In His Hands

To Bruce,

A NOTE OF ENCOURAGEMENT

Be at ease, our trusted friend,

While God does mend your fragile parts.

While He’s reknitting flesh and bone

May He strengthen hope and heart.

Throughout His vigil o’er the night

He understands the pain you bear.

And in this darkened hour of need

The Great Physician tends with care.

Find rest our friend, in slumber deep.

When you are weak, He is yet strong.

And you can lean upon His love;

Bide in His hands where you belong.

Mary DeViney

I love this poem. I can read it now without crying. Thank you Mary so thoughtful.

  I put lotion on his feet and hands today. His hands were a little puffy.

     Today was a step back with breathing, Bruce is still really tired so he only did a two hour session on his own.

    Friends Wendy and Russell Perry stopped by. Bruce didn't feel up to seeing them so they listened to me jabber away for a good thirty minutes and I might have let them get 

a word in. It was very comforting and I got hugs and shed a tear or two.

     Was reading about Christopher Reeves, his life sure changed after his accident. We are clay to be molded. Will see if the hospital library has his story tomorrow.

     Bruce sat up again today. Yeah! Without the leg wraps.

    Ray and Diane Anderson dropped in for a visit and he and a couple of really young missionaries assisted with a blessing of peace and healing. Had me crying.

  Chaplin Tony stopped by and gave me a side hug, what a sweet comforting man. His job must be hard comforting all those distraught people in ICU and probably the whole hospital. 

     

     I set some of Bruce's cards out on the window ledge for him to see. They make me smile. 

     These art chair designs were on the fifth floor. The elevator won't let me go to floor six or seven, will have to ask what is on those floors. Spooky... Any guesses? 

     No helicopter tours available, the lady at the desk said it is too busy for tours.

Bah Humbug Monday

     For the Elgin Opera House!

      Looks like they will give him a tracheotomy on Wednesday. They say that will help him breathe and get his lungs cleared and going. They mentioned Christopher Reeves who was on a respirator and said hopefully Bruce wouldn't need one. They said in surgery he was moving his feet, for now it would be up to "two years in a  wheelchair". They will also put a stomach tube in. Good, get that the awful stuff out of his mouth.

     He just rolled his eyes at the respiratory therapist, she makes him do the breathing suction and he doesn't like it.

       I saw two men without helmets riding their bikes.  I wanted to roll the window down and yell at them. Sure you are a safe rider, it is the drivers you need to look out for.

     

      I'm thinking in lieu of flowers maybe people could donate or purchase a bike helmet for the fire/ police department in your area in Bruce's name. And please admonish your children to wear a helmet. I sure would hate to see a child going through this ordeal. It is very tough on adults, I can't imagine the pain a child would suffer.

   

      PT is here, they are doing arm exercises with him. He has bicep and tricep muscles that work although very weak. Good at least his arms won't flop around. The PT guys use a ceiling lift with a sling to sit him up. They wrapped his legs, no girdle today! He sat up for two hours.

They showed me a foot press to do with him so his feet won't freeze in one position. 

They said they wanted me to do the exercises with him during the day too.

    He was terribly depressed today. One day more of the tube. His cough has to get stronger. I do not like to see him this way. 

     This is a teapot 'artsy fartsy' display. It is on the third floor, ICU, made by different artists all over the country. I want to sing the song when I see it. 

     

Sunday

      Went to Sacrament meeting with my host family. So glad to take the sacrament. I told Bruce he could have it next week. He rolled his eyes and then looked down at the ventilator. 

     

      They have him facing the window today with a lovely view of white pebbles on a rooftop. At least the sun is shining and he can see clouds.

   

     His fever is down. I put a washcloth on his head. He kept gesturing to me and waving over his lap. I asked him if he wanted me to sit on his lap, got a big smile out of that faux pax. Never did figure out what he wanted.

     

     The cpap breathing test was too tiring for him. They are back to 2 three hour tests today. Essentially they have to retrain his lungs to breathe. 

  

     He is sitting up! They wrapped his legs and put a girdle (Captain Kirk wore a girdle) on him for support. He sits up for two hours. This posture helps to clear the lungs. He will sit up every day now. The PT man, Brad with a nice manly beard, said they eventually will not need the leg wrap or the girdle, it is to keep the blood from rushing to his feet. Maybe I will use the girdle...

     

     His hands are swollen so they had them propped up on pillows for better circulation.

Fun license plate I saw this morning.

This the art on the eight floor. 

     

     I asked the nurse if I could go to the roof to see the helicopters land, she said she didn't think so, maybe they did tours and I could check at the main desk. The grandchildren are coming this week and I thought they might like to see the helicopters. I'll ask tomorrow.

    Wait, watch and pray.

Healing Waters Quilt

     Mr. K's fever is down, tube is still in, cough not strong enough, was answering some questions with a nod.

     He wrinkled his nose at me, he does recognize me, that is good. He lifts his eyebrow up so I change the washcloth and when the ice melts in the ice bags I ask the nurse to change it. I told them I would do it,  they all seem so busy. How hard could it be? They must have rules about non employees.

     Went for a walk with Carol Murphy around the hospital. The trail is called The Healing Trail.

    Rhonda Shelton dropped by. It is good to see familiar faces.

     Heard four helicopters today. Mom always said to say a prayer when we hear an ambulance go by. She meant to pray for whoever is in the ambulance and the family that will follow it. I think I will begin praying for helicopter riders and their families.

     Heather Gooderham dropped off a package from 400+ Central Elementary students. It was filled with cards and letters. I started to read them and had to stop as I got all teary eyed. I will read them with Mr. K when the ventilator is out.

     This is the quilt on the ninth floor.

     Tap the photo and it magically gets bigger so you can read about the quilt.

     No sitting up today, the PT guys had to reschedule it, Mr. K shook his head no, he didn't want to anyway.

    

     Took a time out in the visitors section, closed my eyes and tried to sleep. I soon heard snoring and it got louder at least someone is getting a nap.

    The nurse asked Mr K if it was the month of Aug and he nodded yes, then she asked him if it was September and he nodded no. She then asked him if it was 2011 and he nodded no, she asked him if it was 2013 and he nodded no, next she asked him if it is 2014 and he nodded yes. Finally she asked him if he felt any tingling or numbing in his legs and he nodded no. So she touched his leg and said can you feel that? He nodded yes and she said you are peeking, so he closed his eyes and she pretended to touch him and he didn't respond. Lastly she touched him on his leg and she said can you feel that? And he said yes!

Baby Steps

         Look who I took a shower with this morning! My boys all loved Ninja Turtles.

             I saw this in the parking lot this morning. Bruce loves to read license plates.

     Was greeted with a wink and a nose wrinkle this morning!

   Still grimacing.

     He was lifting his eyebrows up and I couldn't figure out what he wanted. I said,"the lights?" And he shakes his head. He lifts his eyebrows up again. I say, "oh the washcloth!" I get it wet and put it on his forehead. He has a fever and there are three ice packs on his chest and side.

      The IV is out they are giving him medicine to reduce fluid, he is pretty swollen. He filled almost 2 liters today of waste liquid.

    He is breathing on his own so they should take the tube out soon. He needs to be able to cough or they won't take the tube out.  His breathing is strong, his cough is weak.

    He was trying to tell me something about his feet. I asked him if he wanted lotion. He kinda sighed and nodded. I put foot lotion on his feet. He must have wanted something else but I couldn't figure it out. I finally asked the nurse if she had any rebus pictures. We use those in the structured learning center for non verbal students. The students will point to the choices they want. The nurse had three papers, she couldn't find the laminated ones. Bruce shook his head no to the I Want... paper, no to the I Feel paper. He settled on the keyboard  paper. I would slowly move my finger on the line. He picked the letters B and L. We couldn't figure out what he wanted. It is very frustrating.

     At lunch I took a walk and followed the red signs of the 'trinity'. The path goes all around the hospital complex. I huffed and puffed my way around one time. 

   This is the rooftop garden, I ate my pb and j and sandwich here. The respiratory lady said we might be able to bring Bruce here tomorrow if he can sit up. 

     Connie and Verl Long dropped by. They are on their way home from Hawaii. They were up all night, jet lag.

    Brooke Thompson stops in between delivering babies. He is always so happy and positive. He is nice to have around.

   There are 20 rooms in this ICU section, 4 are empty. Beds come and go all the time. It is a somber place.

    There is a group of bikers in the waiting room. Should I get my picture taken with them? They are a rough looking group.

    Yes they do brush his teeth and it has a suction on it for spit that gets caught in his throat. Grandpa K is very meticulous about his oral hygiene.

  

     He gets a bath every other day. " To me he doth not stinketh." A quote from a Book of Mormon story about a queen who thought her husband was still alive after he lay comatose for three days. Everyone else said he smelled like death.

    Just before I left this evening, the nice respiratory lady, Martha  was ready to try the next step with Grandpa K, they have an oxygen warm mist sprayer. Grandpa wanted nothing to do with that. He shook his head no. He had done the c pap for five hours and he was tired. They gave him an injection for pain. I think he wanted to just sleep. 

Baby steps.

   

He Winked at Me!

     This is a picture of the mitten Grandpa K wears to keep him from pulling the tubes out of his throat. The light on the index finger reminds me of ET. They removed the mitten when his sedation wore off.

    Andrew came home with some snicker doodles made by the sweet office ladies at the high school last night. Thank you for spoiling him and caring so much. I cut Andrew's hair last night. Always have trouble with the bangs. He just combs it to the side.

    Went to DQ with carol, ice cream therapy is sweet. I had Apple pie blizzard and Carol had a pumpkin pie blizzard.

   Tinker bell accompanied me in my road trip to Boise this morning. I have dangle earrings with a crystal that made tinker bell lights in the car.

    When I arrived at ICU what to my wondering eye should appear but a Hospital Survival kit  ~ from Nelson's and Gabby, who had sent a couple of fun female magazines, a sudoku book for Bruce, a crossword puzzle book for moi, and as Garfield would say "candy, candy, candy". 5 bags no less. Thank you for that pleasant surprise. 

     My husband greeted me with a wink! 

 Our only daughter Crys and her husband Allan are here, she can read lips, she figured out Bruce was hot, he wanted the fan on, he has a fever and the nurses put ice bags around him. I sit and hold his hand and rub his leg. He can feel me rubbing his leg with one hand and holding his hand with the other. Looks like I will never refuse to hold his hand again.

Wayne and Kathy Jensen friends from Sutherlin dropped by. It was nice to see them and to get hugs.

Grandpa K did a four hour spontaneous breathing trial, C pap trial - means continuous positive air way pressure.  It wears him out but he needs to start breathing on his own and it predicts how he will do when the tube is out and if he can cough. 

     This glass 'cherry tree' is on the Fourth floor of the hospital. There are art pieces in the hall facing the elevators as the doors open and in the hallways. There is a quilt on the ninth floor Andrew and I found on our second day there. I will post a photo soon.  

Reporting In

     Amber the nice nurse in ICU said Grandpa K got several hours of sleep, and had his respiratory treatment. She said when she talked to him he would turn his head towards her but wasn't fixing his eyes on her. She said he wasn't following commands, (does he ever?, another friend said that was a male thing, ahem) I asked about his bowel movements, she said he had two. A bowel movement is when you got to the bathroom. I thought that was good news that things are working on the inside. okay, I know you are asking to yourself, "Why would I ask about bowel movements?" when I sub in the structured learning center that is part of the daily report for some of the students in wheelchairs. a common topic in that room... and then I asked the nurse if he was wearing a diaper and she said no, the just have a bed protector cover (I'll find out the name when I get there tomorrow) that is easy to clean up.
 
   Last night my RS president brought Andrew and I some homemade raspberry cheese cake. I think there is cheesecake in heaven. ahh She thought the crust was too moist. It was delicious to me and very desirable.
 
     When talking to my friend, Rosala who had a husband in the ICU she counseled me to get some essential oil to rub on Bruce's legs and feet and said her husband's ears were very dry too. I found some oil at the local health food store. I got cinnamon and spearmint. She also said to get him some boxers to wear when he does rehab as all they wear are the hospital gowns and there is not much privacy.
      I espied some pink plaid boxers and a polka dot pair at the local Wal Marche, Bruce is not into pink or polka dots although the granddaughters might think them fun. So I opted for the Tartan plaids, as he has a wee bit of Irish and Scotch in him, me laddy boy.
      That's all from Lake Karen begone  (Grandpa Bob used to sign his letters after Prairie Home Companion,  Lake Wobegon became Lake Bob begone.)