09.09.2010 Thursday Wound Clinic Debut

Arrived on time at the Wound Clinic on West Jackson. We were warned that this would be a long visit and they did not disappoint. We started with Nurse A who did her assigned tasks and then passed us off to Nurse B who was followed by the Doctor and his personal nurse who yielded to Nurse D (Connie) who redressed the wound and sent us to the administrative personnel. This all took about 3 hours! Connie was very personable and revealed that she was working on a photo book surprise so she and I shared insights into that production piece and Dennis seems to enjoy the distraction of someone not pestering him for pain scale measurements or other medical questions.
We had a late lunch and were both exhausted with yet another sojourn into the medical galaxy. This should probably be a captain's log...star date whatever. Sometimes it really feels that we're in outer space.

Joe and Heidi were given frequent flyer miles from their friend Mike (who is on assignment in Abu Dabi) and they plan on a mutual birthday weekend in Chicago on Sept 17-19th. That will be strange to have them so close yet too far to visit on such a busy weekend. With the premier of "Pat's House" slated for that Saturday and the Living Lightly Fair, it's just going to be a crazy weekend. The Walker-Londt Reunion is on Sept 19th also. Can we possibly get anything else in one weekend?

09.08.2010 Wednesday The G.A. Returns

Made to my GA job today to hear a lecture by the CEO of Hunt Group, Inc. A BSU grad who runs the largest sports arena construction company. This is a family business with the third generation in charge. It was an interesting lecture though the facility left much to be desired a cramped classroom overflowing with students all straining to hear since the doors couldn't be closed. Mr. Hunt was unfortunately soft spoken, but well spoken. It was so good to forget about my life for even a few minutes and hear about real-world events. Good to be actually on the clock. I worked on settling in to the new office on the edge of the woodshop and the task of acclimating to a new office mate. Bryan is rather verbose and friendly...probably also curious about where the heck I've been. Went to TCOM610 AND my evening class. That was alot for a first day back. I definitely need a laptop. Dorothy is holding her own. Ed and Jane have cut their Wisconsin visit short to be back at the nursing home. We would go to Avilla again, but they have assured us that there is no change in her condition.

09.07.2010 Tuesday

Stayed around the house waiting on Home Health Care to arrive. They didn't call and since it's a different person every visit and since they seem very unfamiliar with Dennis' dressing it helps to have a consistent face in the room. Dennis has taken a "done-unto-me" attitude instead of engaging himself in his own care. He covers his head with a pillow and hasn't even tried to view the wound. He says that his one is too much for him visually and if he doesn't know what's going on with his foot it doesn't hurt. They finally came in the early afternoon and by the time this nurse was finished it was too late to go to the afternoon class. I did make it to my evening class, but I was so totally lost that it was discouraging. I'm beginning to believe that I cannot live without a laptop and an internet connection in class. I didn't realize how much I rely on the internet and instant access to look up terms that I'm unfamiliar with or other sources for something mentioned in class or by a classmate. The internet really does enhance learning and maybe creativity! I just know that I need that technological aid to make learning more relevant for me. One of Den's first evenings alone and he survived. I had to walk a rather anxious dog, but all else was well...

09.06.2010 Monday Labor Day

Labor Day was wierd! The Gnaps had to work today since they are BSU chefs and BSU students have to eat. James and Holly were in Indianapolis to be with her family and so for James to have a vacation day from babysitting, Kristen filled in for him. We had a quiet day here. I am writing this entry after-the-fact and I don't remember anything remarkable about the day except that I was not in Fort Worth for Heidi's birthday as I had planned all summer. I cooked alot for the upcoming week, trying to get things into the refrigerator that Dennis can eat and making sure that the rest of the house is still diabetic friendly. I did get the kitchen reorganized and an extra shelf set up. It's very very pleasant to have things in order and orderly. I'm making myself a bit OCDC with keeping the spaces clean once I get them that way. I know that I should be getting either a quilt done or homework going, but I just cannot wrap my brain around it. My folks will be coming back from Missouri soon and having them at our house is always a stressor. Probably not for them, but definitely for me. It's that first-born thing of "not good enough." I wonder how old I'll be when I stop seeking their approval? Ed said that he never felt that Dorothy approved of him. Dennis says the same thing and so does Peg. I hope I can learn from that mistake to convey to my children that I'm proud of them and not disappointed in their shortcomings. There definitely is no one perfect...or even close!

09.05.2010 Sunday Labor Day Weekend

Actually spent the day resting.

Sometimes I sits
Sometimes I sits hard

09.04.2010 Saturday Labor Day Weekend

The Gnaps left for Barberton, Ohio this morning. We are waiting on Home Health Care to arrive for the Saturday dressing. It did, indeed, rain a little bit this morning. The wonderful act of putting all the stuff back into the Studio turned out to be a blessing in disguise because the stuff was put in just to get it out of the rain, so that means that it all has to be brought back out, organized and returned. Good and bad.

Calls and emails about Dorothy's condition took a good amount of time. It was bittersweet seeing her in her pleasant condition, as it made it easier to "let her go" but also clouded our former memories of her as alive and vibrant. Kind of a limbo day. I should be hitting the books, but I'm doing well to check Blackboard occasionally and send an e-mail or two. I am so thankful for the understanding about this entire situation. It should actually be easier once Dorothy is at peace. We all won't be so jumpy with each telephone call.

The Home Health Care nurse was very chatty and had a husband who had survived the same condition about 10 years ago. It was good that she wanted to share what worked and didn't for him and also that he made a full recovery and was wiser for going through it.

We were both tired enough to just sit and watch movies this evening.

09.03.2010 Friday Wiring and Winding Down

Dennis is home and settling in to a routine. The electrician was able to come this morning to review all that needs to be electrified. He was surprised that we have another structure to illuminate. He came about 10:00am and then left to get an assistant and supplies. Jane called to let us know that Dorothy had taken a "turn for the worse" and also to let us know that they would be heading to Wisconsin to assist with childcare after the birth of their second grandchild in the north. Kristen and Kelly would like to visit with Dorothy. Dennis did not know whether to risk the nursing home germs or if his mother had a need to be in his presence at last time. We all decided to drive in caravan to Avilla since Kelly's children have expressed some curiosity about which great grandma this is and what exactly she is doing. Kelly is at a loss as to an age appropriate explanation so she hopes that the visual will suffice.

The electricians have returned and are hard at work to extend the trench we dug and make the wiring a reality. It turned out to be quite a hot afternoon and I have been kept busy keeping them hydrated. Kelly and Family have decided to leave at about 4:00pm (with Dennis) for the Sacred Heart facility so that they can "visit" and then return to Muncie at a decent hour. Kristen, Holly and I will travel north after the wiring is complete. This plan works until about 8:30pm when the wiring still is not complete and I don't know what is best. To leave nearly complete strangers with the run of our house or to be up all night on the highway. Dorothy won't know what time we are there and the nursing home has no visiting hours. Finally Kristen forces the decision by becoming intolerant of any further delay. The electricians overhear our discussion and share that they, too, lost loved ones to alzheimer's and that they will lock up when they are finished. We pay their bill and head out. The Gnaps plus Dennis are on their way back to Muncie. Dennis is not effected but Kelly is deeply upset with seeing her grandmother so close to death. They warn us what to expect which helps. We three have a nice drive and chat the entire time. Seeing Dorothy is quite a shocking experience. We really haven't seen her since Mother's Day when she was in great physical shape, and not unpleasant. She just peppered us with the same questions. Kristen, like her sister, was too upset to speak and cried continuously the entire hour we were there. Holly had a vested interest the nursing care and since she wasn't very close to Dorothy, this clinical curiosity helped her through the evening. The ride home was more therapeutic than fun, but we made good time and were home by about 1:00am. The electricians finished about midnight and even moved the studio items back into the quilt cottage because they were afraid of rain in the morning. What great people!! A long hard day, but we all fell into beds, glad that it is over!

09.02.2010 Thursday Saying Good-bye to the Laptops

Got through the first night with no incidents. Glucose numbers were good. I spent the entire day cooking no carb foods and counting out meals for him that were satisfying and not hard on his glucose. A long day. I don't know how I'm going to do all of this.

Went to campus armed with both of my non-working laptops hopeful that the Tech Time gurus can fix them and get me back into the student role. After about 3 hours of tinkerings, the verdict came that the Dell has a dead motherboard. They were able to transfer my files from the hard drive to a portable hard drive I had taken with me. That's good. The netbook also is d.o.a. It is so full of cookies that the teeny little harddrive is too full for the processor to boot. No boot...no way to clean out the cookies. Bummer!

Missed the first football game. Could hear the excitement from the patio. I felt badly that Kristen didn't have anyone to go with. Dennis and Lucky (the kitten formerly known as TJ) have made very good friends. He loves it tht Lucky and Chewy frolic all over the house.

09.01.2010 Wednesday Busted Outta' BMH!

Hurry up, hurry up ..... wait, wait, wait! Again, no one seems to know who's got the final word. Dennis had his clothes on early this morning. He's ready to be gone. He's tired of a hospital bed and the interrupted sleep and hospital meals and being in the same room all the time. This is all good because he now has the motivation to not come back. I spent the afternoon cleaning out all the nooks and crannies where Dennis has stashed "goodies...in case he goes low (hypoglycemic)" Yeah right! He had alot of things that hidden that aren't necessary and even though it kills me to throw away foodstuffs but I had to do it ...for the good of Dennis and his foot.

My early prediction needing a pickup truck to drag all of the stuff home turned out to be true. I did drive the truck because I thought it would be easier for him to get into and have more room for his tootsie....and it did, in fact, take the entire bed of the truck to bring home all of the medical supplies, etc. The transfer from hospital to home was smooth for him and a ton of work for me. I took over as pharmacist, nurse, laboratory, dietician, endocinologist, wound specialist, press corp, cook, and adult day care! Den started his new life with his own room and new bed and private space to rest and heal.

08.31.2010 Tuesday Release Eve

Finally, all the staff are starting to agree that Dennis will go home tomorrow. This is to allow him 4 full days on the vancomyocin post op. So this day for Dennis was a restful day of knowing that he has 24 more hours of constant care and then facing the reality of being at home. The wound vac is installed and pumping away. Not as bad of a procedure as he anticipated and wound care nurses were very chatty and informative and willing to answer our stupid questions. Glad that is over.
We spent a quiet evening. I went to class because he was doing well just to hear the vernacular and get to know some of the students. My role as student has definitely taken a back seat to the role of well spouse/ill person's advocate. I really want to be the student. I'm feeling my grasp on keeping up slipping away.