2024 Life Logs, Day 220: Slowly Adding a Little Work to Free and Easy
Date: Wednesday, August 7, 2024
Weather: Cloudy, Rainy, Cool; High Temp 68, Low 60 degrees F
Location: At Home on Lakeview, Falmouth, MA

I had to put jeans and a light sweater on today. The high temperature was 68 degrees, but it was cloudy and rainy and felt downright cold. The change from summer to fall clothing warmed me a bit and allowed me to enjoy the day. I enjoyed another stress-free day slowly adding a little work to yesterday’s free and easy day. Shadow and I walked early and then I had a 2-hour Encore-related meeting. Then it was home for lunch, a check-in with the Olympics, and some outside time with Shadow. We played ball and then while he just enjoyed being outside, I tackled a little weeding. The edges of the yard are staring to look like a jungle. There are poke weed plants that are almost as tall as I am and boundless briars that are out of control. Interspersed with this, I spent time on the phone dealing with issues my sister is having. At this point it is nothing serious. It is just things I need to stay on top of with the help of my nephew Tommy and Patsy’s Home Helpers.

As I sit here writing this log, I am looking at the stack of mail that I haven’t even touched since I got home. Maybe tomorrow will be “taking care of business day.” But for tonight, I will continue watching the Olympics with my Shadow and enjoy life in the slow lane. No Olympic Gold Medals here.

2024 Life Logs, Day 219: Free and Easy Day
Date: Tuesday, August 6, 2024
Weather: Cloudy, Light Rain Off and On; High Temp 76, Low 64 degrees F
Location: At Home on Lakeview, Falmouth, MA

Mark and I sailed through Indonesia with a rally. We were a group of boats that were rarely at the same place at the same time, but the rally organizers would talk to us on the radio each day and announce any organized activities on any of the islands. When it was a day with no activities, it was announced as a free and easy day. And I had one of those free and easy days today and loved every minute of it. While in North Carolina, once my sister fell and had to go to ER and then surgery, I felt like I was running a marathon all the time. I was up at 7 am, at the hospital or later rehab no later than 8:30, running back and forth from her apartment to get things she needed, checking out rehab facilities, not going to wherever I was calling home that night until nearly 11 pm. It was truly exhausting, so this being my first full day home, I did very little and didn’t rush to do anything. When walking with Shadow, I was even walking slowly. It was wonderful.

Jane Woodin stopped by to say hello as she was in the neighborhood, and I did go to Heather and Jed’s to feed the fish and the cats. I picked cucumbers and tomatoes in the garden and played ball with Shadow. There was a mid-day issue with my sister, and I still don’t know if that is resolved. She was not able to eat lunch and was sick at her stomach. I talked with her just before dinner and she seemed to be a bit better. I will just have to wait and see how she is tomorrow.

I watched Kamala Harris and her choice for VP, Tim Walz, at their 5:30 pm rally in Philadelphia. Since hearing he was her choice earlier in the day, I wondered if she had made the best choice. I really didn’t know much about him and had never even seen him. But after hearing them speak at the rally, there is no doubt that she made the right choice. They both seem so wonderfully normal and so upbeat. It made me happy to watch them speak, and I haven’t felt that way about hearing a politician speak for quite some time. I love the chant, “We won’t go back.” I love to hear Kamala say “When we fight, we win.” And I love that Kamala, and now Walz. bring joy to this race. Now we all need to begin the fight. Go Harris-Walz!

2024 Life Logs, Day 218: Home Sweet Home
Date: Monday, August 5, 2024
Weather: Sunny; High Temp 83, Low 71 degrees F
Location: Back Home on Lakeview, Falmouth, MA

I don’t remember ever being so happy to be home. It was a tough ten days in North Carolina. Three nights sleeping in my sister’s living room on her recliner so I could observe her nighttime sleeping patterns, the next night in her bed while she was in ER with a fractured femur, 3 nights in an Airbnb close to the hospital so I could be with her from early morning to late at night, then 3 nights at my nephew Tommy’s home. The whole time, my back was telling me I needed to be home in my own bed. And I am getting ready to do just that.

Yesterday’s experience at the Charlotte airport was a true horror story with the worst part for me being the distance I had to walk with a small backpack on my back while pulling my carry-on bag. Once I knew my flight was cancelled, I scrambled to find another flight online while walking from one airline to another. All of my efforts were for naught as there no flights to Boston to be had. Hundreds of people were in lines half the length of the ticketing part of the airport which this morning my phone told me is 8/10ths of a mile. With Heather and Jed’s help, we were able to book one of the last seats available today, so this morning I started the trek all over again. I checked in all the way at one end of the ticketing area and then had to walk all the way to the other end because all of the other security check points were closed because there were so many people already in their lines. Then I had to walk for 20 minutes to get to my gate. I already knew my 10:59 flight was delayed until 11:42, but luckily there were no further delays. When I got to Boston, it took me only 7 minutes to get from my gate down to ground transportation and out to the scheduled bus pick-up location. The Charlotte airport has become my most unfavorite place in the world. It is just a ridiculously long walk from check in to gate. But unfortunately, when my sister is released from rehab and goes back to assisted living, I will have to fly in and out of Charlotte again. I am not looking forward to that.

I arrived in Boston at about 1:50. There was a 2 o’clock bus to Falmouth, but by the time we de-planed and I got out to the bus stop, it was about 5 after. I was too late and the next bus to Falmouth was at 4 pm. So, I texted friends to see if someone could pick me up in Sagamore. Karen Baranowski and Bruce Woodin offered, but Bruce couldn’t be there by the time I arrived. So, Karen won the lottery, battled the bridge traffic, and came to get me. Thank you, friends, for being there for me.

After playing outside with Shadow and making a trip to the supermarket, I have spent the whole evening sitting on the couch watching the Olympics with Shadow. I have missed Shadow so much and it is wonderful to be home with him.

2024 Life Logs, Day 217: Flight Cancelled, Still in North Carolina
Date: Sunday, August 4, 2024
Weather: Partly Cloudy; High Temp 89, Low 71 degrees F
Location: At Home with Nephew Tommy & Marilou in Huntersville, NC

Delayed flight, cancelled flight, so I am here still in North Carolina. I am just too tired to write. I keep falling asleep. No internet at my nephew’s so can’t send my log anyway. Will update tomorrow.

2024 Life Logs, Day 216: A Good First Full Day at Autumn Care
Date: Saturday, August 3, 2024
Weather: Partly Cloudy, Heavy Rain Late; High Temp 89, Low 69 degrees F
Location: At Home with Nephew Tommy & Marilou in Huntersville, NC

Today was a good first day for Patsy at Autumn Care. I came early to make sure she ate breakfast and at 9:30 Tommy arrived for second shift. We knew she was going to have a PT evaluation today, and we wanted to make sure one of us was here for that. Since I had an appointment with the cable television representative at Terra Bella at 10 and I also needed to shop for some night gowns and long sleeved shirts for Patsy, I left Tommy in charge. Terra Bella is no longer providing cable tv and Patsy’s service was supposed to be switched over to the new one on Thursday. But when I was there yesterday, I tried to turn on the television and there was nada. Evidently someone came on the 1st but found no one home and left. I had called and told them no one would be there, but evidently the message did not get to the technician. It is now slated to be installed this Thursday and one of Patsy’s Home Helpers will have to oversee that.

I went to Target, TJ Max, and Belk’s (I had already been to Kohl’s) and I found nothing that Patsy could use as a night gown. The only place left was Walmart and there I found success. Then it was back to Autumn Care to be greeted by Tommy who said I was going to be very happy when I walked into Patsy’s room. And, indeed, I was. I had left her in bed, still in her hospital gown. She was sitting up in a walker, dressed in her pants and one of her signature Columbia shirts. Tommy was right. I was ecstatic. Between PT and OT, they got her up and into the bathroom so she could brush her teeth at the sink and be given a wash down on the shower seat. I have been saying all week that I believe in miracles. She sat in the wheelchair all day, visited with Brian and Judy Thompson this afternoon when we stopped in the dining area where Brian made coffee for her and then we took her for a wheelchair ride all around the building. It is a building with very nice facilities. The gym is great and there is an Activity Rooms, rooms for private dining with your family, a Family Room, a lovely Living Room, and outside fountains at the end of each wing. It is clean and the staff is friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable. At least it looks that way at this point. I think Patsy has the strength to do the job. We just have to make sure she has the support to keep her spirits up. Full recovery isn’t going to be easy. But I feel I have done everything I can to get the ball rolling, so late this afternoon I made a reservation to fly to Boston tomorrow afternoon. I can’t wait to sleep in my own bed with my Shadow beside me. I will return here when Patsy is transferred back to Terra Bella to oversee that transition. But for now, I really feel the need to get home and let the village here take over from here.

I am writing this at Autumn Care. It is 10 pm and there is a torrential down pour outside. It has been raining like this for 30 minutes. I keep thinking there will be a break. If not, I guess I’ll have to brave the rain to get to the car, but I am not sure I could see to drive. It is raining that hard.

2024 Life Logs, Day 215: Successful Transfer from Hospital to Rehab
Date: Friday, August 2, 2024
Weather: Sunny and Hot, Thunderstorm Early Evening; High Temp 94, Low 71 degrees F
Location: At Home with Nephew Tommy & Marilou in Huntersville, NC

When I arrived at the hospital this morning, Patsy was so much better than yesterday. The oxygen had been removed, which was a really good sign, but she was just sitting there looking at her breakfast tray but not attempting to eat. I helped feed her at first, and then turned that job over to her. Maybe it is just sitting in a hospital bed that makes her believe she can’t feed herself. At least, I hope that is all it is. Then the hospital doctor came in and announced that she was being released today. He explained that when she spiked a fever during the early hours of yesterday, they cultured a sample and found she had a raging urinary tract infection. That helps explain her behavior yesterday. Knowing she would be leaving the hospital today, I rushed to Terra Bella to pick up her clothes and other things she will need in rehab. While there, I got the call that she would be picked up between 12 and 1 to be taken to rehab, so I high tailed it back. They came around 12:15 and by 1:30 she was settled nicely in Autumn Care. Tommy came and sat in on a 3:30 meeting I had with the Business Manager, Facilities Director, and the Social Worker. The administrative staff here seems really good, but the more hours I sit here, the more I see that the floor personal are not as responsive. They are supposed to check on clients every two hours, but that just hasn’t happened. If Patsy would push the red button for help, I think they would come, but she will not do that. So, I am glad I have people lined up to be with her for a part of the day and overnight when I leave, hopefully on Sunday. The companions can advocate for her.

I have decided to go to my nephew Tommy’s for the night. It is much closer than Mooresville where I was going to stay. I am going to check on flights home when I get to Tommy’s tonight. My friend, Lynne, who has been with Shadow for the past week, had to leave this morning. I only got to visit with her for one day before I left to come here, fully planning to return on Tuesday. But here I am and Lynne is now in New York visiting with family there before returning to Michigan. Somehow, I hope to be able to visit with her before she returns to New Zealand. Lynne, thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking care of my Shadow while I had to remain here in North Carolina. You are the best!

2024 Life Logs, Day 214: Roller Coaster Ride
Date: Thursday, August 1, 2024
Weather: Sunny and Hot; High Temp 94, Low 73 degrees F
Location: At Home in an Airbnb in Mooresville, NC

Down–Today was a day of ups and downs. I felt like I was on a roller coaster ride. When I made the choice of a rehab facility, I assumed that was all set. But at 8 am this morning I got a call from the hospital Case Manager telling me that because of the kind of insurance Patsy has, it could be four or five days before she gets approval. My heart sunk. She said not to worry as even after Patsy is released from the hospital, she can stay there until her insurance company approves the rehab. Evidently Blue Cross-Blue Shield Medicare Advantage is just very slow.

Down–I got to the hospital just before 9 am and found Patsy in a dark room, fast asleep, with her breakfast tray untouched. I found the floor nurse to ask what was happening. Evidently after I left last night, she got even more agitated than she had been most of the evening and the further they go into the night, the more agitated she became. I was told that she did not sleep a wink. But during the 7 am change of shifts, the daytime floor nurse tried to convince her that she really needed to sleep. He tried to get her to eat breakfast first, but she refused to eat. Then she did go to into a deep sleep.

Up–I was there for an hour when Kate, the case manager, burst into the room with a great big smile. After our earlier phone call, she called the Administrative Director of Autumn Care facilities in North Carolina and she dug deeper into Patsy’s insurance and found that her particular Blue Cross-Blue Shield Advantage is administered by naviHealth. Kate had no idea why, but I didn’t care because they approved Patsy’s placement with one phone call from the administrator.

Down–So we were back to being released late today and moving to Autumn Care tomorrow. But not unless Patsy perked up a bit. I then learned that not only did she not sleep last night, she spiked a fever and had to be given Tylenol. And her oxygen level is still continually dipping even while she is being given oxygen. No one has any idea why. So now the doctor is saying that she has to stay in the hospital at least until the issues resolve.

Up—One of Patsy’s Home Helper companions came to spend time with Patsy and brought her flowers. That perked Patsy up, and Brenda was able to get her to eat her whole lunch and assisted with her physical therapy regimen. She did all of the exercises twice and got out of bed twice to stand on one foot. Her blood sugar has finally normalized. And I got her to eat her entire dinner.

When I left tonight she was sleeping restlessly. I have no idea what tomorrow will bring and no idea if she might be released tomorrow or Saturday. So we are playin

2024 Life Logs, Day 213: The Search for a Rehab Facility
Date: Wednesday, July 31, 2024
Weather: Sunny Day, Rainy Evening; High Temp 90, Low 70 degrees F
Location: At Home in an Airbnb in Mooresville, NC

Today was all about the search for a rehabilitation facility where my sister can go when she is released from the hospital. I have heard people talk about going to rehab for years and getting skilled nursing care there, but I truly never realized that being in a short-term rehab facility is often in the same building as a long-term nursing home. (Note to my nursing friends—Am I right about this?) I know you must be thinking, where have I been that I didn’t know this? Wherever, I now know. At least in this area, every rehab skilled nursing care rehabilitation facility is in the same building as long-term nursing care, and they are not separated. Depending on room availability you could go in for rehab but be in a wing with all long-term nursing care residents. Some of these homes have only private rooms, but some have shared rooms. Some come with television and phone service, but many have television, but you have to have a phone line installed. Some take Medicare Advantage and some do not. And unfortunately, the facility I wanted for my sister does not accept Medicare Blue (Blue Cross-Blue Shield) as it is an Advantage program. When I asked them if we could pay cash, they said they had never been asked that question before. But no, they have no private pay rooms.

Today, my crash course in local rehab facilities led me to only two choices. I visited both and then it was obvious that there was only one choice. One facility had only double rooms available and there is no way I would put my sister in that situation. So, the choice is made. Patsy will be released from the hospital tomorrow if her oxygen level normalizes and she will go to a place called Autumn Care. If the oxygen level does not normalize, she will be in the hospital until it does or until they identify the cause. I know her oxygen level was normal all day yesterday prior to the surgery because I watched the monitor all day long.

Tonight, I had a nice diversion. Patsy’s son-in-law came to be with her at dinner time and my nephew Tommy and friends Brian and Judy Thompson invited me out to dinner. I had Mediterranean Red Snapper and it was absolutely delicious. Afterwards, it was back to the hospital for a couple of hours of breathing exercises that the nurse asked me do with Patsy before I left for the night. What I discovered is that she can exhale just fine, but she inhales very lightly.

My goal is to get Patsy settled in rehab as soon as possible, hire the extra help that is going to be needed, and then fly home on Sunday. I would then return when she transitions from rehab back to Terra Bella. But that is just my goal. Who knows what will happen tomorrow to adjust that goal?

2024 Life Logs, Day 212: Happy Birthday to Coco and Congrats to My Sister
Date: Tuesday, July 30, 2024
Weather: Sunny Day, Rainy Evening; High Temp 86, Low 68 degrees F
Location: At Home in an Airbnb in Mooresville, NC

Coco turned 12 years old today. Happy, happy birthday to my one and only very special granddaughter!

And congratulations to my sister Patsy. She came through her surgery tonight like a superstar. The surgery was supposed to be between 3:00 and 4:00, but they didn’t take us to pre-op until 4:00. We waited until 5:00 when we were told that the doctor was still in the OR with a surgery that was taking much longer than expected. Then at 6:00 we were told that he was still in the OR, but nearly finished. The nurse thought we would have to wait another hour, but the doctor came straight out of OR to talk to us, and by 7:04 pm I got the call from an OR nurse telling me the surgery had started and that Patsy was doing great. The surgery took only an hour and when the doctor called me just after 8 pm, he also said she was doing great. But he added that the hard work begins now. He does not want her stand on that leg for at least 6 weeks. No weight bearing. Due to her age and lack of upper body strength, he thinks she will need to be in a wheel chair and have help moving from place to place. I’m still trying to wrap my head around how that is going to work. But after 17 hours at the hospital, my brain is fried. Maybe tomorrow that won’t seem as difficult as it seems tonight.

Prior to going down to pre-op at 4 pm, Patsy chatted with visitors and on the phone all day. Brian came around 9:30 and at 1 o’clock, Brenda, one of Patsy’s Home Helper companions came to visit. And then Bill came. I told Patsy we were having a party and she enjoyed every minute of it. When she got back to the room at 10 pm tonight after the surgery, she was cheery and wide awake while I was about to pass out. So, I headed home which is an Airbnb about 4 minutes from the hospital. It feels so good to be in my own space after days of being at Terra Bella and at the hospital today. Thank you, Heather, for arranging this stay so close to the hospital. And now to bed.

2024 Life Logs, Day 211: Life Happens
Date: Monday, July 29, 2024
Weather: Rainy Day; High Temp 83, Low 70 degrees F
Location: Alone in My Sister’s Apt, Mooresville, NC

Once more I quote my friend Lynne Kirwin, who happens to be at my house dog sitting. “You make plans and then life happens.” I was busy, busy today doing the last things for my sister, fully preparing to fly home tomorrow. I bought her a new mattress, made arrangements for delivery this Thursday, went to Walmart to buy a new mattress cover, and went to the laundromat to wash and dry it. While there, I got a call from my sister’s afternoon Home Helper, Renee. Patsy had fallen and I needed to get home as soon as possible. It was a terrible connection, so I knew nothing more. I grabbed the mattress cover from the dryer and headed home as quickly as possible. When I arrived, Patsy was sitting in the kitchen floor with her legs extended. She was talking away to the Med Tech and Renee and seemed fine, but I was told that EMTs were on the way. The top of her right leg hurt a little, but it was not painful. The EMTs asked some questions of her, evaluated the leg, and said she needed to go to the hospital for x-rays. None of us thought it was very serious because she really seemed fine. So off to the hospital she went with me driving along behind. The first thing that was done was an x-ray and the result was not good. She has a fracture running vertically from her hip down about four inches (my estimate from seeing the xray). The ER physician told me she would need a hip replacement and that an orthopedic surgeon would come to talk to me in an hour or so. In the meantime, they did all the tests for pre-op, put in an IV and catheter, and on and on. As the evening wore on, I could see her energy draining and her emotional outlook went from sunny to cloudy. The nurses were not allow to let her sit upright, so eating or drinking anything was very difficult. But an internal medicine doctor came in and announced that she was cleared for surgery. Then the orthopedic surgeon arrived and told us that she would not be having a hip replacement. She needs an intramedullary nailing, meaning a rod inserted in her femur. Here is the full description from the web of what will be done: “The procedure where a rod is put into a fractured femur bone is called intramedullary nailing. It’s a type of surgery called open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF), which is usually required to heal a broken femur:
1. The surgeon makes a small incision in the hip or knee
2. A specially designed metal rod, usually made of titanium, is inserted into the center canal of the femur, also known as the intramedullary space
3. The rod passes across the fracture line to keep it in place
4. Screws are placed above and below the fracture to hold the leg in alignment while the bone heals
The rod helps support the bone until it heals. Other devices that may be used during ORIF include plates, wires, or nails. The surgery usually takes place while the patient is asleep under general anesthesia and may take a few hours. While most people do well after ORIF, complications can occur, including infection, bleeding, nerve damage, and blood clots.”

Recovery is easier than a hip replacement, but no surgery is easy when you are 91. The surgeon told me that a decision on whether it will be done tomorrow or Wednesday will be made between 7 and 8 pm in the morning. He suggested I be there, so I headed home. I hated leaving Patsy alone, but she has to spend the night in the ER as there are no rooms available and there was no room for me in the ER room. I stood outside her room for most of the four hours I was there, and no way was I going to sleep in folding chair!
I have cancelled tomorrow’s flight, extended my car rental, and Heather has found an Airbnb for me near the hospital where I will have a kitchen and can cook. I have eaten nothing healthy since leaving home on Friday. Hopefully I’ll have a successful surgery story to share tomorrow night.