If you are so inclined please send PRAYERS/good thoughts/vibes as my husband (62) is off for an emergency heart catheter today after many episodes of uncontrolled angina. He already has a pacemaker which is now working at 100% capacity. I think my stomach ulcers are back so I have to keep it together now for his sake. We're off to the hospital now.
Thanks in advance & I will keep you updated
He's losing weight quite rapidly.......he's down 15 lbs so far, which irks me too b/c if I was eating what he's eating, I'd be GAINING weight! He even drinks 2 Boost Plus shakes a day at 360 cals apiece! LOL. He was at 190 and now he's at 175, so his ideal weight s/b around 165ish, give or take...........so it's all good. New pants are in his future, methinks.
Anyway, thanks for checking in!
Tell the staff at the AL that beteeen DH's current issues and your upcoming tests, you are going to have to be MIA from visits and tasks for a minimim of 6 weeks.
Ask them to remind mom of that.
My new rule with my mother is this: ANYTHING she wants SHE has to call me personally & ASK for. I will no longer accept phone calls from her flying monkeys over at the ALF asking for things on her behalf. Oh, and yesterday, she was blowing up my phone asking WHY I wasn't over there at 1 pm after I (and the staff) had told her several times I wasn't going).
Your mom..... well, I can relate, unfortunately. She's lucky you got those emergency snacks! SMH. If I were you I would tell her you will only be partially available (if that) for MONTHS taking care of DH.
Keep us posted on your progress. Any discharge dates for DH yet? He's doing so well I bet it won't be too much longer 👍
Do wish I could drop you by a casserole or something. Remember the old days in the South when "that was done". Take care. You remain in the thoughts of so many of us. So glad of the hubby's hard work to take those deep breathes, and to keep walking.Tell him he's a hero. Because THIS hurts with every move.
I'm feeling ok and not overly worried about the CT scan on the 17th. What will be will be and I'm just relaxing when I can with each day.
Got an 'emergency' call from the MC yesterday that my mother is 'out of snacks' and could I please bring some over? So I went to the store, bought 2 large bags of junk food, drove them over to the MC & dropped them off with one of the CNAs who was walking thru the parking lot, and came home to get a call from my mother. "I told them not to call you, you've got too much on your hands already." Really mom, then why did I get that call? In any event, YOU have your snacks and I won't be by to visit on Sunday, I'm exhausted and have a husband to take care of. The End.
So, for those who think manipulations are 'impossible' with dementia, think again! Some elements of personality disorders remain INTACT even with dementia, unfortunately. But hey, I get the 'day off' today and don't have to deal with an irritating 30 minute window visit ALONE with her!! Score!
Thanks for checking in EB, I appreciate it!
"But now, this is what the Lord says...
He who created you...
Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
For I am the Lord your God,
the Holy One...you are precious...
Do not be afraid, for I am with you..."
- Isaiah 43:1-5
I know you know this but it warrants reminding to us believers that God never promises to spare us from "the rain" that falls on both the good and the bad (Matthew 5:45). He will be with you during the rain so that you walk in faith. I am praying for you this morning. Peace!
Glad your husband is doing better. Sorry to hear about you, though. Too much stress to deal with all at once. Hope everything turns out well for you. Sending prayers to you and DH.
However, to have come to this point you must be having distressing symptoms.
I am relieved hubby is feeling better. Yes, the shallow breathing is tough to get by. Tell him to use his pain pills so he can take deep breathes. He cannot afford to get pneumonia from not breathing.
Alva, DD JUST started this new job literally 1-1/2 weeks ago.......so no, there's no way she can leave for a week. I think it'll be ok now that things seem to be calming down over here. Fingers crossed.
As for me, I now need to get a CT scan with contrast & a cystoscopy to rule out or diagnose kidney or bladder cancer. The CT is on 11.17 and I have to call Urology for the scope. Sigh. All I have to say is .............the blows keep comin' girls. One after the other.
Live for today, I guess the mantra should be, shouldn't it? Tomorrow is never guaranteed for ANY of us. We worry constantly about our elderly loved ones and here WE are, facing health crises that can wind up killing US before THEM.
I am going to relax today and blow off the vacuuming. Life's too short to do anything but sit with DH and play games online for today.
I had gone to work and mostly stared into space in the days after his surgery and I had a LOT to catch up on. I seem to recall that after we got him home, I got him settled in, went off to work, figuring that if the docs thought he needed rehab (and yes, I asked about that) they would have recommended it).
Friends called and checked in on him via phone. The mailman checked on him every day for a week (!). But he mostly needed rest and not fussing. So I wouldn't feel a moments guilt about getting out, going for a walk for a drive and not hovering.
Watch the temp; that was our first indication of the UTI. Glad the nurse is coming tomorrow!
(((((hugs))))))
Tomorrow, go out for a walk. 30 minutes to yourself. And have a cry if you need that.
Just getting those compression socks on this morning was a nuisance, although the nurse in the hosp had a good idea to use a baggie over the foot to slide them on..........which DID work. Oh, and then he said he was cold about 5:30 pm and it's very hot today so I took his temp again and it was 100. Nurse said anything over 100.5 to call the office. Scar looks fine, tube incisions look fine...........so IDK. Again, it will be nice to see the Kaiser nurse tomorrow & see what she has to say.
He is in the shower now & this is truly one of the only times I've sat down today. When I pulled back the blanket on his bed, I saw the clean sheets are now filled with about 20 spots of blood (the chest tube incision is still leaking), so that was like UGH, now I'll have to wash linens tomorrow. I'm worn out, mentally & physically and my mother is back to having a pity party saying 'everyone has forgotten all about me' for crying out loud. Just ONE MINUTE of peace for me would be nice. In fact, DD was again telling me last night that I'm 'stressing DH out' and blah blah, which I'm not, so I told her to STOP LECTURING ME or leave. Does anyone EVER THINK ABOUT the spouse, I wonder?
Thanks for checking in. I'll post tomorrow after the nurse leaves. Hopefully I won't have to get up 100x tonight to check on him. He sleeps in the bedroom directly across the hall from me due to CPAP and restless leg issues.
Was just wondering how your first day is going after bringing your husband home yesterday afternoon?
It would be normal for you to feel down - it's been a long week since his surgery and you're probably just worn down from the whole experience - the adrenaline and so forth. I'm sure you're all over the map just like he is even though it's in a different way.
At least with your DD close by and her giving you a pamphlet to have as a reference those two things will at least be a comfort.
H
Remember that it is FINE to call the docs about ANYTHING!!
Well, that's quite a change from yesterday. After that, I wasn't so sure they would release him today - good to hear!
Hopefully, once he's in his own surroundings and bed, he will do even better and of course it's great your DD is around to help out if and when needed.
You both take care of yourselves!