Sleepover

     Sleepover tonight! I can do this, amazing what a good nights sleep will do for you.

    On the way in to the hospital I met Nick's mom, he is the SCI two doors down, the 24 year old man, they don't have insurance. He will be here 6 weeks that is all insurance covers. He will then be put in assisted care until their home is ready for them. His mom stays with him day and night unless she is outside smoking. 

   For breakfast Bruce had blueberry crepes.

   OT was 13 min on the hand bicycle, Ta dah and looking at a side rail for the bed to order.

   PT was ranging and stretching.

   We had visitors today. the Madsens from La Grande, Bishop Madsen, his wife and cute daughter Sophie. They brought home made chocolate chip cookies! I ate 2 and maybe one more and Bruce had one. They were yummy.

   For PT we went for a walk outside, we went through gravel, grass, bumps, street bumps, and sidewalks over sewer covers. We came inside and Bruce lifted some weights. 

   The gravel, he only got stuck once.

   Seen in the parking lot.

   

   For afternoon OT Bruce did pulling the bungee cord over the door. We have a set for home. 

There were some musicians in the dining room playing fiddle and guitar. 

   Back to the room for a nap.

 Dinner was cod, a barley and lentil side dish, green salad with blue cheese dressing and a cookie.

    We returned to our room. My plastic couch bed turns into a plastic twin size bed. They gave me sheets, a pillow and a blankie.

  Our son Duncan is at Andrews game. Andrew has scored six point and they are ahead 39 - 12 at half time.

   I am reading an e book free on book bub. It is a noir mystery after the noir film genre. Not too many dead bodies so far. 

     I don't think it will be as bad as I thought spending the night here. 

Night Schedule

    About last night here is the schedule:

Bruce down at 9pm, 

meds at 10pm, me down at 10:30

Turning at midnight, 

more turning at 3pm, 

catheter came off, clean it up 2am, 

6:30am is suppository only Bruce wanted it at 7 am because of shift change they don't come in until 7:30 and he didn't want it in that long, so we got another 20 min of sleep at least he did. He falls asleep in less than 30 secs. 

      I slept pretty well, I was only awakened twice with Bruce's snoring, or very loud voice clearing. 

     And I don't even want to talk about the bowel care and please don't ask me later. Talk to a nurse. We did try out the new shower chair and it went right over the toilet. I gave Bruce a nice haircut, I could finally get to the scraggly neck hair. He cleans up pretty nice. Showering is pretty slick with two people. It should go faster at home as Bruce will be our only patient. 

   I figure we can cook something the night before for breakfast. We will have to get into a routine.

    Breakfast here was a strata. I googled it, an egg casserole with sliced sausage, cubed ham, white cheese, and green onions cooked on a bed of cubed potatoes. It was good. Bruce had a small bowl of blueberries.

     We went back to our rooms and Bruce took a siesta. 

     At 10 am he was awake and recharged. We went to Deseret Book Store, Wal Mart where we found some white hand towels, a pill sorter box and some Ibuprofen for moi. We found Red Robin with one wrong turn, well maybe two. It was crowded and very noisy, but the food was great. I had a mushroom, Swiss hamburger and Bruce had a bacon cheeseburger, I think, I was concentrating on eating. 

    We returned to Cutis road and our room. Bruce had another fiesta. I lay down for a minute or two, maybe three. I woke Bruce up, he wanted to sleep some more. He did not want to leave his warm cozy cocoon he had made with his blankets. We got up to eat again. We both had the salmon and wild rice. How much food can one person eat? Good thing it is fast Sunday tomorrow. 

   I texted Duncan to see if they were staying outta trouble, I mean to see how the work on the house is going. He said the floor is done except for the baseboard, the tile is laid but needs grouting, the rails are up on the front ramp, the doors are here but not installed, so the work is progressing. Andrew was with his friends in Cove. 

     I didn't kiss Bruce goodnight, I have a sore throat and achy shoulders. Ibuprofen helps. 

    

The New Chair

     I stopped at Albertsons on the way to the hospital this morning. Picked up some apple cider mix in packets. Bruce likes hot apple cider which should help with his chills.

    Breakfast was a ginormous sweet roll with a caramel drizzle topping, scrambled eggs, alas no bacon, two glasses of apple juice and a small bowl of strawberries. We heard the Brahm's lullaby during breakfast. 

     I heated the rice bag for Bruce, he fell sound asleep in less than 30 seconds. We are patiently waiting for OT. 

   OT will be the time of PT as PT is moved to 4 pm so we can get our wheelchair.

So at 10 we call Chris to ask about the van. Bruce wants to get a hook put in the shotgun side so he can roll into place and the hook will secure the wheelchair in the van so I won't have to mess with three clamps to secure his wheelchair. It will take four  hours to do. Now we need the okay from SAIF. We only have four days left to get 'er done.

    PT was ranging and stretching.

  We met with Erin our case worker at 11 and she explained that Norco would deliver a list of items we will need to care for Bruce at home. We talked about our home care providers, out patient rehab and me getting trained. They want to know if Bruce has any goals. He wants to walk. 

   Lunch was salmon, rice, side salad and milk.

   OT was shooting a Nerf gun. We thought that was a waste of time. Then 10 min on the hand bike exerciser and a wax job on both hands. Back to the room to remove the wax.

     They don't want Bruce to take naps, they want him up and doing things during the day. He fell asleep in his chair and I had a short nap on the uncomfortable plastic narrow, hard couch. 

    At 4 we met with Scott and Kevin the wheelchair men. They explain the parts, adjust the chair and fix us up.  Bruce says the chair is a much better fit. He loves the gel headrest and gel arm rests. I think I understood everything they said. We shall see. The chair even has a tray. Bruce didn't sit in the shower chair. He will wait for that on his next shower day on Saturday.  I think he was tired, it took us an hour and a half to go over the chair info. 

     

    The new chair is front wheel drive and La Grande high school colors, blue and silver. He is sitting straighter. No wraps, we are down to just thenwhitensocks which are called Ted Hose. Who was he?

    

     Dinner was a meatball, pepperoni and sausage pizza, side salad and milk. I asked Bruce when we would wake up from this nightmare. He says it is pretty real. 

    We met a nice lady we had seen around. Her husband had brain surgery and looked scary with half his head shaved and a nasty looking scar on the other side of his head. Turns out he is an art professor. They found a melanoma lump in his brain and it had to be removed. They had no clue until he passed out. They are leaving tomorrow for radiation treatments. He is up and walking around and mostly recovered. He can only read on a second grade level and that is very frustrating for him. We wish them luck. 

       Returned to our room, read scriptures and Bruce got ready for bed. I am helping now to use the lift, remove his socks, lotion his feet and position him. They want me to spend the night. I will have to turn Bruce three times a night. He usually sleeps through it. I am thinking about staying tomorrow night to do this task. It will not be easy. Bruce snores like a freight train. In the morning I would learn bowel care. I am totally not looking forward to this. I will need to know in case home care providers are absent. 

        Yes, I sound depressed. Our lives are changing. I have grey days.

     I take a bag full of dirty clothes to be washed. I am tired. 

   I told Bruce I would need flowers and chocolate after the bowel care training. He smiles. I can be bribed. Then I say maybe not chocolate after bowel care. I think making jokes will get us through this. How would you handle this?

     

Count down Begins!

                  We interrupt this blog to bring you an Update on the renovations!

   I picked out paint today for the bathroom walls and trim. I went to school in 

Waynesboro, Virginia. They let me have a couple extra samples to send to my family. Sweet! 

   This is the 2 inch tile for the shower area. Apparently 2 inches is small enough for the shower that when it is wet you won't slip on it. We have larger tile for the toilet and sink area and walls. They are putting in a wall mounted sink and regular toilet. I thought we might need a taller toilet but the shower chair Bruce will get will roll right over the shower. 

     

   Four men from the city water company are working on moving the water access. It had to be moved a couple of feet to make way for the ramp. They have this really cool machine that "vacuums" the dirt out of the hole. Now tell me who invented that? Clever. They didn't have to change the pipe there is already a copper pipe. 

    Two more men inside are laying the tile, two are widening a door and one is laying the vinyl plank. Andrew stayed home sick today. I don't think he will get much rest with all the noise. 

     Arrived in Boise this afternoon with my son Duncan. We listened to a cd about a family with seven sons including a set of twins and how they treated each other, we laughed out loud a lot and the time went faster. Those boys were sure inventive with all the things they got into.

    Bruce was on his way to swimming. So we said a quick good bye to Duncan and left. Duncan is driving the black car home. We will get the mini van this week. Thank you Duncan for your help. My friend Carma is bringing you and Andrew dinner tomorrow.

     In pool time today Bruce was able to relax for awhile and then the work began, he opened and closed his legs like scissors. Not as strong as last pool time. They also had him stand up. He stands up and hangs onto a side U shaped bar. The two ladies in the pool with him (they call them the straddle ladies, because they straddle the patient a lot to steady them) hold his knees straight. He has weights on his ankles holding him down.   

     Bruce asked me of the PTs when he would be able to exercise his legs. He was informed his legs are too weak now and the won't even begin any training until he can lift both knees. I am sure he will practice in bed.

    For dinner Bruce had chicken burritos and a small bowl of strawberries.

   After dinner we went back to our room. Bruce is really tired, the swimming wears him out. 

       The countdown begins. Four more days of therapy, and six days until we can leave!

Sabbath Day

    Had to scrape the ice off the car this morning. Forgot to bring in the clean laundry, will get it later, it is in the car.

     Bruce had a ham, egg and cheese croissant sandwich, bacon on the side (my side) with an orange smoothie.

   I helped him with his tie, his left hand was stiff this morning. He has taught all our sons to tie their ties. 

   He had been up since 6:30 getting ready for our church meeting. It is a bathing, bowel care day and it takes longer. We got to church an hour early and all the handicapped parking places are gone. I dropped Bruce off and found a spot to park the car. Our friend saved us a place on the end of one of the shortened pews. I sat behind him with the Rasmassusin's they made room for me. Bro Todd Rasmassusin will be going to La Grande this afternoon to conduct a Ward Council training.

   Elder Nelson is here doing training for the Boise coordinating counsel and decided to stay for two Stake conferences. 

    We were sitting on the side of the chapel that is by the Stake president's office, Elder Nelson entered the chapel by that door, everyone stood in respect. He came over to Bruce, stuck out his hand and said "hi, I'm Elder Russell Nelson." Bruce shook his hand and replied, "I am Bruce Kevan". Elder Nelson looked me in the eye and smiled and his wife, Wendy made eye contact and smiled too. I could feel the spirit, that means something has touched your heart and the feeling of peace and calm comes out of your eyes. Men weep too and that is okay.

       The first speaker stake president Brent D. Carr was asked what are the things that have brought you great joy. He said there were four things, the first was just meeting with the saints, the second was the youth, spending time with them, they make me feel young he said. The third thing is the missionaries and getting to interview them before they go on their mission. The final way he feels joy is to meet with the saints that are making changes in their lives, to see the atonement in their lives and how it effects them. He read from Alma 5, have you received his image in your countenance? A mighty change of heart is the way to have great joy.

   Sister Brinkerhoff, the temple presidents wife spoke next. She told us a story about a grandson that said "you don't always get what you want". Do we choose God and his kingdom? Do we choose to help others on the way?

     President Brinkerhoff, Boise temple president, spoke of coming to the temple with a heavy heart. We all have challenges. Matt 5: 48 We are to be perfect and become like Heavenly Father. We don't have to feel the pressure to become perfect because of the atonement. He talked about tears of joy. A sister from Argentina was in the temple and after a couple weeks decided she didn't need a translator. She forgot the words of the temple ceremony and there was a temple worker that spoke Portuguese that could help her. 

     Sister Wendy Nelson said she had been here for 40 hours and it felt like a month. She said don't just feed the missionaries, find someone they can teach. She said they got to see the Meridian temple and saw the heavy duty rebar about 3 inches around, she said we needed that In our lives instead of the wussy stuff they put in our homes. 

     A key that works for her is to increase time in family history work. She said her grandmother gave her boxes of genealogy and said now she could die. Sis Nelson said "this will kill me." Elder Scott talk, 2012 the joy of redeeming the dead. What can I do to make family history spiritual? Are you yearning to do something fulfilling? Do you want to be involved in something worthwhile? Do genealogy. She said she was willing to give up her Scrabble game playing time, what we are going to give up to do family history? She was a delightful, fun speaker. 

         Elder Russell M. Nelson was the concluding speaker. He and his wife met with 200 missionaries, then 16 Stake leaders yesterday and some young single adults, who he said didn't look young or single. He had the young primary children stand and wave their hands like french fries and stretch, he asked them to sing a primary song. They sang the first verse of  "I Am a Child of God". He quoted from Isaiah "all thy children will be taught of the Lord". They are all created in God's image. He said he was a father of 10 children. He said we need to communicate with the Father day and night through prayer. He said we need to teach the children about prophets; Adam, Noah and Moses.  

       He said to read the scriptures to the children. He said their family decided to read scriptures in the morning. Now his children are teaching their children to read the scriptures. 

      He went really fast and covered a lot of things, my notes are disjointed but his talk was good. He spoke for 40 minutes without notes. He an enthusiastic speaker! 

      Help your children get all the education they can get then they will be able to help other people. Be good citizens, part of the solution and not the problem in our communities. 

   He concluded with an Apostolic Blessing he told us to know the words of Jesus Christ, be exemplary citizens, he gave us a blessing of healing, health and strength. (that's when my tears flowed) Sustain your leaders, home teachers and visiting teachers. Go to the temple the ultimate destiny, there we can find the promises of Isaac, Jacob. 

    We were exhausted after the meeting, it was a two Kleenex meeting for me. I need the spiritual cleansing, it was a spiritual feast!

      I took Bruce back to the hospital and we had lunch, The nurses put him to bed and I kissed him good bye 3 times and headed to La Grande. I had to pull over twice and try to sleep. I have had a bit of insomnia. 

    Made it home and got some nice bear hugs from my sons. Not a side hug, some nice manly squeezes like the bros give. They must have missed me. A Bro hug

     Returned home to find the house a mess, dust everywhere, a large trash can in my living room, a toilet in my front yard, it is handicapped accessible but not very private... The clothes from the closet are on the bed, they had to do rewiring. No door on the bathroom, does that stop the boys from using it? What a zoo. 

     I started putting things away. Will have to take things out of the bedroom, they are going to put laminate on the floor. Duncan and ?Andrew said they would help move things around. 

     I have a dentist appointment on Monday. The bottom half of a tooth fell off. Will probably have to get a cap. It does not hurt. Bruce says it looks black, that is the filling. I look like a person that needs to see the dentist. 

    The Huntmans invited us over for dinner. We had meatloaf, smashed taters, homemade rolls, yummy, corn, green salad, red juice to drink, which nobody spilled. We had a pleasant conversation with the delightful little girls and the adults. 

      It was an appropriate ending to a Sabbath day.

    

Slow Down Saturday

     What a slow lazy Saturday. 

    I was up at 7 am. The host family I stay with doesn't sleep in... We usually sleep in til 9 on Saturdays unless there are yard sales...

   I rearranged the tie down clamps on the mini van and entered the nearly deserted hospital. I want the clamps to be ready for our day trip today. Chris, the owner of Access Vans brought me the tie downs yesterday. I asked him how many vans he sells in a year and he said about 77. I asked him if they were all new and said he sold about 20 new vans last year.

      Bruce was just getting out of bed, he is going to be disappointed when it is only Duncan and I taking care of him instead of these young, skinny pretty girls. 

       Breakfast was quiche, with salsa, a peach smoothie and a fruit plate.

    We returned to the room for more quiet time.

     We got ready to leave about 10 am. We are going to Shop Co. We need to purchase a body pillow to tuck under Bruce three times a night when we turn him so he doesn't get bed sores. We found a sale! Yah! Half off body pillows and their covers. 

    We also checked out the sheets. We need 3  - 4 for turning, Bruce says they are called "draw sheets". The nurses advised us not to get the cheap ones 250 count, as they would tear in our hands when we use them to move Bruce on the bed. The only twin size sheets were the 250 count. I'll look at J C Penny's in La Grande on Monday. 

     We found a small box to put Bruce's various toy, I mean tools, for strengthening his frail arms. We bought 3 new DVDs, Galaxy Quest, Bridge over the River Kwai and Ghost busters to add to our collection of classic DVDs. Who ya gonna call?

    Four helicopters today. One Brahm's lullaby.

     We returned to the hospital and had lunch in the cafeteria. We both had the meat burritos. They were big and filling. 

     It was nap time for Bruce. He thinks he can go at his fast, hurry up usually pace and he just gets worn out. I can see his countenance sagging in weariness. 

    He took a two hour nap.  The nurse came in once and we decided she would wait another hour. I carried some of our things to the car so we won't have a lot to take with us on our final journal home in a week and a half. 

     Bishop Hipple and his wife from Enterprise stopped in for a chat. They are here every Friday. Bruce says they live in Meridian now. 

    Bruce was really tired so he went to bed at 8 o'clock tonight. I went to my host family and did some laundry for him.

     Tomorrow Bruce is getting up early so he can be ready for church. Russell M. Nelson, age 90 of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles will be the speaker. He is an internationally renowned cardiothoracic surgeon. We will get to church early so we can get a parking space and a good seat. 

 

    

Friday

    On the way into the hospital this morning there was an escapee. I heard over the intercom, 'south tower, fifth floor' and out came some security guards. Didn't hear the rest of the message. A lady in a hospital gown (one facing front and the other reversed covering her backside) was headed to the door. A big, burly guard stood in front of her and me, (with his back to me) said, " are you sure you want to do this." And the lady, didn't even slow her stride, kept going and said " yes  I do." She was followed close behind by a nurse and aide and they all followed her out the door. Alas I don't know the rest of the story. I headed for the third floor. I asked the nurses about it and they said it happens to mental health cases and drug addicts trying to leave. 

    OT was hand bike for 15 min.

PT was ranging and stretching.

OT was playing with the green Thera putty.

Bruce is complaining of a stiff, sore neck. I heated a rice bag I purchased in the gift shop downstairs. I also found a handy extendable back scratcher.

Then lunch, which was pizza, salad and chocolate milk.

PT was weight lifting.

More OT was paraffin on both hands. We had three half hour sessions of OT today.

   We went down to medical records on the first floor. Bruce wants a copy of his neck injury, before surgery and after. They require his signature and photo ID. We want to show the X-ray to students, grandchildren and any one else interested in the hardware in his neck. They will send us a copy on a disk.

   Heard two helicopters today.

After dinner tonight, cod, dinner roll, clam chowder, green salad and hot chocolate, we had a round of Skip Bo with Joan and her daughter. Bruce won. He cheated, no just kidding. Skip Bo is a game of skill, not really it is the luck of the cards. 

    The Dr stopped by and asked Bruce to back up so he could talk to him. Bruce moved both feet again. It was an automatic reaction, he pushed off with both foot pads. It is fun to see and hear of these reaction. His brain is ahead of his body. The Dr listened to his heart and ordered an x Ray of his neck to see what is causing the pain.

  Retired to our room, I heated the rice bag in a microwave around the corner and he is resting with his feet up.

A Box of Sunshine!

   Breakfast was already eaten when I arrived. Was trying to figure out how to do blue tooth in the car so we can add the van so I was later than usual. No didn't figure it out, will get the car manual and look it up.

     OT was the mechanical hand for 15 min.

     PT ranging and stretching his legs, then we tried a transfer with the slide board and it did not work. His left hand can't hold him. We want him to be able to sit on the couch.

     Lunch was salmon, rice, green salad and a banana. He didn't eat the banana so we took it to our room for our afternoon snack.

    OT was 5 min on the stand up chair. He got a bit dizzy so they moved him to the mat to do balancing sitting up. He does that and then moves one leg at a time to the floor in a sitting position. 

   Back again for PT and 10 min on the hand bicycle. And then folding towels. He complained his neck hurt so into bed for a nap and the heating pad on his neck and shoulder. They gave her m some Tylenol and a heated blanket. 

     Heard two helicopters today.

  Couldn't get him to wake up for dinner. I got something for me. He stayed in bed and ate his hamburger, Mac and cheese and white chocolate chip cookie.

      We received two pkgs today. One was a book of spiritual thoughts of hope and peace and the other was a Box of Sunshine! How fun is this? Bruce said our DIL must have gone to the store to find anything fun and yellow. Loved, Hali's signature.

He must be really tired. The nurse put the heating pad on his neck and shoulder, I kissed him good night and headed out the door.

More Leg Movement!

A yummy breakfast of french toast, sausage, grapes, orange juice and milk awaited  our pleasure.

     OT was 14 min on the bike hand pedal, 5 try's on the pulleys, and finger walking the red tape with right hand.

     PT the was ranging and stretching.

     Talked with contractor Jeff today, they are stacking the washer and dryer. The toilet is sitting on the front lawn, talk about your handicap accessibility... The ramp is up, need to add side rails. It is moving right along! 

     I left with three friends, Carol, Donna and Rosala to the Boise temple. Then we went for some food therapy at Olive Garden. I drove on the connector. Boo rah! Thank you dear friends for taking me away. 

   When I returned to the hospital  Bruce was disappointed to say he did not make it to pool therapy. They will try again next week.

     He did have a fun story about his PT workout. He was sitting in the straight leg position on the mat in the gym working on abdominal strength practicing on sitting up. He was playing with his left foot wiggling it around and then realized he was moving his entire leg from the hip down, moving it back and forth! He showed them what he could do and they said do it again. YEAH!

They wanted him to try standing again but he wanted to save his energy for the pool. Tomorrow. 

    OT was another waxed hand. His hands are softer than mine. 

   Dinner was a chicken pasta stir fry in a vinaigrette, a slice of hard bread, a bowl each of blueberries and strawberries. 

     We face timed with our daughter tonight. It was nice to catch up.

    Talked to our son, Duncan he will get the moving van tomorrow at 7:30am and load her up. Have a safe trip!

   

Two Weeks to Go

    I was late getting to the hospital, fog, and ice on the windshield.

    OT was testing to see improvement. A Dina monitor is a machine that measures your grip. His right hand 30, left hand 15. 89 and 76 are the norm for someone his age. 

     Pinch tester results were 9, 7, 5 right hand, left hand is 9, 4, 5 this measurement is for turning keys, getting the top off a toothpaste tube, and opening milk cartons.

She upgraded him to a pretty blue 7 lb digi grip. 

   We made contact with Corrine, they will do PT at Mountain Valley, the hospital will do OT. 

     The rest of OT was the rainbow arch, the peg tower and finally the arm bike. He did 12 min. on the arm bike. She said 5 min for strengthening and 5 min for endurance.

     PT was stretching and ranging his legs.

       Lunch was tacos and grapes.

     OT was standing in the standing frame! 

It starts in a sitting position and they crank him to a standing position. He said he could feel pressure in his knees. The leg muscles stretch and it is weight bearing. The kidney and colon drain better. The first time up was one minute and the second time was two and a half minutes.

  Here he is standing with his heart warming smile. 

    We have two people in line for home care. The shower chair and wheelchair are ordered. The lift is getting okayed. 

    OT was a wax job on his left hand and stretching his hand afterward.

    We returned to our room and we had visitors! Gary and Pam Howland stopped by for a pleasant visit and some news of the outside world. It was fun to see them. 

   We had a short nap and on to dinner. Dinner was a slice of pepperoni pizza, green salad and vanilla custard with a lemonade chaser. 

    The 'team' decided that Bruce would stay here for another week. The renovations won't be finished until Feb. 3. It will be easier on Bruce to make one transition, he will be stronger and it would put him behind three days on OT and PT if we moved him to assisted care. There are pros and cons and we feel this will be easiest on him. 

    We did one round of Skip Bo with our mother/ daughter partners. Bruce was really wiped out from the standing machine. 

   

Monday Phun

    Breakfast was eaten fast as he was behind schedule this morning. Sausage and biscuits, orange juice, and a banana was the menu.

   In PT Bruce did the ergo meter which is a hand pedal bicycle machine for 10 min. They want to give us one to take home. I might try it, maybe. Then Bruce did weights, 1lb weight on left hand and 4 lb weight on right hand. I told him to make manly grunting noises. 

   They are talking to me about nurses training. There is a reason I was never interested in nursing, shall we say body fluids. 

     Jeff the contractor called, he is gutting the back bathroom and starting on the ramp. The tile is ordered and will be here tomorrow. The laminate for our bedroom is approved and we have chosen a color. They figure the weight of the electric wheelchair and lift will ruin the carpet so we get laminate in the bedroom. 

     OT was stretching and ranging the legs. They are excited he did the red light stomp yesterday. It will be the new dance craze.

     Lunch was pita bread with sliced lamb, lettuce, maters, red onions, sliced cucumbers and feta cheese with a honey mustard drizzle.

    PT after lunch was lifting weights. His shoulders and poor skinny arms just shake from the workout. One shoulder is lower than the other. The PT says it will be that way til he gets the strength built up again in his shoulder.

    OT was a wax job on the left hand, and then this wrist stretching torture device. Each notch moves his wrist back a bit. When the pain, I mean stretch doesn't hurt any more she moves it back another notch.

    We had visitors today! Tra la. Trudy and Phil Hassinger stopped in bearing gifts of a lovely rose bouquet and chocolates! Double bonus! Bruce was beside himself trying to decide which chocolate to eat first. I love the scent of the roses. Oh and we did have a nice chat with the Hassingers. It is very nice to see faces from home. We miss our small town and our busy lives.

      Dinner was hunters beef stew in a sour dough roll with strawberries for dessert.

    After dinner we played several very competitive games of Skip Bo with Joan and her daughter. Joan kinda growls when you play her card. She also gets a small grin on her face when she skunks us with a good hand. Her daughter won all three games. Joan wants a rematch.

Sunday Stomp

   A big sweet roll, 3 pieces of bacon, orange juice, and a banana. And yes he gave me a bite of his bacon.

      On the way to church I was feeling a little frustrated struggling with a different set of clamps for the wheelchair, I wasn't paying attention to the lights. Bruce says, "red light" and I brake. Bruce was also doing the drivers ed brake thing on his side of the van. His chair scooted forward a tad and he said, "I moved my legs." He had stomped both feet down like you would stomp on the brakes! Apparently the brain can kick in and take over the body in an emergency. Ta dah! He practices moving them and it is paying off.

     

     Church message today: Bishop Kelly Grange was the first speaker in ward conference at church this morning. He talked about a song, the Good Die Young, that some people only want to have fun. He said he was taught to be good in his youth. He went on a mission to Brazil, and questioned what he was taught. He read, studied and prayed and learned the words of Christ to learn the truth. Focus on others instead of self.

     He shared a scripture, Rev 3: 19 where the Lord rebukes and chastens the ones he loves. It is only when we are stretched and challenged that we are ready to grow. Bad things happen to good people. Patience, faith, fortitude and strength are what we learn. Faith and obedience is the key to keep going on. Fears and tears when prayers are unanswered, only then can we get heavenly peace.

     Stake President Brent Carr said the theme for conference is "Hold to the 

Rod". In Lehi's vision when he was in the darkness, he prayed for many hours and 

had a dream. The fruit was sweet and very desirable. He tasted of the fruit and then wanted his family to come with him. What is it that is so sweet?

   How to overcome the mists of darkness - mists of darkness are no longer mists, they are full blown storms with hail and sleet and snow. 

First - Read the scriptures every day until we feel the spirit.

Second - family scripture study, Youth - take seminary 

Third - understand the words of the prophets, read General Conference talks

Fourth - be familiar with Preach My Gospel (a missionary handbook)

    Be prepared to stand firmly and hold to the rod. End of sermon...

       

We noticed the wheelchair blinking, we will have to remember to plug it in. Don't want to get stranded somewhere with no battery for the chair. 

      Lunch was manicotti, blueberries and milk.

      Bruce headed for the room for a nap.

     Got up for dinner, he had turkey, gravy, gnocci, green salad with bleu cheese dressing and for dessert he had frozen vanilla yogurt.

    

    Had fun time Skyping. Riley our granddaughter was showing us how she can get up on her knees and rock. Coralee was singing Popcorn Popping, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and Mr. Alligator with us. 

     Baby William was drooling for us. We love talking to our children and grandchildren.

     Updates on his movements| 

He can arch his back when they take the stomach binder off.

He can lean forward when they put the sling behind him for the lift.

He can stomp both feet when he is scared.

Helping Others

   

     Breakfast was sausage quiche with salsa, 3 sausages, a blueberry muffin, and apple juice. Bruce said he would make a quiche when we get home.

     Bruce took a short nap before our outing. 

     I had a little trouble with the tie down clamps in the van we rented for the weekend. They were these seat belt type and difficult for me to adjust. The ones I had before were just pull and click, will have to make sure we get those for the van.

     We went to Olive Garden. Bruce likes the salad and unlimited soups, he had the sausage and tater soup and a bowl of chili bean. I had the shrimp fettuccine, we both had the breadsticks and for drinks we had orange cranberry lemonade. Ta dah

    He said he wasn't tired so we went to a mattress store to see what they had. Remote control beds, what an amazing era we live in! I could see he was exhausted so suggested we leave. When it hits him, it shows.

 Returned to the hospital for a NAP meeting. Bruce slept for two hours. It wears him out to go outside.

   For dinner we really weren't that hungry, Bruce had cod, rice, salad, milk and a small bowl of strawberries.

   After dinner we went to the fifth floor to check on our friend Bronco Ken. He was doing dialysis. They are moving him to their home town of Nampa and they are leaving tomorrow. We were glad we could say good bye and the best of luck.

    Next we visited the couple in room 28. They were expecting us. We told them our sad story and he regaled us with theirs. Seems he was having a fight with his wife and was going to bang his head against the wall and misstepped, he hit his head and his body locked up and he fell flat on his back. That was scary. His wife called 911. 

     That was six days ago. She is in beauticians school and he was going to work for a landscaper. They do not have insurance. They said a brother was going to renovate the house for a wheelchair and someone was refitting a van for them. 

     His left arm is paralyzed and he can use his right, the fingers are frozen in place. Trouble is he is a south paw. We figured with OT it might respond and not go rigid. He was sporting an enormous neck brace. He is a very large man. 

    He asked Bruce if he had any fears. He said he had a small fear of choking. Bruce said he has grey days. Bruce counseled him to move forward and take each day and small victories one at a time. He said he liked Bruce's attitude. They were pleased we came for a visit. We will see them again I am sure. 

   

Happy Anniversary

     It is our anniversary. We have been married 36 years. We met on the Navajo reservation in Ganado, Arizona where we both were teachers at the high school. I taught English and two doors down a very handsome, single male teacher taught science. I asked him to move a file cabinet for me. He has beautiful blue eyes. Sigh I spent the day showing off our engagement photo. Who are those young hippie people in the matching shirts anyway? The picture is on Facebook, will have to figure out how to get it to this blog.

   Breakfast was very colorful so took a picture of it, blueberry crepes, scrambled eggs, toast, a fruit plate and cranberry juice.

    OT was the machine that stretches his hand, we call it the robotic hand, and then a wax job on his hand. She let me remove the wax and do a stretch.

      His hand is moving backwards in this photo.

   PT was ranging and stretching on the mat in the gym.

  Jeff called, he is our contractor, he was at the house measuring the bathroom for tile.

   Some one sent us a children's book called "Zoom" by Robert Munsch, who sent it ? It is fun! Thank you!

    We also received two angel statues from our new friends Tommy and James Thompson. They represent the prayers they are sending our way, the get well angel for Bruce and the caregiver angel for me. They are very nice and I love looking at them. Thank you for being so thoughtful and kind.

     I abandoned Bruce and left with three of my friends from La Grande, Ann, Carol and Nancy. We went out to lunch at Cracker Barrel. I had chicken and dumplings, the other gals had fish. Carol's handsome son Tyson joined us and he ordered the sampler. We ate way too much. Tyson wasn't scared of us and enjoyed his meal. I noticed a young lady in a wheel chair. She was very confident and made her way among the tables.

    After that very filling lunch we waddled off to a shop where we ordered tile for the bathroom in stunning colors, then to Costco and finally on to the mall for retail therapy. I'm tired. My friends have to drive home. Thank you dear friends for thinking of me and coming over for a fun, exhausting day! Drive safely. We can't do this without your prayers, visits and love.

      

   Returned to the hospital and they were trying to wake Bruce up for dinner. He was really groggy. He slept two hours from 3 - 5. He was worn out. He said he had done a lot of weight lifting. 

   We went to dinner, Bruce had lemon salmon, rice, small salad and chocolate ice cream. I was still too full from gorging at lunch time so I did not partake of any food. 

   After dinner we finished working a puzzle someone had started. I invited Pat to join us. When we finished the puzzle Pat was headed into the wrong room and a nurse caught her. She gets confused. I am grateful Bruce's brain is not confused.

     Bruce and I looked at consumer reports for the best buy on refrigerators and ranges. Did you know they make four door refrigerators? Interesting

    We ordered some snap on pants from Amazon and a pulley set for over the door for our home. 

    We returned to the room and Bruce did his pulley exercises. I helped him stretch out his left arm for the final stretch.

     Not exactly how I would expect to spend our anniversary or how our lives have turned out. We are going out to eat tomorrow at Olive Garden and gaze into each other's blood shot eyes and stuff our faces again. We are living the dream.

       Bruce and I say family prayers together before we read scriptures and tonight it was my turn to pray. I asked for a missionary opportunity in the prayer. I kissed my husband good night and clomped down the stairs. As I turned the corner I almost ran into a young lady. She was turned around and wanted to know how to get out of this place. I showed her how and then asked her if she was visiting someone. She said her friend or cousin I can't remember who had a spinal cord injury, c- 5. I said, "are you on the third floor?" She said, "yes" and I said, my husband is on the third floor c-5, c-6 spinal cord injury and we started talking away and she said her friend was 24 with a wife and 3 children and his wife was in school and he had no job or insurance. Well anyway more of his friends came out and they want to talk to Bruce tomorrow and maybe he can perk their friend up. 

    It is a scary thing that is happening, you are not in control and don't know what the future will bring. We are almost finished our stay here so we can shed some light on what has happened to us. I asked them if they had a church family and they said they knew a preacher in Nampa they were going to ask to come visit. I told them church and community are what is getting us through this. They said they have community support, they are doing a fundraiser and converting a mini van for him. We will talk with them tomorrow and give them some hope.