Author: alohawild

Please note that Apple is having trouble this Black Friday with sending photos. I will update this when the photos finally transfer from my iPhone.

Thanksgiving started with me getting up at 730ish. I woke at 6ish but rolled over. I found in the sink cut-up potatoes and carrots, and onions. Corwin wanted to help and prepped a pile of veggies for us for Thanksgiving.

I read my emails, made coffee, and wrote the blog. This is my usual start for a day.

As I was finishing dressing, Barb and Leta showed up. Leta wanted an early start, and soon I had the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade playing in the living room. Barb and I planned the day a bit, and then I headed into Portland.

No traffic, of course, and I was quickly in Susie’s room 361. Susie was less responsive and had more trouble talking. She was sleepy and was left to sleep in a bit. Her breakfast tray was outside still.

Lorene is the nurse today, and she was our first nurse out of ER at Legacy Good Samaritan. She explained that Susie had trouble speaking today, and there is hope that this is the impact of the pain killers on Susie for the chest tube. I raised the concern that we made the same mistake last week, and there was a possibility Susie has had another stroke.

The docs came in and said that Susie was on new drugs to stop a new stroke, if possible. They were reducing the painkillers as Susie was sleepy. Susie is too weak for rehab at this point, they told me.

The lung doctor came in a bit later, and I helped remove the chest tube, which was quite a painful process. Blood draws had been done, and more were scheduled. The tests to know if there is a deeper infection in the left lung are still pending, but the doctor was optimistic that the lungs were better.

The nurse had me feed Susie for a bit. I brought a sweet potato pie for Thanksgiving for Susie. She was able to eat a bit, but then the electrolyte drink seemed to cause her to spit up, and that was that. I cleaned up Susie and then put her head back down to let her rest. We put on the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade that quickly ended and was replaced by a dog show rerun.

The nurse came back in with drugs and more food for Susie. A new bag of saline and antibiotics was emptied into Susie via the IV. Every time she bent her arm, the IV stalled. A new IV line was ordered. Also, instead of drinking the electrolyte–yuck, it will be added to the next bag of saline. Susie was looking better with the fluids.

All morning Susie’s heart was racing. The nurse, docs, and even I agree that dehydration was an issue. Also, they had stopped Susie’s heart med when her blood pressure dropped. This was continued now that Susie’s blood pressure was stable. So all PT was put off for a day until all these changes worked.

Susie’s heart stabilized over the next two hours.

I gave Susie a goodbye kiss or two and then took Air Volvo home. Barb had cleaned the kitchen and forgoed the lecture about the dirt. Dinner was about an hour out.

I helped a bit; it is a tiny galley kitchen and only works with one person working in it.

We had a quiet dinner as we all missed Susie.

Barb started washing up a bit. We then had some of the worst store-bought pecan pie ever made. I helped bag most of the food or put it in smaller bowls. We had enough left over to have Thanksgiving a couple more times!

Micro-turkey (8.5 lbs) and was likely beat-up by chickens. It was quiet good.

Barb and Leta left after to see Susie. We had made a special arrangement with the nurse to let them both in at the same time. They stayed a few hours, and Susie seemed to wake up for them while still unable to speak clearly. A new IV was put in. They watch some Harry Potter.

Barb and Leta left Susie watching TV.

I read and tried to sleep. I finished up the dishes and pans. I had a bit of turkey with my evening meds. I finally fell asleep.

The night was hard to sleep as I was listening for the phone to ring. But, no emergencies call, and I started at 8ish. I made new coffee with the slight guilt of throwing away coffee from the day before. I was not on the morning shift with Susie. Leta and Bard headed to Portland and to see Susie at the hospital.

I had my third shot of Moderna and felt like I had joined a fight club and drank too much. It was a hard start.

To make things complex, my blood pressure med was refilled in New York City. So the doc office and I spent the whole day going back and forth trying to get the Rx filled here.

I tried to rest and reduce the discomfort of the booster.

I got to the hospital and replaced Leta. Barb and Leta headed for lunch in Beaverton, searching for Tyme Soup Company (the joint went under from the pandemic, but the Internet shows it is still there and highly rated). Finally, they settled for a noodle place and chicken noodle soup.

Susie is still sleepy (pain killers) but sounds better, and PT said she did better once they put her shoes on. The hospital floor, linoleum, is slippery, and the right foot keeps slipping when Susie tries to stand or move. MJ from OT reported that Susie is weaker than before, and Acute Rehab is not a good choice.

I spoke to the Case Manager, Michelle, and I was not very happy. Instead of the RIO program in the hospital, they want to move Susie to a nursing home once she is stable. I let them know that I did not think that was in Susie’s best interest. Nonetheless, we picked a set of possible nursing homes in our local area. This includes one Susie stayed before. I also called the Case Manager later and shocked her by asking that she also acquire any additional rules for the nursing home. The last one Susie stayed at for a month had very annoying laundry rules, and I would prefer to be better prepared this time.

Susie heard this discussion and is now very motivated to eat and drink and get better faster. She would prefer, I am sure, the RIO program. We still have time to change to the RIO if Susie gets stronger.

Aside: The chest tube and the painkillers set Susie back. So it is double frustrating as the treatment to restore her left lung is making her weaker.

Barb left Leta in the hotel room and replaced me. I had chills and felt like I must have slept rough (outside) after the party that my body was having with Moderna. So I drove Air Volvo home with the seat warmer on and the heat blowing max.

I laid down and read and finally slept just long enough to be unsteady when I got going again.

Back into Air Volvo, we (Leta, Barb, and I) met Wayne and Ann for dinner at Sharri, and most of us had breakfast for dinner. I went with steak and eggs, and I felt like I had a hangover. But, it was a cheerful ending to our day.

I slept poorly as Moderna wanted to party some more, and I had too many iced teas with dinner.

Sorry, this is a bit later; I slept in on Wednesday.

I started with the knowledge that Susie had an invasive procedure today, and the traffic in Beaverton on a Tuesday was more than I planned for. I was at the hospital to find Susie, barely able to speak, in pain, and exhausted.

A chest tube trained her lungs area was put in.

I helped get more pain management and helped Susie’s hand for most of the morning. After that, the nurse helped get more pain management.

Susie was able to come off of oxygen, and thus the drain worked. A chest X-ray confirmed that Susie’s lungs were clearing. More tests and more labs will be required before they can determine the next step.

Barb and Leta came, and Barb, Susie’s sister, took my place with her own orange bracelet and stayed with Susie the whole day.

Barb was there when more pain killers were given and Susie was much more comfortable.

I found lunch while Leta read a new book; Barb and Leta had been to Powell’s Cedar Mills and picked up a newly published book while I ate some food. Panda Express was a confused and somewhat insane place. I am not sure what was wrong, but it took me twenty minutes to get lunch to-go. There appeared to be many people who had never ordered from there before (you pick a main and a side or two mains).

Next, Nike’s Beaverton Employee Store (BES) was on our list. Leta picked out some nice running shoes (mainly for the look and feel), and I found some new Airforce Ones. It was busy with many unmasked kids and folks who refused to wear makes over their noses. Not likely, I will be back. I have avoided BES throughout the pandemic, and I was right to believe that its leadership would not ensure my safety.

Back to work on 10Jan2022 is causing a lot of concern for Nike employees. If we can’t keep the BES safe, I am not sure what to expect in January.

After that, I drove the short distance to Techtronix’s old building 58 (and former IT building used by Nike). I had my booster shot for Moderna, thinking I would stick to familiar side-effects and explore a mix-and-match process. A friendly group of EMTs provided for me, and in less than 30 minutes, I was done.

I headed home and took a nap while Leta stayed at the house and read.

Dinner was about 7ish, after waiting for a table, at the Lake Owego Grill at Cedar Mills. Mariah joined us, and we had some excellent food (slightly higher priced for Beaverton). The place is owned by the same person how runs Stanford’s, and the menu is a close match.

I was drained after that. I did still stop by Powell’s to look for a book. I quickly found one and drove Air Volvo back home. I fell asleep while trying to read.

The important stuff: Susan’s mother, sister, and I take turns sitting with Susie. She has improved but still has issues swallowing, and words do not come to Susie with ease. Susie’s lung issue has not improved, and a procedure was delayed until Tuesday to evaluate and help with the problem. This upset Susie that the procedure was put off. Let’s hope for Tuesday!

I started yesterday as usual at 6:30ish, finally getting going about 7ish, lazing in bed for a few minutes. Monday was is a dark and grey day with a mix of rain, Oregon Mist, and then more rain.

I managed coffee and toast with peanut butter so I could take my meds. My prescriptions are running out, so I and I called more in. I was surprised that I also had to get gas in Air Volvo as the trips back and force to Portland are more driving than I have done since the pandemic started!

I drove in light late-morning traffic on a Monday. I arrived at the parking garage and parked on the roof as it was stuffed full of cars. Then, I took over the sky bridge and got my orange bracelet. Susie was happy to see me. She reached for me and told me how glad she was to see me, and I held her hand for a bit.

Breakfast was not that interesting to Susie. The new nurse, named Barb, helped Susie eat. I will help Susie eat, but I am worried about her aspirating, so I have stepped back a bit from feeding her. Susie ate some of it.

I ordered lunch for Susie and a tray for me. For $10, you can get a tray for yourself. Roast turkey and a salad again; it was good last time. I try to not explore a hospital menu and stay with something good.

The doctors, new ones, came by and checked Susie’s lung sounds again. Then, they explained the procedure they wanted. Susie was not happy about it but agreed.

Susie is tired of painful blood draws, and procedures that will likely hurt are not something she wants to do. So I cannot blame her for wanting to just sleep and be left alone.

Leta and Barb came about 1ish. Susie and I had both finished our lunch. Barb, the nurse, helped Susie and got her to eat more. Pureed food is hard to enjoy. I dined with Susie in the room. Then, Leta replaced me, and I left to drive Barb around Portland.

Barb went to the US Outdoors store, Keen’s showcase store, and Powell’s Books main store in the Pearl District. We walked quite a distance which is good as we could use some exercise.

Barb then replaced Leta and I took Leta home with me. We had to get a medical item delivered to the house. The one Leta had taken with her was not working; Barb ordered a replacement delivered by Amazon to the Volvo Cave. We rested and hung out at the house while Leta read the instructions.

Barb left Susie about 6:30ish. Susie had slept the afternoon and was not happy to be awakened for a pill and then for a dinner tray. Susie did eat some of her pureed food.

We had dinner at the local Mexican place, Mazatlan Grill – Aloha, and had a light meal.

Susie and Leta headed out, Leta now using Susie’s cane with the four feet (Susie never used it), and I headed to Safeway. I bought some food for a small (tiny) thanksgiving turkey and very easy sides.

At Safeway, I saw my Iraqi friend at check out. He works hard as a checker at Safeway to make a living in the USA and has missed me. I tell him about Susie and our challenges and he wishes me a good holiday. I donate $10 to someone else’s thanksgiving. It was good to see him.

I am exhausted when I get home and fall asleep after watching the last Doctor Who episode. Doctor Who episode has the dread Weeping Angles and it is scary. Sleep is broken and I have to put on the light. The books falling to the floor did not help me find my calm, but I manage, after a few waking moments, to sleep and even turn off the light.

 

 

 

 

Starting with the headlines, Susie is talking better, and she is more awake. Leta and Barb, mother and her sister, arrived on Sunday and could replace me as the support person. No visitors are allowed, but we have been declared support persons for Susie, and one of us can stay with her. Leta stayed about 90 minutes with Susie, and Barb got a few minutes too (Susie was tired-out and sleepy, so Bard’s stay was short).

It is the coldest this fall, with us freezing yesterday. So the morning started with me waking at 6:30 and really getting to the writing after 7ish. I usually read emails and some news before I start. This is a 9/11 habit–I check there are no more attacks each morning.

I had breakfast. I have to have food to go with my meds. Corwin had not slept, and so he was still up, and there was coffee made already. I heard him go to bed later. I had tiramisu cake for breakfast; why not? This is leftover birthday cake, yum.

I cleaned up the board games a bit at the house. Trying to clear them off the stacks on the floor. It looks better.

Off to Portland in Air Volvo with me arriving there at just after 10ish. After the entrance rituals, I reach Susie. Susie is sitting in a chair finishing her breakfast when I appear. She is relieved to see me.

I call Susie’s family, aunts/uncles, and they get to chat with her over the iPhone.

The docs come by and are visibly relieved (too) that Susie is better and talking. They are worried about her lungs and listen and talk about them a lot. A CT scan is ordered, and Susie is quickly moved back to bed and shuffled off to imaging.

I call in using my phone for a Zoom meeting while Susie is out. It is our group that meets every Sunday to catch up and talk about the sermon. They are glad I could call in, no video as video and images are banned in Legacy, plus the bandwidth is low in the room. I tell them that Susie is better, and we are optimistic about her recovery now. But then Susie returns, and I drop off. The church folks are cheered by the good news.

I get the results of tests sometimes before the doc sees them. The CT scan does show lung issues, but more severe problems are not found. Thus it is a relief.

Susie’s labs are also showing a long-term issue in her blood that may have always been there. The doc explained it to me and that it would be something to work on later. I was happy to hear that the docs think there is a “later.”

Barb and Leta get to the hospital, and I meet them outside. They are a bit scrambled by the flying, connections, and then enjoying Portland’s approach to traffic: Going Slow. It can be unnerving.

We walk around the hospital. It takes up a whole block in Portland, and we finally reach the Red Onion Thai place. It is the weekend, and as often happens, lunch-sized options are unavailable, so we order just two, and Leta and I share one. Much of the food will later be in the frig in Barb’s and Leta’s hotel room.

I get the car and pick up Barb and Leta. Leta fell in the morning down the steps at Barb’s house and is bruised and stiff. Another block walk is not in the cards. I now being from the Portland greater area, I just park the car in the street with the blinkers, get out, and help Leta in. Barb’s midwest sensibilities are a bit upset by my PNW approach. There are no horns, and polite carefully passing is done around Air Volvo. In a state where almost no drugs are illegal, nobody minds a bit of street blocking to help someone. Possible nobody noticed.

Barb takes command of Air Volvo, and I walk Leta into the hospital. She is accepted as a support person for Susie, and I am her escort (wink-wink, nod-nod). I drop Leta with Susie and then head back.

Barb and I take the rent-a-car to Beaverton and get them checked into their room. The Comfort Inn rooms look pretty nice, actually, and the bath even comes with a shower chair!

The sign at the Comfort Inn is for those who want to understand the current staffing issues:

We stopped by Fred Myer’s to buy some supplies.

Back to Portland. Barb’s nav takes them through the back ways as 26 is backed up.

Barb switches out Leta, I escort her in, and Susie has all three of us in her room for just a moment. This puts a smile on her face. She is falling asleep now, for it has been a busy day for her. Barb gets to stay with her for just a few minutes as Susie just drifts off to sleep.

We head out. The plan for Monday is to travel in for my usual 10ish time, and then they will come later to relieve me.

I pick up Corwin, and then Mariah calls, and we all meet at the Road House. I have a beer and a messy sandwich, a Portland Dip. The sandwich comes with turkey, but these were mostly bread. We have a friendly chat and dinner.

I manage to lay down to read when we are home and fall asleep instead. I wake a few times and just surrender and sleep.