An FFFFF......N week

I'm sure that got your attention. It has been an ffff....n week. From friends, food, football-WooHoo, I won the fantasy football picks,to people folding my laundry. If ever there was a doubt of the foibles of human nature it was certainly proved wrong this week. All you friends and family out there are amazing. The friendly visit from Dennie and Pete, Larry was very happy about that and Liz and Cindy coming over and sitting with Larry while folding my laundry, it's as if you've done this before. The food drop-offs have been fabulous-if not fattening. And a special shout-out to the e-mails that I have received from Larry's former workers. He made me read them to him over and over again. And yes, I won the football picks this week. After being a bridesmaid for the past 6 weeks, I was finally able to be the bride.

Larry's progress is kind of at a stalemate right now. I'm concerned about him being bed-ridden for the past 8 weeks and his muscle strength is so weak right now. He does get PT but it's very limited due to the site of the pressure wound. The wound has receded and that is the priority but he can't even move his legs from side to side by himself. A trapeze was just installed on the bed (no jokes please) so he can improve his upper body strength. He can't even get a utensil to his mouth so he has to depend on other people to feed him. He is pretty weak. You know, Larry continues to be optimistic about the improvement of his health ,and if that is what he believes than the fff...n faith in humankind shall persevere. Until then...pass on the Larry love.

Gail

P.S. Check out the side additions to the blog (calendar and map)

Life with Larry...back home

I'll try and keep this short. Larry's tests from Saturday nite were negative. No UTI, no infection, except a hunch that he has been and may be dehydrated. We're trying to keep him full of water and Powerade, Gatorade, etc. His hallucinations have diminished and now he wants his address book and phone. So look out..you've all been warned. Our lives are certainly different since Larry's been home. In some ways it's not as dificult as I thought it would be, and in other ways I sometimes wonder where the strength comes from to just get through the moment. The boys and I have adjusted our schedules as best can be. The offers of help are greatly appreciated and as my sister always says : "there's a special place in heaven for all you people." So until next time...pass on the Larry love.

Gail

Larry's Home!!!!

Yes, Larry has finally come home. It was not the homecoming we expected but after 6 months, he is back in his own home. It was quite an ordeal to get him here. He came home Monday evening after being told he would be home by 4:00. The dining room has been transformed into his bedroom. Not the ideal set-up, but right now he is unable to maneuver stairs. It is strange to see your dining room now looking like a hospital room. Larry is still on a wound vac and is strictly bed-bound. Now that he's home it is very unnerving to take a good look at him. This is a man who was robust and never a lightweight. Now he is very much hanging skin and bones. We have been able to manage his care for this past week. After having a family meeting Sunday nite and explaining the reality of things, the boys and I were able to make it through the week. Chris volunteered to go on the PM shift at work making him available most mornings until 2PM. Steve and I were able to pick up the rest of the slack. We have had the home health RN here Wed. and Fri. She checkss and cleans his wound and takes care of his cathater. Physical and Occupational therapy has not started yet. It's great to have these people but they have no set times. So we are still looking for people to plug in the gaps. Right now, I know for sure that I need people sitters for Monday PM, Tuesday PM,Wednesday, Friday and the week-end. Not for the entire days but for a portion of each. I welcome everyone and anyone. I can be reached by my e-mail: gailwilliams614@msn.com. Larry's condition is somewhat erratic right now. As I type, there is a RN here trying to draw blood on him and check his urine (sounds gross, doesn't it?). Since Tuesday, Larry has been having awful hallucinations. He keeps seeing a beautiful, young, thin woman. I tried to tell him that's not an illusion, but it's me, his wife. We try to see the humor in everything. But seriously, these hallucinations can very disconcerting. They're very real to Larry yet he sort of knows that they're not. I thought that the cause of this could possibly be his meds. I spoke with his doctor last nite and she seemed to think it could be a UTI or vey low electolytes. We'll know more tomorrow. So,until the next time...pass on the Larry love.

Gail

I can't believe that I'm making another post within 3 days, but things change quickly. We just found out that Larry will be discharged this coming Monday, Oct.13. So much for the additional 3 weeks his doctors supposedly said he needed. It all comes down to bureaucy and money. He has used up his allotment of Medicare and supplemental insurance days so all of sudden we have to scramble. Decisions have to be made quickly and you can only hope that you're making the right ones. They will not give Larry a "safe discharge" unless he has 24/7 secured care in place. So remember when I put out the HELP plea? Well, I'm going to need it now. I hope I can count on all of you that offered so readily and graciously. We don't have an exact plan as of yet but by Monday it should be in place. We will be using a home health care team that will be coming in several times a week to take care of Larry's wound and administer the appropriate therapies to him. We also are enlisting the help of a nurse's aid to come in approximately 20hrs. a week to help with Larry's bathing, dressing and feeding. Where we need the help is when the nurse's aid leaves and before myself or one of the boys comes home from work. Right now, our work schedules are not exactly routine. I welcome all that want to step up to the plate and take a swing at Larry's care (can you tell that I've been too involved with the Cubs this season?) I will assure everyone that Larry is improving. He is much more coherent and I attribute that to the antibiotic he has been on to fight the severe infection caused by the pressure wound. It's amazing how that infection, when not controlled(as in the last facility) can just make your whole body and mind run amuck. So in signing off for tonight, I ask that whoever is willing to volunteer to Larry's cause to either post a comment here or send me an e-mail. As always....pass on the Larry love.

Gail

Larry's Improving

Well, here it is almost 2 weeks since my last post. I'm not getting lazy; I'm just don't want to become one of those bloggers who think what they have to say is so important that everyone can't wait for the next post. And quite honestly my creative juices weren't flowing real well. What makes today any different, I don't know. Especially when I've been hit with a sinus infection, or cold, or something. I feel in quite simple medical terms: "crappy." However, I've laid on the sofa long enough today and feel the need to say I accomplished something.

As this blog does pertain primarily to Larry, here's some good news. He's making progress and is sounding much better. Chris, who remains our most frequent visitor to Larry has even indicated that "Dad is getting better." It's good to hear that coming from Chris as he has appeared to be quite affected by Larry's condition. We've all been affected by Larry's condition and we all handle it differently; good or bad. When I last saw Larry last Wednesday, he said the doctor indicated that he is making remarkable improvement but that he will still have to remain there for another 3 weeks. I just hope Medicare and supplemental insurance is covering all of this. I just don't need any new shocking bills right now. I'm also concerned about the atrophy of Larry's muscles. He has not been out of a hospital bed in about 4 weeks. He is given bedside therapy but it's only limited range of motion. I suppose we need to concentrate on getting this wound thing cleared up first. Do you realize that Larry has been gone for almost 6 months now??? We're all very tired of this and just wish life could be back the way it was several years ago. You know one never seems to realize how good your life can be until it goes down the toilet. I remember my mom saying "if you have your health, you have everything." So that reminds me, I better get that mamogram in this month (and all you other ladies too) as this is National Breast Cancer Month and I am a 6 year survivor. WooHoo!!!!

Anyway, back to Ole' Lar. I will be out to see him tomorrow and we'll probably watch Ellen (his favorite daytime program)together. I hope to catch up with his doctor and wound care team as well. I'm one of those people that has to ask the who, whats, and whys, of his condition and how it is being treated. Remember , I am that control freak. Now if anyone feels the need to get some of that Midwest Autumnal feeling, come out to Sycamore for their annual Pumpkin Festival. It's a wonderful festival especially for the younger set and even us vintage folk enjoy it. I think it may be this upcoming week-end but I'm not sure. You can check on the internet. And while your out there give Ole' Lar a shout. He's much more lucent these days and loves to hear from everyone. Which reminds me, thank you to all who have sent cards and calls to him. He is quite touched by all of that. In fact, leave it to Lar to remind me of all the birthdays at this time and of course how he always sent the cards. So I want to wish his sister Linda a belated happy birthday and his brother-in-law- Tom a belated birthday wish also; and shout-out birthday wishes to Mary Ellen, Steve S., Chris, Chase and anyone else that Larry would normally remember at this time. So until the next time.....pass on the Larry love.

Gail