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Lily&Me · 02-01-2015, 05:49 AM

Glad to hear Marie has recovered.

Your TLC was the key, I am sure.

Maggie

sd90mac · 02-01-2015, 07:15 AM

HI,

His TLC is helping a lot. I am grateful every day he is here. I am also grateful for the well wishes of the airstream family.

I am doing much better and looking forward to alumalina and alumapalooza. Hope to see many of you at these events.

Marie

richinny · 02-01-2015, 10:20 AM

you two are a great team :-) it is great to see you posting!

cwf · 02-01-2015, 10:31 AM

😄😄😄😄😄

streaminwild · 02-19-2015, 06:18 AM

Marie, The quote that you have on the bottom of your responses just made me realize, who's life is it that I'm living for....mine or theirs? So glad that your doing better and planning trips...best therapy

. Your lucky to have such a caring husband. Terry is the best...Don't tell him this...it might go to his head

. Bananas help with leg cramps...potassium maybe? I'm not a doctor.... but it works for me.

sd90mac · 02-19-2015, 07:16 AM

You are so very right in all you say.

The quote at the bottom was from a bad experience in 2008 and 2009, but that is ancient history now.

Bananas work very well for the cramps from the muscles going wonky. The massage in therapy works well also.

Doing better every day. Now walking with a cane out side of the house and no aids inside.

Marie

Lily&Me · 02-19-2015, 07:19 AM

Good to hear from you, Marie, and hope you and Terry can swing by Alumalina to see us.

If not, will look for you in October.

Maggie

Pagey · 02-19-2015, 07:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by overlander63

Good morning, and it is time for another
I have noticed, and the PT people have confirmed, that she is having some gait issues. She does well on the treadmill, but out in the real world she walks a bit like Quasimoto. Because of this, her leg muscles are rebelling, and she is suffering from some pretty bad muscle cramps and spasms. A brain storm I had, and went out and got her a stationary bicycle.

Make sure that Marie stays hydrated with water. It should help balance the rebellious electrolytes. I found that I have leg cramps if I allow myself to become dehydrated.

overlander63 · 02-28-2015, 08:08 AM

Good morning. I thought while I was letting the washer and dryer do their thing, I'd post another Marie Report.
She is walking around inside the house sans cane, though anything outdoors requires use of it. We've learned that (surprise, surprise!) walking on ice-encrusted snow is an unstable thing, as either the cane tip or feet, are subject to drop through the ice crust any moment. Until the ice and snow melt, Marie is either sticking very close to the house and sidewalk, or staying indoors. Sophie is pretty bored with nothing more than a very brief trot out to do her business, and looks forward to longer walks when I get home from work. She also is not happy with the ice and snow covering the yard, though for somewhat different reasons than Marie. At least, I hope Marie isn't looking for a place outdoors to do her business...
Saturdays continue to be our going shopping days, and Sundays are housework days. Marie performs some of the lighter tasks during the week, as she can. That was a good thing earlier this week, as I got hit by the Flu Bus on Sunday, and pretty much remained on the couch for a couple of days.
She has wanted a sewing table for a while, and I had the brainstorm last night of bringing our big dining room table down out of the attic, and setting it up for her to use. I'll be doing that later today, if the USGS records a seismic event near here, that will probably be me and the table falling out of the attic. It is big and heavy.
Marie has started to prepare dinner most evenings, it takes her a while to get everything ready, but it's progress.She is continuing to use the bicycle and treadmill, as well as go to PT sessions as the weather allows. She is trying hard, sometimes a little too hard, to get back what she has lost, and needs to be gently reeled back in. Frustration continues to be an issue, but it seems to be that way with almost anyone that has suddenly become hobbled like she has.
She is continuing to work on her gait, which does still need a lot of work. Improvements are incremental, and to her are glacially slow, though everyone else is amazed at her progress.
I have to go, the dryer just let me know it needs attention.

Lily&Me · 02-28-2015, 10:35 AM

Sounds like things are coming along nicely, Terry.

It may take awhile, and she may not get everything back that she had before, but she is up, moving and functional.

All good things, and ones to be grateful for.

Hugs to you both,

Maggie

SARGE/AF · 02-28-2015, 01:23 PM

Good to hear that she is working at getting better, just remind her that all good things come in time with patience and those things that are tried to hurry always have poor outcomes.

Sarge

cwf · 02-28-2015, 09:28 PM

Such great news!!! Keep loving' on her!

paiceman · 03-01-2015, 06:00 AM

Good to hear. Our best

overlander63 · 03-09-2015, 05:03 AM

Good morning. It's time for another Marie Report.
A lot has happened since the last one, not all of it good, and not all of it to Marie. In the ten days since my last post, Spring has come to our area, the early risers of the plant world have turned green, and there are even a few (okay, one) yellow blooms decorating the brown grass in the yard.
The 25th of last month, my brother caught what we originally thought was a cold, but turned into something more flu-like. He canceled on taking Marie to her Thursday PT session, and got progressively more sick over the weekend. Tuesday, he called me and asked for me to bring him some over-the-counter cold medicine. When I brought it to him, he was so sick he couldn't stand up. I tried to convinve him to go to the hospital, but he refused. Wednesday, we finally convinced him to go to the doctor, but by then it was the ER, in an ambulance. It turned out the flu was the least of his problems, and he ended up in intensive care with, among other things, a blood clot in his heart. His condition continued to deteriorate, and he passed on early Saturday morning.
It's never good when the phone rings at 4 am.
We've spent the last few days (has it only been two?) in a blur, and Marie has found out that, even though she has made great progress, she still has far to go. Tomorrow she has an appointment with her neurologist, and he will let her know if she is doing well enough to restore her driving privilege. If so, she can continue to attend her Physical Therapy sessions by driving herself to them. If she can't drive yet, we will have to become creative in getting her there. I work 25 miles away, and can't leave for what would be three hours in the middle of the day, twice a week, to take her. Even the most understanding boss wouldn't be able to handle that.
She does continue her exercises on both treadmill and stationary bike three times a day, though having to go on a half mile hike through the hospital several times when we visited my brother made the treadmill unnecessary for a couple of days, at least.

With the coming of Spring, we'll be evaluating what Marie wants to do here, if she wants to take over some of the light outdoor chores to keep her from going stir crazy, especially if she still can't drive herself anywhere.
I have to go for now, the coffee pot just told me it is ready. I think there is a line beyond which technology should not go, and a talking Mr Coffee is on the wrong side of the line...

SteveSueMac · 03-09-2015, 06:18 AM

I'm so sorry to hear of your brother's passing. With all that's going on around you, I hope you'll find time to care for yourself too.

In fact, you made a comment about bosses and while everyone's mileage varies, for me (as a boss) time is the easiest thing to help with. Your situation may be very different but if someone on my team needed to help his wife as you describe - I could imagine a dozen ways to accommodate that request. Again - every situation is unique and perhaps it isn't possible, but if you need that time and are willing to offer some creative suggestions on how you can work with your boss to minimize impact, you should be fine.

Do be sure to make time for yourself too. Loads of stress aren't good for anyone and you've certainly had a lot to manage.

I'm sure like a lot of folks here, you have my prayers and best wishes.

Lily&Me · 03-09-2015, 06:34 AM

Might be able to get someone from a home health organization to transport Marie to PT, Terry.

If a doctor orders it, insurance will often pay for this for a time period.

Maggie

overlander63 · 03-09-2015, 06:58 AM

Marie's task over the next few days will be to research transportation alternatives.

overlander63 · 03-09-2015, 07:50 AM

As I mentioned in another thread, there is somebody else that is missing my brother. Every day at noon, my brother would come and walk Sophie. Since he lived across the street, it was easy for him to do, and Sophie looked forward to it.
Since he hasn't been able to do this for a couple of weeks now, every day about 11:45, Sophie will wait by the window, tail wagging. After noon, her tail starts wagging slower and slower, until she finally stops, and slouches onto the couch. She doesn't know, and of course we can't explain to her so she would understand, that my brother will not ever be coming to walk her again.

Lily&Me · 03-09-2015, 08:01 AM

Yep.

Whenever Lily and I have been gone from the house, first thing she does when we get home is go directly to the back bedroom....Doug's man-cave....to see if he has come back.

Maggie

overlander63 · 03-11-2015, 05:30 AM

This just in: Marie went to the doctor for a follow-up visit, and he released her to drive short distances.

So, she can drive herself to her PT appointments, go to the store, and pick up Sophie at the vet. She is not yet allowed to drive long distances, or where she would need to sit behind the wheel for several hours at a time, so the people on the West cost are still safe...