Birthday Week

Birthday Week

Monday was my birthday! 

We went to Walla Walla for a Drs. appoint for Bruce. We see Dr. Marsh. 

We had a 45 min visit and he answered all our questions usually with "we don't know, it is different for every patient." 

We ate lunch at Mc Donald's.

Because it was my birthday, we ate out at La Fiesta. I really didn't want to cook.

When we arrived home there was a delicious chocolate cake brought by Sandra, happy birthday to you, Sandra, she is a day older as her birthday is before mine. Ha ha

And a pkg with quilting magazine and fun stuff.

Also a bouquet of flowers and truffles from Fitzgerald's flowers that I thought were from Bruce but when I read the card on Tuesday they were from my first born son and fam. Thanks you. They are still beautiful.

The four boys and Crys did a group Skype, what a zoo. The loudest person's face shows up on the screen. It was great to see their faces and hear thei voices. This mom needs to be reassured they are healthy and safe.

Tuesday I had lunch with a friend with Chris at Moys. 

Bruce had a phone interview with a nurse from St Al's doing a follow up with a grant monies.

Mon sent a card and a small pkg with a book and gift.

Wednesday Bruce was in the pool, they had him walking on his knees, standing in waist deep water which means he is able to support half his weight.

My friend Sharon took me to lunch at Sub Shop and then to get a facial and massage. I loved the warm towel on my face, it was warm in the room and oh so relaxing. Thank you Sharon.

Thursday I stayed home. Bruce had OT. They are balancing him on the big ball and working on his left arm.

Friday the ladies had a pot luck and cake at Jean's house. It was fun to reconnect with friends. Chris gave me a sparkly scarf. Kathy gave me a red LED flashlight. Very nice, thank you ladies.

Bruce has moved to the fourth level on the push pedal bike.

My sister sent me $20.00'tomget something shiny. She knows I like bling.

We are making strides.

Weekly Progress

   Monday went to Quilt Therapy and spent way too much money. Bought fabric for backs. 

   Bruce wanted to get out of house so he went with me to run errands. We went to Wal Mart to purchase the circle push up with handles so he can use them for slide board transfers. Unfortunately the underside hurt his hands so will have to order some on line. We did try a slide board transfer and it took longer than the sling and lift. 

    Next we went to Safeway. It worries me to take Bruce with me, I need to keep an eye on him and still let him have some freedom. So I sent him off to check out the meat prices, he found some good deals. It is like having an adult two year old. 

     Bruce did his monthly evaluation, his strength has improved. He knocked the therapist over when she told him to push her. She wasn't expecting it, she then told him to do it again when she got her stance. That was the funny for the week.

   Bruce is doing a new exercise where he pulls up to the shower bar and using his thigh muscles he lifts his bottom off the chair. He was so proud he could do it. Every step is a triumph. 

   

    On Wednesday Bruce was able to walk in the pool, back and forth lifting his feet about two inches so more of a walk instead of a slide. He also does push offs from the edge of the pool. 

  Pool time was at two in the afternoon. This means getting home in bed to change him to his swimsuit, then back in the sling to the chair. Then an hour later, back to the sling to the bed to change back into street clothes because he is cold and wet and back to the chair. He took a nap, I did laundry, towels and such. 

   Rosala and Debbie brought over meat loaf, scalloped taters, green salad and a lovely chocolate pudding, cream cheese, cool whip dessert. I had three helpings. Thanks for staying and talking to me. Adult female conversation is difficult to come by in this house.

    Bruce had temple recommend interviews at the Stake center from 6:30 to 8:30 with President Chadwick.

   Thursday I got out of the house and spent a couple of hours with thenUFO group in the basement of the Methodist church. They are very nice in letting us use their empty spaces.  

We went to Jayces pre ception. It was very nice, red, black and white were the colors. Mud pies were the treats. 

    On Friday we fed the sister missionaries. One is from Georgia and the other from Florida. They liked our Papa Murphy special and I even made a green salad.

   Saturday Bruce had dance duty at the Stake center. Pres. Orton went to a funeral in Utah. Duncan took Bruce for a bout half an hour. 

   A good week, only one melt down, no wet sheets or bowel issues. Just tired.

   

New Year's Goals

   I took the tree down. It was really dry.

The room looks so much bigger now, will have to de clutter. 

Ann dropped by. She got a bunch of fabric from Quilt Therapy for 50% off.  We are figuring on using some of it for quilt tops and backing. QT is going out of business. They are having a sale. She will turn in her receipts. 

    I moved the furniture around in the bedroom. Bruce was complaining of a draft. It is not as big this way. Will see how it works.

It is so cold here I do not even want to go out. 

   Thursday - Had a crying melt down yesterday but am better today. I think it just builds up and I can't hold it in any more. I had to change the sheets down to the mattress pad and then the zip on mattress pad. I was sobbing on the floor on my knees, couldn't get the zipper into place, it took me 15 min. I suppose I should spend more time on my knees. I wanted to go to the quilt groups New Year sew in and talk and listen and eat. Maybe next year. Bruce needed the car, Andrew had the other car. I think it might have been Christmas stress too. Ann said I should have called for a ride. I just couldn't stop crying. 

No I don't want to take any pills, I don't want to deal with the side effects.

Have to go grocery shopping and take stuff to DI.

I set some goals and hope I can do them for at least a month.

Friday - Andrew had the day off today. I went to Ann's house and we used her design wall to put a twin quilt together. It is looking really nice. It was good to get out for awhile.

   My goals for the New year: in alphabetical order...

Emotional: learn to be grateful, say thank - you

Family: read scriptures together, pray with/for family, be nice to Bruce (he says I snap at him, Duncan says I am grumpy)

Physical: drink more H2O, take vitamins, exercise, no food after 7pm, desserts twice a week, go to be earlier or take a nap

Service: make baby quilts to donate 

Social: quilt group, UFO, volunteer at school 

Spiritual: pray daily, read scriptures,  do indexing

Bruce did really well with his day back in the pool on Wednesday. He stood up, and pushed off from the sides of the pool.

On Friday he was able to stand, squat pull himself up from his chair. Not to straight standing, but he was up. He is getting stronger. And he did it the first time.