Getting adjusted to the flurry of activity, the meds, the meals all slowed things down a bit this morning...we all got through it, but Mike needed to rest a bit after breakfast. Ask Mike if he'll ever try French Vanilla Protein Powder with orange juice again...I think not!!

The eggs were provided by Reinhold and Connie's home grown chickens and cooked by Jim (I wonder if Jane knows he can cook a mean breakfast?)

The Home Care nurse came to check things out and was having a hard time figuring out what she could add to the care...I think Mike will be discharged from home care by next week.

» Read More

I got the call to pick Mike up at around 1:30pm... Believe it or not, he was ready for discharge instructions when I got there..the only glitch was that we were stopped on our way out of the room with a message that Hanger Prosthetics had a packet of info he needed to have before he left...so after about a 20 minute delay, we were off. Mike could hardly believe he was out of the hospital after so many confined days...an emotional moment to say the least. He definitely was not used to moving faster than 5 feet per minute, so the freeway almost seemed like a high speed roller coaster.

The rest of the day pushed his tolerance of surrounding activity to the limit...the bed had just arived, so the set-up man was still here; it was supper time so GiGis veggie soup was simmering; 5 of my granddaughters were here for the day; Becky was helping GiGi (Mike's Mom) with dinner, the bed and other miscellaneous things; and Phyllis arrived to help with the first "home" dressing change. We had to drop and run so we could get Mike's prescriptions filled (especially the pain meds for the dressing change).

Dinner went well except that Rayna (Kim's daughter) upchucked (we really don't know why), but it was a real initiation to Mike's return to the compound.

The shower and dressing change went better than expected, but Phyllis and I were glad we didn't try it solo this first time out. We found ourselves running for things we had at our fingertips in the hospital. The dressing wasn't the best, so we will definitely come up with solutions to some of the wrapping scenarios....time will fix it. The funniest part of the evening was us not noticing that one of the little ones was watching Mike navigate from the bathroom to his bedroom, well--his gown was sort of flapping open in the back (I was focused on much more than that) and when we heard Makenna announce to her sister "Uncle Mike is naked"---we realized that we should have closed the door ---all the way!!

Later in the evening Judd appeared to install safety rails and an adjustable shower head in the shower...great job...thanks, Judd!
A bigger surprise was Mike's brother, Jim arriving. He spent the night with plans to stick around the next day. Judd, Jim and Mike stayed up later than I did---great conversation and fun!!

Sorry this entry was so late, but what a busy day!!

I visited Mike today at the Haaser Compound in Valley View!! It was so great to see him out of the hospital and at his mother's. When I arrived, Mike's brothers Jim and Carl were there as well as his sister Marsha (who lives upstairs), his nephew Judd (who brought pizza!!), and his niece Becky and her daughter Makenna (Becky and her husband and three children live downstairs). And of course his Mom, Irma, aka "GiGi" (short for "great grandma"--she told me she has 27 great grandchildren with two on the way!!).

(Mike's sister Kathy and her husband Ed live in a separate house on the property. You can't really describe the Haaser Compound, you have to experience it.)

» Read More

Its official! Dad has achieved "outpatient" status!! I spoke to him on the phone very briefly. He is nice a settled at his mom's house in Valley View. He had his first dressing change with his two sisters Phyllis and Marsha that went quite smoothly. His brother Jim and nephew Judd (along with his mother, of course) were all part of his welcoming committee. His wheelchair is too big and cumbersome to use indoors so he is using a walker to get around in the house and doing quite well with it. Marsha, Phyllis and/or Connie will be his bandage team for the next 6 days or so and then its back to visit with Dr.McDonald and Tammy to get a touch up an hopefully a dryer bandage.

Horray for home cooking!!! Amazing progress Mikey!

As I'm sure most of you know, Dad is a pretty big Harry Potter fan, as are both his daughters. So much of our conversation during visits tends to gravitate to the speculation of what will or won't happen in the long awaited Book 7. Upon his request, here is a list of some interesting questions that will likely be answered in the 7th book.

» Read More

Dr. McDonald came for an early bandage change yesterday. She and an assistant pulled another 30 or so staples (eww!). She told Dad that a touch-up will be necessary for that palm-sized patch and maybe a few other places, but it won't be because the skin isn't healing: the problem is that when the skin heals from the inside-out, it forms scar tissue, and that tissue won't be strong enough (or the right type, or something like that) to support a prosthesis. So, everyone looking at the skin was right: it does look good, and it is healing well, etc. But Dr. McDonald (and Tammy, presumably, as she kept mentioning that patch as well) are focused more on the long term-- in addition to healing well, the skin has to knit/heal in a particular way to support the rigors of using a prosthetic limb. So that's the deal with that. She said the donor patch would be no bigger than the bottom of one of those 8oz. milk cartons (Dad happened to have one on his tray), so it won't be as painful, and could probably be managed out-patient without requiring an overnight stay.

Aunt Ruth surprised Dad with a visit late last night. He didn't even know she was headed back to Cleveland. I knew, as she asked me if I wanted a lift, but I didn't tell him-- surprises are more fun.

I haven't heard much from Aunt Marsha or Aunt Phyl-- I assume some amount of chaos has descended on the Haaser compound in anticipation of Dad's arrival. He should be discharged from the hospital later today, not sure when. Whee!

Talked to Dad on the phone:

Phyllis did the entire bandage change this evening! Dad said it went well-- a few delays looking for some supplies, but no problems with the bandager or the bandagee. I'll let Aunt Phyl comment more.

And holy cow! Guess who stopped into visit: Buzz Riopell!! Dad and Buzz went through ski patrol training together when they were in their early twenties and skied all over the place (literally) together-- east and west, even Tuckermans.

When I was talking to Dad the other day, he actually said, "The only thing that would surprise me more than seeing Sue Rhonemus would be if Buzz walked into the room." Be careful what you wish for, I suppose.

Dad said they had a great visit, and that Buzz sternly reminded him that his skiing days are NOT over. Buzz happens to be certified in teaching people with various types and quantities of prosthetic limbs how to ski.

p.s. Buzz, if I clobbered your name a) it's Dad's fault, and b) tell me how fix it... . Dad says 'Hi!' to Nancy.

Some of you found this as fascinating as I did. So here's an update.

» Read More

Just a few more days at Metro for learning the art of wound care. It amazes me how much improvement I see day to day, By Wednesday, we should be ready to take over. When Phyllis and I arrived at the hospital today, we were pleasantly surprised to see Ruthie sitting quietly at Mike's bedside...it was a great visit for all!

Looks like everything is in place for Wednesday---

I'm sitting here on this beautiful sunny day thinking of Michael and this past week's Thursday therapy session. The therapy staff and other therapy patients refer to Mike as "Big Dude" !! I had forgotten about that and it tickled Sue and me.

Mike also had a near mishap this past Thursday (4/19) when he was walking with his walker, physical therapist by his side. He was down at the other end of the therapy room while Sue and I chatted, and I had turned away for a second. I suddenly heard one of the therapists yell "STOP!!" What had happened was that one of the gentleman patients in an electric wheelchair began to back up into the path Mike was taking with his walker; had he continued there would have been a collision, because the therapist had Mike walking right behind the wheelchair. There was a bit of a commotion, but Mike handled the whole thing with his usual aplomb. The gentleman kept asking if "Big Dude" was mad at him and Michael reassured him that he wasn't and that "everything's cool" !!

For the rest of the session I made sure I knew where the gentleman was because he seemed to be a little bit of a wild card in his chair and I hate pain. I think Mike had him in his sights continually also!!

The therapy room is always interesting !!