Catching Up.....

To go 14 days without even clicking on my blog, now that is a long stretch for me without a peep.   Here is why....

His & Hers Hospital bands--separate hospitals!!

This was taken the day we both got released and were home!  Terry said it was the most unromantic thing he's heard of.  Two people married for such a long time, hospitalized in different hospitals on same day.  What if one of us had died?  He felt it lacked romance if we weren't in same place.  Well, neither of us died (I did feel like I might!!), we are both home mending and healing, so romance is in the air again as far as Terry is concerned.  Silly goose!  Relief and thankfulness is what I'm breathing in!

His Journey:  5 weeks of confusion and pain...tests/canceled tests...conflicting reports...me having 2 less than nice meltdowns with authorities.  Everything leveled out when they did a Sprint Procedure on him and removed gallboulders (according to the surgery).  Now he has an appointment/consult, on Tuesday, with a surgeon- to decide if he keeps, or parts company, with his gall bladder.  He is now able to eat without bringing on an attack.  He was on mostly self-starvation/terrified to eat regime.  Hopefully he will gain back some pounds or remember to wear his belt.  Maybe revert to suspenders.  I was wiped out and he was trying to help me, leaned over bed towards me and his pants fell off.  Couldn't help but laugh. 

blessings.  Terry had 3 different sets of men Administered to him over that time period.  How we love those men.  Bob and his son, John.  Our HT former Bishop Cliff brought our Stake President.  3rd set was Father/Son duo of Fletcher and his son Terry.  Actually I got a comfort blessing each time also.  3rd blessing was in the hospital.  They administered to me and then came to house and administered to Terry before he went into hospital.  Heather was there also.  I appreciated her added faith.

I love this part of the Gospel--healing powers are on the earth through restoration of Priesthood.  I totally believe in that power.  I knew the Lords will would prevail.  And it did. I had complete confidence in all 6 of those men.  I felt they understood the power they had to help us beyond ourselves.

I thought of my Grandson Lance on his Mission and knew he would give me a blessing if he were here along with his Dad, our Greg.

There is something so magnificent when you are to sick to barely think, and then that thinking is skewed to boot, to feel love and kindness and caring from friends.  To know your name is on prayer rolls, that family is praying, that friends are praying and that we all know that the Lord is in charge.  I felt enveloped by the love.  I could feel it.

I'm thankful that I have worked to understand how the Gospel works and how I can have it work in my life.  I didn't doubt that I could be made well IF it was the right thing.  At that point I felt I'd be blessed to survive the happenings.

I'd been diagnosed with bronchitis and was on Rx but I was getting worse.  So weak.  Struggling with-- am I really getting worse etc. etc. and was told with certainty, by that source we all know of...you are extremely sick. go to the hospital.  That propelled me out of bed.  Startled Terry as I went to living room and told Terry I needed to go etc.  Called our son and he took over care of his Dad.

Me?  I called St. Carol the Beneficent.  Do all wards have Saint Carol's?  Our very own Ward Mother Theresa?  She who goes about doing good for everyone who falls under her shadow?  Does your Ward have her twin or is she just solely for our blessing?  She totally took charge and I was so thankful as I was capable of zilch at that point.  She sat there in a small room at emergency for a couple of hours or longer, breathing in all the germs that had been deemed highly contagious.  She refused a mask and declared that she wouldn't get anything.  Must be a part of her Teflon coated respiratory system!

I went to a small nearby hospital, Carol's choice, that actually has a bad reputation.  Little personal horror stories abound.  When I was ready to leave, the last respiratory therapist gave me my last treatment and  boldy stated--they had a bad reputation and she hoped that I would tell others that I had good care.  They did take good care of me.

Admittedly I am not a hospital visitor type.  I think people are in a hospital because they are to sick to stay home.  They need help beyond themselves.  They have germs.  I did find that personnel seem to each have their own interpretation of what ...private room/isolation/highly contagious mean.  droplets precaution was posted on my door Stop sign.  There were gloves and masks available at that point.  Should they all wear masks?  Were they suppose to wash their hands when they entered my room, when they left my room?  I wondered.  Each time a different person would put a clip on my finger to check my oxygen level, I would wonder...how many other fingers have used this?  where have those fingers been?  Remember, I'm not even patient with people coming to Church, knowing full well they are sick but just can't bear to miss partaking of the Sacrament, so you can imagine my evil eye scanning for germ congregations in a hospital!!!

In my somewhat dazed state, I just went on faith and looking up at the multiplicity of powerful hanging antibiotic drip bags scheduled to be unleashed at their appointed time, I did feel protected.

True, I did wonder about these socks which I wore from the get go.  They are so I wouldn't fall when I got up.  They had no slide to them at all.  I would get up, make a quick trip across the room and head back to bed.  Who all got into that bed with me???  Nurses on their rounds stood on my pathway!  I just figured that yellow was a happy color and I'd relax- bugs or no bugs.

Daffodil yellow socks.  Cheery.

I got a kick out of a sign that was taped up...

The cameras are a part of our Falls Prevention Program.

Currently that are not in use.

I realized that I have no idea how today's healthcare system works.  I had never heard of a Hospitalist.  No wonder people go to Emergency rooms.  There are actual Doctors there.  There is no run around or come back tomorrow.  They stay on task and get you taken care of.  My Hospitalist with the Apogee Physicians was a wonderful young MD named Dr. Chen.  He consulted with a pharmacist and laid out a heavy duty Rx program for me.  Between him, marvelous head nurses for each shift, & respiratory therapists that knew their stuff-- I felt in excellent hands.

(Later I wondered if that is what Abby's hubby does...organize Hospitalists?  Will have to check on that.)

There were a few times that I felt in my own world with a myriad of "TV screens" on the ceiling and I would choose what to view.  So I watched Rick Steves on his Spain tour.  Saw Mt. Rushmore with smoke coming from all nostrils and a reader board sign scrolling underneath that read...Our Country has gone to pot.

I thought - I hope this doesn't get real scary.  Then saw a graveyard but it was only Michael Jackson with his dancers.

Opened my eyes and it was gone.  closed my eyes and it was there.  Asked Nurse about it and decided to keep my eyes open!  For the most part I did.  Jolted myself awake when I asked out loud...Terry do you see that?

I started thinking about the wonder of the Gospel and how incredible to belong to The Church.  A Church based totally on kindness, care, service, giving, loving.  A group of compassionate people that do their best to help each other as they stumble on the path of life.  Whether that stumble be lifestyle or poor health.  I could feel the power of that care.  It warmed my heart. Made me feel safe and secure.  What a wonderful feeling.

As things progressed, in what seemed slow motion but was actually lightening speed, we were both back home.

I loved the planning of things nutrition as seasoned RS women do.  Of what to fix to convince Terry he could eat and not suffer pain.  Joan, is the cook of the century, in what works to entice people to eat when they are afraid.  Her chicken noodle dish gave him courage.  

We have been served such superb food.  So appreciated and enjoyed.  Restorative!

Each person helps in their own way and it's all so welcomed and so needed and appreciated. 

A friend told me she was bringing some chocolate over for me to stash.  I self-righteously said...I gave up chocolate.  I'm not eating it anymore.  She questioned how long I was oxygen deprived and hoped my brain damage would equal out and get normal.  That was enough to bring me full circle to my life being on the edge of healing, & normalcy for me.  My gifted comfort food is tucked away in one of those clean drawers.

tucked in the corner.  Okay.  hidden in the corner!

my stash!

Then I read this....

Theobromine, a chemical found in cocoa, may relieve coughs. A study from the Imperial College London found that theobromine was better than codeine (active ingredient in many cough medicines) at reducing coughing. Theobromine may even relieve asthma since it relaxes muscles in the throat.

 (With pneumonia you want to cough but this definitely shows the medicinal value of chocolate!)

Okay.  Way to much trivia but now you are all caught up on our life.  Terry goes in to see if he needs his gall bladder removed.  I go in to have blood work done and my lungs x-rayed.  Will find out future activity etc.  By Thursday we should be all settled in.  

Now...on with life!!