Monday, February 25, 2013

After breakfast, I stopped at Catalina Spa to pick up our weekly mail, but it didn’t come in on Saturday.  I will stop tomorrow, it will probably be there today.  I won’t be leaving Bill early enough to pick it up today. 

I was at the hospital at 10am to visit Bill for the day.  He was sleeping and slept til 10:30.  And that’s what he did most of the day.  He was awake long enough to eat, have his bandage changed and stayed awake so we could go for our ‘ride’ to the cafeteria patio for our snack.  He loves getting out in the sun and fresh air.  Good thing I brought a new magazine to read today, because he finished his nap when we went back.  Dr Gauto was coming in around 7 or 8 tonight. 

I was home by 6pm, ate my supper, returned a couple phone calls I got from friends earlier in the day and watched some telly for the rest of my night. 

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Wide awake at 6:30, got up, had a couple cups of coffee and breakfast.  I vacuumed the motor home and cleaned the bathroom, all by 9am.  On the way to see Bill, I stopped at Catalina Spa and picked up our mail, also stopped at Phil and Joyce’s, who are here for the month but they weren’t home.  I only stayed with Bill til 11:00 because I went to meet JoAnn, Terry and Dick at the Elephant Bar for lunch.  It’s one of Bill’s favorite places to go, we’ll do it later.  It was a good lunch and visit, Dick is leaving for Las Vegas tomorrow.

I went back to see Bill after lunch.  Dr Gauto. was going to come to see Bill around 1pm but other patients took up too much time as he got to him at 4pm.  He is an excellent doctor and when he’s late, you don’t mind because he spends just as much time with you.  He did a little cleaning up on Bill’s foot and says he will be ready for the next step, a wound vac, either tomorrow or Thursday.  We’ve been waiting for that day.  It’s a machine that promotes healing and has to be on for 3 days and removed but put back on again.  After the first session, he can come home and have it checked by a wound care nurse and also a visit to Dr Gauto. once a week.  It was a great day!

JoAnn invited me to supper tonight, so of course I accepted.  They had other friends there who I have met before, Chris, John, Bob and Theresa.  Terry grilled steak and JoAnn had potato salad, caesar salad and garlic bread.  Chris and Theresa brought pie and a raspberry dessert.  Everything was yummy.

I was home by 8pm, put my pj’s on and watched tv.

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Up and ready to go see Bill by 9am.  Dr Gauto. came in about 10, changed the bandage and discovered Bill has a small infection, not the same as he had but an infection.  He took a culture and said he will find out in a couple days what it is and when he will do the wound vac but it won’t be today or tomorrow.  Very bad news to hear.  Bill was very depressed today.  I helped him clean up and we went for 3 rides in the wheel chair today.  Just had to get him out of that room.  I left about 4:30 and stopped for a few groceries.

After doing dishes, I noticed that I hadn’t opened the grey water valve so I went outside in the dark to empty it and decided to do the black also, when I discovered the black water was plugged.  Just what I need.  I put more water in but it wouldn’t budge.  I called Bill to see what to do.  He called Terry and Terry will come tomorrow to help.  When shit happens, it happens all day.

Thursday, February 28, 2013

Terry and JoAnn came over about 8 and cleared out my plug but he didn’t think it was ???  He noticed one of the hoses was leaking, so he said we need to go buy a washer for it.  When he came in to wash his hands, our kitchen faucet drips sometimes and he said ‘let’s go get a new faucet’.  So off we went to Home Depot and of course breakfast.  We went to the Sunshine Café in Palm Springs.  A place where they go quite often.  It’s quite the dive for Palm Springs but the food and price are great.  We came back and Terry put in our new faucet.  It’s not the easiest thing to do, working under the small area.  Terry is my personal plumber.  I know Bill and I appreciate what Terry’s does for us.

I got to the hospital to see Bill about noon.  As I was walking in, Phil and Joyce came to visit Bill. He had great news, the wound vac will be put on today!  After our visit with Phil and Joyce, I had brought donut holes for our break that we take out on the patio off the cafeteria.  So we went down for a bit while we were waiting for the wound vac guy to come.  He came about 3pm, it took a little over an hour to put it all on.  So now Bill has an IV on and the wound vac but he wanted to go for another ride.  I hooked up all the gear to his wheel chair and off we went to the patio.  We had a V8 to celebrate the day we’ve been waiting for.  I stayed with Bill till about 6:30pm and then came home.  If all goes well, he will come home Monday.

After a few emails to family and friends about our good news, I enjoyed a cocktail and some tv before heading off to bed.

Friday, March 1, 2013

One of those early mornings again.  I got to get Bill home, he wakes up early all the time and so he can take that over from me.  I noticed the toilet situation was not over yet, still plugged.  I manually took care of it myself. 

I got to see Bill about 10am, he was all cheery today and why wouldn’t he be, he finally got his get out of jail card.  It’s ready for Monday.  He cleaned up with my help and we were off for a ride downstairs.  We can hook up the wound vac onto the wheel chair.  After lunch we sat around and read the paper, I tried to take a nap in his recliner and he got his IV taken care of.  By 2:30, we were off for another ride.  This time to the patio by the cafeteria.  We got a snack and went outside.  It was about 75' and too warm to sit in the sun.  We still enjoy the fresh air.  Bill took a couple pictures of the beautiful place.  We have taken pictures of Bill’s leg and foot since it started.  It’s amazing what he has had to go through. 

I left Bill about 4pm.  I tried to nap after I got home but I just rested.  I had one small steak left in the freezer, so I had that for supper.  The rest of my night was TV and puzzle book.

Saturday, March 2, 2013

I was up having a cup of coffee at 8 when JoAnn called to see if I wanted to go to the Sunshine Café for breakfast.  An hour later I was at their door, picking them up.  It’s a great place for breakfast and Bill and I will be going there I’m sure.  JoAnn called Bill to tell him I will be a little later than usual.

I arrived at the hospital at 10:30 and Bill was surprised to see me there that early.  Bill said that Bill, the wound vac guy was in this morning and changed the bandage.  Dr Silvia was there also and they both thought it look very good.  That’s good news and we haven’t been used to so much good news, we’re loving it.  I helped him clean up and we went for a ride downstairs and had a coke.  After lunch, JoAnn and Terry came over and we met them downstairs for a visit.  It’s so nice to be able to do that.  It was 80' and very warm.  Hot enough, that we sit in the shade.  Bill and I went back to the room, read the paper and watched TV.  About 4 we went downstairs again, I had a chicken dinner, Bill wanted me to stay a little later, so I ate supper while we were there.  Earlier in the day, Keagan came in to check about Bill getting a wheelchair and walker.  About 5pm, they delivered both.  I took the walker home and we will use the wheelchair to help him home.  We are both getting very excited and hope we won’t get bad news.

I was home by 7pm, and just relaxed for the night.

Sunday, March 3, 2013

I was up and ready for the 9am mass.  I saw Jeannie from Alberta there, and of course she asked about Bill.  After church, the kids had a carwash and my car sure needed one so I stopped.  Maryann and Roy were there too.  I stopped for gas and then to subway for subs to eat while visiting Bill.  Stopped at home to change clothes and finally got to the hospital about 11:00. 

Bill was ready for a ‘ride’ in his new wheelchair so we went downstairs for a coke.  It was another beautiful day outside.  After lunch, we watched a Nascar race and Bill got his IV.  We went down to the cafeteria again before supper.  We made a list of questions for the Doctor tomorrow, just so we are sure of everything we are allowed to do.  I stayed till 6:30 and came home.  I stopped at Walgreens to pick up some birthday cards for the grandchildren.

It’s very windy out and difficult to watch tv tonight with the dish whipping around out there.