Hello.    This has been a pretty good day.  We had an absolutely lovely night.   I tucked Dick in at about 7:30PM, finished up my chores and got to bed by 9PM.   He finally woke up at 1:30AM.  The longest stretch we have had in ages.   For a couple of hours he was restless but at about 3AM he finally settled and we did not get up until 6AM so it was like a miracle of sleep.

I was home all day.   That is an event in itself.   Jody came and cleaned this morning.   Dick took a nap this morning.   I got him to eat two small but nourishing meals and changed the bandage on the incision.

I called Dr. Moreno to just reassure myself as it looks quite bad, but the symptoms I described were what Dr. Moreno expected and he told me that I am doing right by cleaning with saline and dousing with iodine.   I feel so helpless.

I have also set in motion the help that I need to ask for and arrange from the Visiting Nurses.   This will take time but I hope to be able to bring Dick home MUCH earlier if, as we truly believe, he has the amputation.   If he does, I know it will be within a week of his appointment with Dr. Fehrman because of the state of the healing of the foot.

Barb called this afternoon to see how things are going.  She was with her mother, Marlise, so I talked with her too.  It is so nice to hear voices of those who love us.

That was the day.   Hope yours was as uneventful.   The big events were talking to those who love us and resting.

God love you

Mary

Well, last night was as difficult as the night before.  The day was a bit better though.

The weather was pleasant, not very warm but there was no rain and we had some sunshine which is always uplifting.

Our Bloomsday made the front page of the press with a nice article and a wonderful collection of photos.   We are very excited.   Quite a success so we do plan on doing it next year and perhaps expanding on it a bit.

I did drive to Falls to see Mother today.    Dick was all settled after breakfast so I drove over there and brought her her vitamins and a couple other things and we had a nice visit before I had to get back to fix lunch. 

Dick took a couple of naps today but is really exhausted and still having trouble breathing.   We got his legs both washed and the bandages changed today.

I put a lot of things away today and cleaned out a couple of drawers of various support stockings and shoe inserts and tuba grip that we kept when things changed in these various treatments that Dick has gone through all these years that will not be used again.   I kept everything that I thought here might be a use for.

So tomorrow I get to be home ALL day and am really looking forward to that.   Dick is already in bed and sleeping very well, but it is still early.

God love you

Mary

Last night was very tiring,   Dick had trouble sleeping and needed me to help him getting up and down. 

But the day was not too bad.   I went grocery shopping early this morning.  That went quite well and I brought home donuts for our breakfast.

I spent the morning washing and getting ready for the Bloomsday event tonight.   I had to prepare my readings and speeches.  Wait til I till you about that.

Dick was so exhausted today that it was after 4PM before we got his bandage changed.   I put fresh sheets on the bed and got his towels all washed and ready.

Bobbie got here at about 6:30PM so I left for 52 Stafford and Bloomsday, picking up Kate on the way.   It was raining as it was off and on all day.    We got there before the musicians.   When they arrived I talked to them about our plans so that we could mix in with their playing and singing.

I was able to tell them who we are, and to give a history of Bloomsday and James Joyce.   Then after more music, I read a poem from Joyce,  then later  I told about the Burgundy and Gorgonzola and read some of his quotes.   For example:  "A corpse is meat gone bad.   Well and what's cheese?  Corpse of milk."

They are really very good and I wish I could go more often on Wednesdays.   Dick and I went together when I was taking that course on Irish music from the U W Madison.   We needed to attend a session or Craic, as we say in Ireland.  He enjoyed it too.    If they ever get handicap accessible, perhaps we can go back again .

Two ladies who saw the notice in the paper about Bloomsday came to the event.   One of them, Kathy is Scottish.   She was almost apologizing for not being Irish.   We told the crowd the names of the 7  Celtic Nations and how they are all equally important.   We just happen to have more Irish in our area.   Mike, one of the musicians, said that his wife is of Brittany descent.    How exciting it would be to get one of that origin in our group.   I told Kathy that we have a wonderful source for Cornish and would like to explore the other nations also.

I got to sing my "signature " song.   Whiskey on a Sunday before I had to come home.   I was home by 9:45PM which is pretty close to what I figured.   I would have liked to stay longer, but this was a great interlude and I did not have to get too worried about Dick.   Having Bobbie here is such a God send.  

So it is after 11PM and you know I will turn into a pumpkin soon.   Dick is in bed, I hope sleeping. Perhaps I can get a few winks before he wakes up and needs help getting his legs put back together.

Love you all and God loves you too.   Thanks for all your prayers and concern.

Mary

It was a red letter day.    I actually got Dick to go outside for a walk after lunch.    It was SO beautiful outside today and I asked him if he was ready for some fresh air.    We walked around the end of our Tall Grass cul de sac.  It worked great.    He got in and out of the house and up and down the ramp just fine.

I had my annual physical today.   Dr. Murthy went through everything and asked me the right questions.    There is nothing to be done for my aches and pains except for exercise which he strongly suggests that I resume.    I have been trying but without my Chelsea to inspire me and with all the uncertainty, it is really hard to force myself out everyday.   Once I am out there, I love it but making the time will be a challenge.   I am in pretty good health otherwise.   We do have to see what the blood test shows.   I am sure it will be fine too.

It has been an uncomfortable day for Dick.   He did get a good nap this morning, but he is having SO much trouble getting up and down for transferring to bed and the bathroom.   We got his bandage changed and the prosthesis cleaned though.   Boy are we ever tired.

Tomorrow is the CWI Bloomsday event.   Bobbie has offered to spend the time I will be at 52 Stafford with her father.   I was trying to figure out who to ask because she and Bill are leaving for vacation the next day,   I am SO glad that she offered because he feels the best with her.

So until tomorrow, when I can tell you about Bloomsday Eve.  Rest,  I sure intend to.

God love you

Mary

This has been a distressful but not unexpected day.   I am just going to send the same message that I sent to our children to all of you.  Please pray.   We are counting on that.

Love.  Mary

We had three appointments today.

The first went very well.   Dick's coagulation count is right where it should be 210.

The second was a bit less good.   He still has a fever.  Pneumonia signs are strong.   Dr. Sharon sent him for another blood test and we will see him again next Monday.

The third, this afternoon, was not good news at all.   Dr.  Moreno looked at the wound from the amputation and agreed with me that it does not look good.  Dr. Fehrman referred us to Dr. Moreno last Friday because of his continued concerns about circulation.    This morning when I changed the dressing, I noticed a change in color which alarmed me.

Dr. Moreno believes that there would be more sign of healing if it was going to happen.    We will be seeing Dr. Fehrman next Tuesday, when he returns and we have the pneumonia under control, to determine the next step.

In the mean time I change the dressing and swab it with Iodine Swabsticks every day to stave off infection.

Letting you all get a head start before I post the blog.

Pray for us.   I believe we all are aware of the implications.

God love you all as we do

Marymom

What a day.   Dick started off with no temperature and has faded all day long.   He is having great difficulty getting in and out of the wheelchair for bed or bathroom.

I offered several times to take him to the emergency ward, just to remind him that the option is there, but he wants to wait until tomorrow when we see Dr. Sharon and after we have the appointment with Dr. Moreno.  I am making a list of questions for the doctor.    I think that it would help if I could get someone in here each day to dress his wounds and see that he is cleaned up.   Mom had that after Dad's stroke and it made all the difference in the world. 

Tonight we are going to watch the Tony Awards.   Always a special night for Dick and me as we try to keep up on Broadway.   I probably will go to bed as soon as I give Dick his soup as I want to get as much sleep as I can between helping Dick get in and out of bed and all.

So I am closing down for tonight.   I am also trying to figure out who could stay with Dick when I go (I hope ) to 52 Stafford, June 15th at 7PM for our  CWI Bloomsday Evening.

Pray that I can keep my cool and THINK.

God love you all

Mary

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