Everything checked out and he make sure that the freon level was good.   I found out why the humidifier seemed to be behind the 8 ball this winter.   Nobody told us there was a summer and winter setting on the thing.    NOW we know and bet we will be just fine next year.

I talked to all the kids tonight.   Good to get reassurance and to tell them the news in person.

God love you all

Mary

I seemed to have spent the day being a receptionist or secretary.   Dr. Fehrman's office called so I scheduled an appointment for Dick to have that callous looked at.   Please pray.   This is a scary thing again.   I am glad that we can see him so soon.

Then Wisconsin Prosthesis called and we scheduled an appointment to have Dick's stump recast for a new socket.   So Tim got the approval.   Whew.

Then we had meatballs and gravy with noodles for our lunch.   Really good.

Mike from AssessAbility came at about 1PM with Dick's motorized chair.   We had a fun time getting him acclimated to it.   There will be a period of adjustment as there are distinct differences but he sure can zip from one place to another.   Mike forgot the battery charger but we will have that by Thursday more than enough time he tells us.  It is an Invacare Pronto M4.   

So it was a full day what with mending and taking out the trash and all.    Tomorrow I have to get up early to do the shopping and then Bobbie and I will take Dick to see Dr. Fehrman.   I am nervous but will turn it over tonight when I am praying and going to sleep.  I will be OKAY.

God love you

Mary

Today was a very mixed day for us.   The weather was wonderful.  A bit muggy maybe but really pleasant with a nice breeze and everything.  And tonight, Dick actually suggested that we leave the doors open until I go to bed, so the house is getting SO aired out.    You know Dick.   Usually he figures that the furnace is for winter and the air conditioner for the rest of the year.

Bible Study was interesting.   We had Psalm 131.   A very short psalm about trust and guardianship.   God is out Guardian, but we need to remember that sometimes he uses other to provide the guardianship and sometime WE become the guardians.

Then over to Mother's for a visit.  She seemed pretty good today.   Sometimes she seems so weary.   But not today.   We took care of a couple of bills and then settled down to just talking.   I updated her on the Wieser lunch and the cousins that I connected with and we discussed the horrible storms in so may parts of our country.

Then home again.  Bobbie was there as she came early enough to lunch with us so that we could rack two gallons of her wine before we took Dick to see Dr. Moreno.   We had twice baked potatoes, ham and fruit salad for lunch.

The racking went really well.   Next time Bobbie comes we will bottle those two gallons, both beet wines, and then we had better get to work mixing up some new ones as the winery will have none fermenting.

Dick's appointment was at 2:30PM.   We got mixed news.   The wound on the shin is healing well.   But the callous is not.   Dr. Moreno and Brian said that it is deep to the bone.   SO we had to get an X-Ray which will be reviewed and then we will see Dr. Fehrman to see what can be done.   Hopefully it is not deep in the bone and just scraping and/or chipping can remove any damaged area.  Naturally this is a big blow to us.    Please pray that all will come out OK this time.    I have notified two of the prayer chains and will get the rest tomorrow. 

Tomorrow I am home all day.   We are supposed to have the motorized chair delivered in the afternoon.   This will be such a boon to his way of life.    And I know it will lift his spirits.   I am hoping to get him out for fresh air around the neighborhood on nice days.   The fresh air will be so good for him.

That is all for now.

Take care

Mary