Tuesday

Martha is there now. Dad is very alert today. He still says he is tired that he doesn't feel good. He has been complaining of shoulder pain, so they x-rayed it today, but we don't know what the results are. It's mostly because the weight of his arms kind of pull everything out of the socket, so I am sure thats what it is. They need to tape his arms to his shoulders.

They have 2 units of blood waiting to give to him because his blood counts are still low. Im still not sure if they gave him that first unit yesterday.

The rep from Oelwein came to see him yesterday. Martha was told that if they send a rep to go see a patient, that usually means they are accepted, especially traveling that far. So, let's HOPE and PRAY that dad stays healthy enough to get the process rolling and we can get him in there, closer to home. I am really excited about this place!!!

Monday

Dad may have had a blood transfusion today. His blood count was a bit low and they called Martha to get permission to do one, but said they would call her and let her know if they decided to and they never did. But, apparently that isn't unusual.

I went to Carlisle tonight and stopped at the house. Grandview, the nursing/rehab facility in Oelwein sent a big information packet that I looked at. I have to say I am quite impressed. I think he will do very well there and it looks like a good fit. Let's hope we can get him in there! They are sending a representative to RML to see him sometime this week.

Dr. Lopes sent me a message on facebook and asked how dad was doing on Friday. I answered him back, but he hasn't replied. I didn't really ask him anything, so I guess I don't expect him to respond.

Dad has another gram negative bacteria again, so he still feels icky. Matha is heading up tomorrow so I HOPE we get some answers this week!

Ragbrai

I have been wanting to do Ragbrai for a really long time and had planned on going this year, but it really wasn't going to work out. So, I kind of gave up on the thought and on Monday I decided, screw it!! I am GOING!! I have a friend, Mike who was going and he had set up one of his friends to bring us home, so why not? Dad did it 30 years ago in 1979 so I wanted to ride for him!

I even wrote it on my legs!!!

We started in Indianola and ended up in Chariton. It was about a 46 mile trip. We left about 930 and arrived in Chariton at 5:38. I know because I looked at my odometer on my bike when we got into town. It was a ton of fun. I will definitely do it again next year. I am glad that I only went 1 day this year because now I know that I could never do a whole week. I like to be clean!!

We stopped in Ackworth, Sandyville, Milo, Lacona and then Chariton. The last 15 miles we nothing but hills. That SUCKED!

One of the guys we were with was a guy in his 60's. Came here by himself from New Mexico to ride the whole week. He realized as we were about to leave that he lost his wallet!! It made us all sick, he had all his money in it and his ID. We just found out that a vendor found it and he got it back! He had never been to Iowa before. I am sure he will come back now!! I am SHOCKED that he got that back!

Art is on the left, he is the one who lost his wallet. My friend Mike is in the black and his friend Bill. Mike and Bill work at the airport with the guy that drove the vehicle. They must have closed the Airport for the week since most of the TSA's were on Ragbrai. :)

Debbie is with dad this week. He still has a fever but was very alert today. They were watching Twilight Zone videos when I called. She said he was enjoying them. He still doesn't feel good and has pneumonia.

A nurse from the rehab facility in Oelwein is driving in to see dad and see if he can go to their facility. That seems to be where everyone wants him to go to. I hope its a great place! It is closer and would be a lot more convenient. I just want him to catch a break!!

Tuesday

Scott left Sunday and dad was pretty tired. Debbie is on her way there tomorrow-Friday. I guess he has a fever today of 101. They think he has pneumonia, so they started a new round of antibiotics although his white blood cell count had dropped. I find that wierd because usually you have a high white count when you are sick. Oh well. His calcium is out of wack also, so they gave him something for that. They also drew some blood cultures, so we will have to wait and see what those show.

He just can't get a break can he?

Sunday

Scott here.

I've been here since Friday evening. Dad was pretty good on Friday and all through yesterday. He was alert and awake most of the time, and interacted pretty well. He did complain that he didn't feel good, but seemed pretty good nonetheless.

They got him up in the chair for a couple hours on Saturday, which he seemed to enjoy.

An old friend, Dan Ritchie stopped by to see dad on Saturday afternoon, and was here for about a half hour. I hadn't seen Dan in probably close to 20 years, so it was nice to catch up.

Today hasn't been quite as good. Dad has looked really tired and has been sleeping quite a bit. He indicated that he felt worse than yesterday, so it looks like he'll still have good days and bad days.

He was up in the chair for a while, but wanted to go back to bed after an hour or so.

I'm leaving soon to head back to Des Moines, and aunt Debbie will be coming up on Tuesday.

Keep fighting, dad!

Thursday

Dads arms seem to be a bit better today, not as red and swollen. He still says he doesn't feel good. They took his wound vac away last week too when he had only had it for a few days. I asked Martha if she knew why and she is going to ask he nurse. She is coming home today and I think Scott is going there tomorrow.

I went to Dallas Center last night for the Carlisle girls softball victory that gained them entry into the state tournament in Fort Dodge. I think I got a lot of great shots!!

http://public.fotki.com/scottssister/carlisle-girls-soft/

Congratulations girls!!!

Quick Update

Dad has a blood clot in his right arm. They think its from the central line that put in last week, but they dont want to take it out because that is the only way they can draw blood from him or give him any medicine other than the feeding tube. So, they are going to increase his heparin dose from every 12 hours to every 8.

He still says he feels yucky and his eyes are infected and itchy again. They started him on something for that too.

Thats all I have for now!! Scott and I are going to take pictures at the girls softball game in Dallas Center Grimes tonight. I think Jordan is going too. Its their last game before state. Go Carlisle!!

Tuesday July 14th

Sorry for not updating. Dad was very sleepy this past weekend. We didn't interact a whole lot, I could tell by looking in his eyes how sick he felt. He said he felt awful too. I wanted him to get his rest. On Sunday we talked a bit. He became really alert when I told him Jordan was dating a 26 year old. He got all wide eyed and mouthed, "Who!!" (I was kidding, Jordan is not dating a 26 year old.)

He said he wants to go to rehab and I told him as soon as he got better we would get him there. Jordan did homework most of the weekend, I worked on some wedding photos from my first wedding that I did with Scott's help. I had never done one without dad. I think they came out pretty good! Here are a couple of them.

Just kidding on this one. She was in my yard last night having a grand ole time. I had to take a pic!

Martha should be getting there today. I will find out once she is there how he is doing.

I HATE the Food Industry!!

Why is it that whenever I order food, it gets screwed up. I think I speak perfectly good English. I just don't get it.

Last night Coleman and I went to Perkins. I ordered a breakfast that came with 2 biscuits that had chicken crisps in the middle and cheese and gravy on it. I even POINTED at the picture in the menu. When she brings it to me, it had sausage in it. Once I realized it, I called her back and she apologized and took my food away. Coleman sat and ate all of his by the time mine came back. So, the waitress said she felt bad and offered Coleman a free slice of pie because he had to SIT AND WATCH ME EAT!!! He already ATE his food!!! How about asking ME for a free slice of pie because she is an IDIOT and screwed up MY order!!

Then this morning, I went to Burger King in Altoona before Jordan and I hit the road. When we drove through, I asked for the Double Croissan'wich. Now, from the sausage incident last night, you can positively assume I don't like sausage. The sandwich comes with sausage and bacon on it. When I asked for it, I said, " I want the double croissan'wich meal, but instead of sausage on it, I want double bacon please." Forgive me if I am wrong, but I think that my request was pretty clear.

I pulled up to the window and paid, then asked the kid if he could throw my wrapper away that I had sitting in my car. He held his hands up and said, "We can't throw stuff away for people." How stupid is that! It isn't like I was handing him a hot steamy turd, or a bag of weed. Jesus, it was a wrapper Jordan had from her breakfast pizza at Casey's. Whatever. He then brings me my food. I pull away and after getting on the interstate I opened my sandwich. There was no sausage on it, but since they I guess, had to specially make it they didn't even heat it up. There was two very rigid, cold pieces of cheese on it and instead of double bacon, I got TWO small slices when I should have actually had four. Hence the word DOUBLE, should mean TWICE the normal amount of bacon, not TWO PIECES!!! I couldn't even eat it. I was tempted to go back in there and rub their stupid noses in my food. Does this happen to everyone or just me? Coleman thinks its just me.

Okay, enough of my bitching. We got to RML. Dad is tired, but alert. He wants to sleep. He has quite a bit of fluid in his suction canister and it doesn't appear that he is on any antibiotics. It looks like the central catheter has been placed in his chest. He is responding appropriately to conversation, but shook his head when I asked if he wanted to rest. He is pretty flushed too.

I will update more throughout the weekend.

Dad

Martha came back yesterday. He doesn't have a fever anymore, but he still claims to feel sick. Scott mentioned something about them wanting to discontinue his antibiotics because they weren't working and he seems to becoming resistant to them. Im not all sure about that. I think he was going to call RML today and see what he was on, and then ask his friend Jeff if he has any suggestions. He is a pharmicist and specializes in infectious disease.

Dad has thrush in his mouth and he does not like the mouthwash that they give him, so he has been shutting his mouth and shaking his head when they try and give it to him, so Martha had to yell at him to knock it off. He is also telling them no when they come in to turn him. The staff there allows it, but Martha told them not to.

They did give him a wound vac, so hopefully that will work!!

Debbie, dad's sister, found a skilled facility in Oelwein that weans. She checked into it and seems pretty excited about it. I emailed her and asked if they had an intensive rehab program, but I haven't heard back. I still like Ballard, I wish we could get him somewhere!!

I just heard that Dan Ritchie, one of dad's friends from Carlisle stopped by on his way through town on Sunday. That was very nice of him!! Thanks Dan!! I am sure dad enjoyed seeing someone else other than us!! I hope he was awake for you!

Jordan is going with me now tomorrow. I know dad will be happy to see her.

Illness

This illness has really been kicking dads a$$. He sleeps most of the time. He doesn't want his glasses on, he doesn't want to listen to his audiobooks and they have officially discontinued his weaning efforts until they can make him a bit better.

They tried putting the picc line back in, but were unsuccessful. A surgeon is going to put in a long term central venous catheter in tomorrow.

It doesn't look like he is going anywhere for awhile. :(

I am going there this weekend. I am excited to see him. :)

4th of July Weekend

Dad's sister Debbie was with dad this weekend. He still is running a temperature and was very sleepy most of the time. He perked up a bit when she told him about the new camera that she bought. She put me on speaker phone and I got to tell him how everyone on earth stopped me and asked me about him all weekend. I am sure that made his day. :)

I had my 15 year reunion this weekend. That was a BLAST!! It was so good to see a lot of us back together. It almost seemed like we picked back up from where we left off 15 years ago!! I would have to say that this reunion will be legendary!

Mary Bradish sent me some pictures of dad hard at work. He certainly is a tool. Where is the Maxim Magazine Mary? Is it hidden?

Spoke Too Soon

I figured I would jinx it.

Dad has what appears to be phlebitis in his arm. So, they are putting him on another round of antibiotics and will put a pic line back in him next week. So, he isnt going anywhere yet.

CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP!!!!!!

FINALLY

Dad is moving either today or tomorrow to Ballard Place. HOORAY!! I am so excited he gets to go to REHAB!!! I can't wait for him to have the opportunity to be worked with and to be able to move around!!! Martha is with him and will stay with him until he is settled.

He sat in the chair for 2 hours today and was angry when they wanted to put him back down. He still thinks he can walk for some reason and was getting angry with Martha to get his cane.

His infections have cleared up. He just has an IV in his hand now to give him his meds and his feeding tube of coarse. The doctor said his head CT looks better than the last one. They had a neurologist check him out and he didn't think there was any reason as to why dad cant feel his legs, so there will be no further tests. Maybe Ballard can figure it out. Next weekend when I head up, I will be sure to take a ton of pictures of this place so you can all see it. It is AWESOME!!!

Yaay!!