I can't believe it will be December tomorrow. It was about 65 degrees out today with a nice warm sun.
Yesterday the dog and I enjoyed a long walk. People are out putting up their lights and decor. It was nice to see.
The nurse came this morning and his blood pressure and blood sugar are up. According to the doc this is to be expected with his surgery and all. It is disconcerting anyway.
Today Marsha was here and I rushed around doing various errands. Got some Christmas cards bought some wrapping paper and bought groceries. Had to go to Home Depot and get a filter for the frig. Frightfully expensive !
Cowboy is doing well. He is mostly in his recliner and is napping a lot. He has little pain and is eating well. We go back to the doc on Friday AM. At six o'clock he announced he wanted to go to bed. A new "early". It had been between 7 and 8 most nights of late. And we slept in this morning til 8 so he is sleeping a lot.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Monday, November 28, 2011
Monday, November 28
The surgery went well. They wrapped up his leg to the extent he can barely bend it, put the wound vac on and said not to touch anything until we return to the Dr.'s on Friday. OK by me. Guess Cowboy gets sponge baths this week. He is supposed to keep the leg elevated for a couple of days so he is in the bed. That means he is asleep.
Am hoping to get some more Christmas things done today and maybe start on cards. We have a grandaughter who has a school project that is asking us to provide a story of a nice holiday memory along with a picture. I have thousands of pics on digital so is quite a task to find something for her. Thank goodness I have them labeled. Will be trying to get that done today too.
Am hoping to get some more Christmas things done today and maybe start on cards. We have a grandaughter who has a school project that is asking us to provide a story of a nice holiday memory along with a picture. I have thousands of pics on digital so is quite a task to find something for her. Thank goodness I have them labeled. Will be trying to get that done today too.
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Sunday, November 27
Saturday morning at 1AM Cowboy got up. He took a shower and got dressed and went and sat in his chair. I heard the TV and then later I did not so figured he went to sleep. When I got up the TV was totally screwed up. Sometimes he just starts pushing buttons. It took about half hour to figure out what to do to get back to normal.
I spent a lot of time Saturday getting out Christmas things and putting up the tree. I have cut way back and am not doing things up fancy this year.
This morning Cowboy woke me up at 5 and said to get up...we had to go to the hospital. I explained to him that was tomorrow, Monday, and tried to go back to sleep. I was not successful.
Cowboy ate a good breakfast and all of his lunch but I made some muffins this afternoon and he ate two of them before I could get dinner on the table so needless to say he didn't eat much dinner. He does not get food or water after midnight so he going to be hungy before he gets to eat tomorrow.
I have the alarm set for 4:30. We have to be at the hospital at 6AM.
I spent a lot of time Saturday getting out Christmas things and putting up the tree. I have cut way back and am not doing things up fancy this year.
This morning Cowboy woke me up at 5 and said to get up...we had to go to the hospital. I explained to him that was tomorrow, Monday, and tried to go back to sleep. I was not successful.
Cowboy ate a good breakfast and all of his lunch but I made some muffins this afternoon and he ate two of them before I could get dinner on the table so needless to say he didn't eat much dinner. He does not get food or water after midnight so he going to be hungy before he gets to eat tomorrow.
I have the alarm set for 4:30. We have to be at the hospital at 6AM.
Friday, November 25, 2011
Friday, November 25
We had a very nice Thanksgiving. We went to Cowboy's daughters house for a couple of hours and enjoyed her childrent. They have a 10 year old and 7 year old triplets. It is always chaos there but we enjoyed them.
We then went to my grandsons. They had a houseful. I think there were about 20 people there. There was loads of food and we had a good time. I have a 5 month old great grandaughter and she is beautiful.
Cowboy did very well. We spent some time in the backyard. It was a beautiful day. He insisted on walking up the stairs into their house. It is very steep with about 20 steps so I asked my grandson to help him. I worry he will fall and seriously hurt himself.
It was probably 9 when we got home so a long day. We both went straight to bed.
I am worn out today. The nurse came about 8:30 and then I fixed breakfast and Marsha came at 10 and I did a couple of errands. Spent the rest of the afternoon reading the papers for yesterday and today. Just finished dinner. Cowboy ate about half of his meal.
We then went to my grandsons. They had a houseful. I think there were about 20 people there. There was loads of food and we had a good time. I have a 5 month old great grandaughter and she is beautiful.
Cowboy did very well. We spent some time in the backyard. It was a beautiful day. He insisted on walking up the stairs into their house. It is very steep with about 20 steps so I asked my grandson to help him. I worry he will fall and seriously hurt himself.
It was probably 9 when we got home so a long day. We both went straight to bed.
I am worn out today. The nurse came about 8:30 and then I fixed breakfast and Marsha came at 10 and I did a couple of errands. Spent the rest of the afternoon reading the papers for yesterday and today. Just finished dinner. Cowboy ate about half of his meal.
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Wednesday, November 23
What is it they say? I have been busier than a one armed paper hanger in a windstorm. Every day I would think, I need to sit down and blog. Well here I am finally.
I managed to go to Dulcimer practice on Saturday for the first time in many weeks. A friend came and sat with Cowboy. We are doing a concert at the museum downtown on the evening of the 2nd of Dec and this is the only time I practiced with them.
Sunday the band did a gig at the library for two hours. I was tired and did not do my best but it went well overall.
The every other day change of the wound vac dressing continues as does the physical therapy. Cowboy is doing very well. The wound is healthy and he has no pain and the therapist is pleased with his work.
I had a follow up appointment with the eye doctor on Monday and I was pronounced doing fine. My phone quit and I had several little errands so Monday afternoon I took Cowboy with me to go take care of all of that.
Tuesday AM the dog had a grooming appointment at 7AM (ugh!). We dropped her off and I took Cowboy to IHOP for breakfast and then we went to WalMart. I needed some of the ingredients to bake for Thanksgiving. He walked around the store with me and did fine. He wandered off a few times but he goes so slow it isn't hard to run him down.
We had an appointment with the plastic surgeon today. After talking to her we decided to go ahead and do the skin graft. It is scheduled for this coming Monday. We are told that he should heal faster and are probably looking at a couple of weeks for it to be much closer to being in good shape. It took all afternoon to do the paperwork, etc for the surgery but we are all set. Have to be there at 6AM (ugh again !)
We are going to our grandsons and to one of our daughters house tomorrow. It is a three hour drive and we are doing it in the one day. Don't have much choice due to the need to be here for the wound vac treatment on Friday. I think seeing the kiddos will be good for Cowboy. They have all been around to visit in the last few months but we don't see enouigh of them. Everyone is so busy.
I just finished two batches of cupcakes and the last of two pies is in the oven. There is a bed waiting for me very shortly.
Cowboy is watching an old western music show on TV. He just loves it. I find him tapping his foot sometimes or pretend picking his guitar.
I managed to go to Dulcimer practice on Saturday for the first time in many weeks. A friend came and sat with Cowboy. We are doing a concert at the museum downtown on the evening of the 2nd of Dec and this is the only time I practiced with them.
Sunday the band did a gig at the library for two hours. I was tired and did not do my best but it went well overall.
The every other day change of the wound vac dressing continues as does the physical therapy. Cowboy is doing very well. The wound is healthy and he has no pain and the therapist is pleased with his work.
I had a follow up appointment with the eye doctor on Monday and I was pronounced doing fine. My phone quit and I had several little errands so Monday afternoon I took Cowboy with me to go take care of all of that.
Tuesday AM the dog had a grooming appointment at 7AM (ugh!). We dropped her off and I took Cowboy to IHOP for breakfast and then we went to WalMart. I needed some of the ingredients to bake for Thanksgiving. He walked around the store with me and did fine. He wandered off a few times but he goes so slow it isn't hard to run him down.
We had an appointment with the plastic surgeon today. After talking to her we decided to go ahead and do the skin graft. It is scheduled for this coming Monday. We are told that he should heal faster and are probably looking at a couple of weeks for it to be much closer to being in good shape. It took all afternoon to do the paperwork, etc for the surgery but we are all set. Have to be there at 6AM (ugh again !)
We are going to our grandsons and to one of our daughters house tomorrow. It is a three hour drive and we are doing it in the one day. Don't have much choice due to the need to be here for the wound vac treatment on Friday. I think seeing the kiddos will be good for Cowboy. They have all been around to visit in the last few months but we don't see enouigh of them. Everyone is so busy.
I just finished two batches of cupcakes and the last of two pies is in the oven. There is a bed waiting for me very shortly.
Cowboy is watching an old western music show on TV. He just loves it. I find him tapping his foot sometimes or pretend picking his guitar.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Thursday, November 17
I did not feel very well Monday and Tuesday this week. Think it was the low pressure front that came through. Just ached all over and felt cranky. Had the usual nurse on Monday for a dressing change and Cowboy had physical therapy on Tuesday. The band practiced Tuesday afternoon. We are doing a concert at the library downtown this coming Sunday. Two hours of playing. I am taking Cowboy with me and it is a large library. Hopefully he will manage OK.
Tuesday night I had a little bit of a meltdown. Had been reading a rather strange book and it included a lot of flashback type narrative and so when I went to bed I kept thinking about other times in my life. I got to thinking about the Cowboy I met in 1976. He was so energetic and positive and full of enthusiasm for life. He was also very good looking and had a kind of flirtatious way about him. He was intelligent and engaging. I thought about these things and then I wept. No one knew. It was just me, in the bed, listening to Cowboy breathing and the burp of the wound vac.
We went to see the surgeon yesterday. He says Cowboy's wound is healing very well but is suggesting we think about a skin graft to complete the healing. the choices are to stay on the wound vac for several more weeks or go through surgery and heal faster without the wound vac. Downside of course is the surgery and the attendant discomfort. We have an appointment with the plastic surgeon next Wednesday and will decide then. Cowboy is so tired of the aggravation of the wound vac that he wants to do the surgery.
I went to the military base yesterday and picked up Cowboy's new glasses, our medicines for the next three months and bought a very large bill of groceries. The troups are beginning to return from the middle east and the place was a zoo. the paper said there will be 20,000 more troops there by the end of the year. I may decide to just go over there every three months when have to pick up medicine. It is exhausting to deal with the traffic, lines, people and confusion.
The physical therapist came again this morning. While he was here I went to book club. The rest of the day has been about trying to get a little better organized. Seems like I am doing that a lot.
I took Cowboy to dinner on Tuesday night down in the city. We went to Red Lobster. He ate three biscuits, all his shrimp and most of his potatoes. Overall he is down 5 more pounds. That is a total of 36 this year. He is just skin and bones. Some days he eats and some days he doesn't.
He is getting out of the house some. We went for a short walk this afternoon. He is doing very well with his walker.
Tuesday night I had a little bit of a meltdown. Had been reading a rather strange book and it included a lot of flashback type narrative and so when I went to bed I kept thinking about other times in my life. I got to thinking about the Cowboy I met in 1976. He was so energetic and positive and full of enthusiasm for life. He was also very good looking and had a kind of flirtatious way about him. He was intelligent and engaging. I thought about these things and then I wept. No one knew. It was just me, in the bed, listening to Cowboy breathing and the burp of the wound vac.
We went to see the surgeon yesterday. He says Cowboy's wound is healing very well but is suggesting we think about a skin graft to complete the healing. the choices are to stay on the wound vac for several more weeks or go through surgery and heal faster without the wound vac. Downside of course is the surgery and the attendant discomfort. We have an appointment with the plastic surgeon next Wednesday and will decide then. Cowboy is so tired of the aggravation of the wound vac that he wants to do the surgery.
I went to the military base yesterday and picked up Cowboy's new glasses, our medicines for the next three months and bought a very large bill of groceries. The troups are beginning to return from the middle east and the place was a zoo. the paper said there will be 20,000 more troops there by the end of the year. I may decide to just go over there every three months when have to pick up medicine. It is exhausting to deal with the traffic, lines, people and confusion.
The physical therapist came again this morning. While he was here I went to book club. The rest of the day has been about trying to get a little better organized. Seems like I am doing that a lot.
I took Cowboy to dinner on Tuesday night down in the city. We went to Red Lobster. He ate three biscuits, all his shrimp and most of his potatoes. Overall he is down 5 more pounds. That is a total of 36 this year. He is just skin and bones. Some days he eats and some days he doesn't.
He is getting out of the house some. We went for a short walk this afternoon. He is doing very well with his walker.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Sunday, November 13
Cowboy got the towel out again last night during the night. I asked him what he was doing and he said getting ready for the nurse. I wonder if he wants to be done with this so much that he is trying to hurry it along. I explained to him that it was Sunday and only 3AM and she wasn't coming until 9 on Monday.
Friday I treated myself to a massage and facial. Man, if I had the money I would do it every week. Such a treat ! Didn't have time for anything else so grabbed a hamburger on the way home. Marsha said he ate all his lunch. Good thing. He didn't want his dinner.
We are thinking about going to our grandson's for Thanksgiving. Not sure yet.
Friday I treated myself to a massage and facial. Man, if I had the money I would do it every week. Such a treat ! Didn't have time for anything else so grabbed a hamburger on the way home. Marsha said he ate all his lunch. Good thing. He didn't want his dinner.
We are thinking about going to our grandson's for Thanksgiving. Not sure yet.
Friday, November 11, 2011
Friday, November11
11/11/11 Isn't that something?
Tuesday night the wound vac sprung a leak. When the nurse came on Wednesday she found that his jeans had rubbed some of the adhesive up in a bunch. There is a reason why they want him to wear soft athletic pants. Marsha may not have known but no one told me so he wore jeans Wed and Thurs. I found out this morning and told him he needed to wear the soft pants unless we were going out. That was accepted.
I went shopping Wednesday while Marsha was here and came home with a new ironing board. I have hated my old one for about 10 years so it was time. I was trying to find a Christmas sweater for the holiday play dates but struck out. The only one I found that I liked was $60. That's is toooooo much for something you wear so few times. Groceries and home.
Thursday the physical therapist came again. Cowboy seems to be really trying to work on his balance exercises. We went to IHOP and to get him a haircut. Beautiful day. He really enjoyed himself.
Tuesday night the wound vac sprung a leak. When the nurse came on Wednesday she found that his jeans had rubbed some of the adhesive up in a bunch. There is a reason why they want him to wear soft athletic pants. Marsha may not have known but no one told me so he wore jeans Wed and Thurs. I found out this morning and told him he needed to wear the soft pants unless we were going out. That was accepted.
I went shopping Wednesday while Marsha was here and came home with a new ironing board. I have hated my old one for about 10 years so it was time. I was trying to find a Christmas sweater for the holiday play dates but struck out. The only one I found that I liked was $60. That's is toooooo much for something you wear so few times. Groceries and home.
Thursday the physical therapist came again. Cowboy seems to be really trying to work on his balance exercises. We went to IHOP and to get him a haircut. Beautiful day. He really enjoyed himself.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Tuesday, November 8
They say that time goes by faster as you age. I believe it. Can't keep up.
The wound vac that Cowboy is wearing involves a nurse coming to the house on Mon, Wed and Fri. She puts him on our bed with a towel under the wound and proceeds to take off the coverings and the paraphenalia and washes it with saline from a shringe. Sometimes the towels get a bit wet.
Last night about midnight I wake up and Cowboy is arranging a towel on the bed. He seems to be preparing for the nurse visit. He finally gets back into bed and there is the towel laying on top of the covers waiting for her visit. The diseased brain is a very strange thing.
The physical therapist came today. He is really good at his job but I find him a bit tiresome. He goes on and on about the different muscles, etc. I think he is trying to impress me with his knowledge. I appreciate that he needs to know these things but it is hard for me to want the amount of detail he offers on some things. This whole business of these therapists is bugging me. I know there is value in a lot of what they offer but I keep thinking about the nations out of control spending on medical care and am wondering if maybe we have gone past the line of common sense on some of this stuff. patience Lena Sue, patience..........
Cowboy has decided not to wear the soft athletic pants I bought him. He struggles to put on his jeans over the bandages but does it anyway and dresses in his jeans and cowboy shirt. The only concession of late in his dressing is he is wearing mocasins instead of his boots.
He ate a good breakfast today but hardly touched his lunch or his dinner. I got him to drink a Glucerna. I hope we are not starting to have eating issues again. I know it is selfish of me but I get so tired and frustrated of cooking what I think will be a meal he will enjoy and he won't touch it. He just says "I don't want it".
The wound vac that Cowboy is wearing involves a nurse coming to the house on Mon, Wed and Fri. She puts him on our bed with a towel under the wound and proceeds to take off the coverings and the paraphenalia and washes it with saline from a shringe. Sometimes the towels get a bit wet.
Last night about midnight I wake up and Cowboy is arranging a towel on the bed. He seems to be preparing for the nurse visit. He finally gets back into bed and there is the towel laying on top of the covers waiting for her visit. The diseased brain is a very strange thing.
The physical therapist came today. He is really good at his job but I find him a bit tiresome. He goes on and on about the different muscles, etc. I think he is trying to impress me with his knowledge. I appreciate that he needs to know these things but it is hard for me to want the amount of detail he offers on some things. This whole business of these therapists is bugging me. I know there is value in a lot of what they offer but I keep thinking about the nations out of control spending on medical care and am wondering if maybe we have gone past the line of common sense on some of this stuff. patience Lena Sue, patience..........
Cowboy has decided not to wear the soft athletic pants I bought him. He struggles to put on his jeans over the bandages but does it anyway and dresses in his jeans and cowboy shirt. The only concession of late in his dressing is he is wearing mocasins instead of his boots.
He ate a good breakfast today but hardly touched his lunch or his dinner. I got him to drink a Glucerna. I hope we are not starting to have eating issues again. I know it is selfish of me but I get so tired and frustrated of cooking what I think will be a meal he will enjoy and he won't touch it. He just says "I don't want it".
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Sunday, November 6
On Thursday we went for the follow up appointment for Cowboy's cataract surgery. He needs different glasses. He also has the very beginnings of macular degeneration. It doesn't seem to worry the opthamologist much. Must be a very slow growing condition.\
In the afternoon we had a follow up appointment with our PCP that is requested after any hospitalization. We went over his meds. We were given one set of instructions when we left the hospital and a slightly different set from the rehab facility. Sometimes I think medicine must be more art than science. They all seem to have a different take on things. Anyhow, we are making some minor adjustments in his meds and are going to try taking an over the counter med for his runny nose. It just runs all the time.
Friday Marsha was here and I got the car washed, some water softener salt bought (why do they put that stuff in 40 pounds bags !) and a pedicure.
In the afternoon my neighbor across the street saw me struggling with it and came right over and put it in the water softener and unhooked and put away the hoses. He said to not hesitate to call him night or day if I needed help. I am constantly amazed at how lovely everyone is.
Well, I really had to laugh at myself Saturday. I had heard on the news that the time changed this weekend and somehow my overloaded brain decided that it happened on Friday night. I gleefully thought about the extra hour of sleep and when I got up on Saturday proceeded to change all the clocks. No big deal, right? Well, I had made arrangements for a neighbor to sit with Cowboy so I could go to dulcimer practice and when he showed up I told him he was an hour early and sent him home. His wife calls me and corrects me so I find myself rushing around to get things together to leave while waiting for him to come back. I felt like a complete idiot and still can't figure out how I made such a stupid error.
But now it is Sunday and the time really did change and so we were a bit late rising and I fixed a big "brunch" sort of between breakfast time and lunch time. We also gave Cowboy a good scrubbing up and lotioning down this morning. He is now taking a nice nap and I am trying to clean up a few piles around here. Might as well get the laundry done before I start on the ironing.
In the afternoon we had a follow up appointment with our PCP that is requested after any hospitalization. We went over his meds. We were given one set of instructions when we left the hospital and a slightly different set from the rehab facility. Sometimes I think medicine must be more art than science. They all seem to have a different take on things. Anyhow, we are making some minor adjustments in his meds and are going to try taking an over the counter med for his runny nose. It just runs all the time.
Friday Marsha was here and I got the car washed, some water softener salt bought (why do they put that stuff in 40 pounds bags !) and a pedicure.
In the afternoon my neighbor across the street saw me struggling with it and came right over and put it in the water softener and unhooked and put away the hoses. He said to not hesitate to call him night or day if I needed help. I am constantly amazed at how lovely everyone is.
Well, I really had to laugh at myself Saturday. I had heard on the news that the time changed this weekend and somehow my overloaded brain decided that it happened on Friday night. I gleefully thought about the extra hour of sleep and when I got up on Saturday proceeded to change all the clocks. No big deal, right? Well, I had made arrangements for a neighbor to sit with Cowboy so I could go to dulcimer practice and when he showed up I told him he was an hour early and sent him home. His wife calls me and corrects me so I find myself rushing around to get things together to leave while waiting for him to come back. I felt like a complete idiot and still can't figure out how I made such a stupid error.
But now it is Sunday and the time really did change and so we were a bit late rising and I fixed a big "brunch" sort of between breakfast time and lunch time. We also gave Cowboy a good scrubbing up and lotioning down this morning. He is now taking a nice nap and I am trying to clean up a few piles around here. Might as well get the laundry done before I start on the ironing.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Wednesday, November 2
I write down what I hope to accomplish each day. Everything from "Pay Bills" to "Iron" to Day out with a list of "To Do's". It helps to keep me somewhat focused and moving forward. Sometimes I don't feel like I get much done. I keep Cowboy's water glass full,HIs pills dispensed, make sure he is comfortable, fix his meals, tend to the correspondence and bills, keep the house organized and clean. I am behind on my reading, and I still have not done my seasonal chore of going through the closets and weeding out, I have several projects I plan to do that I have not started and there are those pesky hoses in the yard that need to be rolled up and disconnected from the faucets. It is going to get cold one of these days and don't want to be caught unawares.
Cowboy is doing very well. He has really taken to his walker. Yesterday we even went outside and walked to the corner and back. He is eating pretty well for most meals and he is doing the exercises the physical therapist gave him. He seems to have a new sense of determination after his hospital stay.
Yesterday a neighbor came over and cut Cowboy's hair. He doesn't have much anymore and it is totally white but she did a nice job and he looks good.
Marsha came today and I managed to get some birthday cards bought, looked for shams for my European pillows (didn't find any) went to post office and bought groceries. Hope to get a pedicure on Friday when Marsha comes for 3 hours.
Still haven't done the ironing and have some mending waiting for me. It is good to have Marsha coming because she does a lot of little things around here that really keep things looking orderly and clean.
The nurse came today and changed Cowboy's dressing and the physical therapist came and had a session with Cowboy.
I have learned more about wound care and wound vacs the last few weeks than I ever wanted to know. We will get past this.
Ran into two of the dulcimer players at the grocery store today. I told them I am lining up sitters for a couple of Saturday's in Nov and some in December so can come to practice. There is a concert at the museum on Dec 2 and the annual charity concert the end of January. I need to get to some of the practices and am trying to make that happen.
Cowboy is doing very well. He has really taken to his walker. Yesterday we even went outside and walked to the corner and back. He is eating pretty well for most meals and he is doing the exercises the physical therapist gave him. He seems to have a new sense of determination after his hospital stay.
Yesterday a neighbor came over and cut Cowboy's hair. He doesn't have much anymore and it is totally white but she did a nice job and he looks good.
Marsha came today and I managed to get some birthday cards bought, looked for shams for my European pillows (didn't find any) went to post office and bought groceries. Hope to get a pedicure on Friday when Marsha comes for 3 hours.
Still haven't done the ironing and have some mending waiting for me. It is good to have Marsha coming because she does a lot of little things around here that really keep things looking orderly and clean.
The nurse came today and changed Cowboy's dressing and the physical therapist came and had a session with Cowboy.
I have learned more about wound care and wound vacs the last few weeks than I ever wanted to know. We will get past this.
Ran into two of the dulcimer players at the grocery store today. I told them I am lining up sitters for a couple of Saturday's in Nov and some in December so can come to practice. There is a concert at the museum on Dec 2 and the annual charity concert the end of January. I need to get to some of the practices and am trying to make that happen.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)