Thank You All!

[Guest guest]

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. Your words help so much. I appreciate

you all for being here in my time of need.

Today, Sunday, Jim was moved from the Accute Care Unit to the lower floor. He

is off the monitors. He is now across from the nurse's station, so they can keep

an eye on him. He looked better than yesterday when I left and he was non

responsive. Today, he was able to talk a little in his whispery voice, before

falling asleep. He even scolded me for trying to get food into him. It was music

to my ears!

He has three IV bags attached to him. One is antibiotics for the UTI and the

other two for dehydration. He was so dehydrated and lacking in potassium from

all those frequent enemas as Imogene said. I knew it! That is why I kept

bringing him Gatorade and Vitamin Water with electrolytes. They have him on

Sodium Chloride IV and Potassium Chloride IV. It took 3 nurses today to attempt

getting a needle into the vein for an IV. The nurse said he is so dehydrated the

veins are hard to get to. He is being given oxygen, which he never needed before

and now he is in the beginnings of having swallowing issues. He is coughing on

every sip of liquid, even the shake types. He also has constant hicups. Jim

also has the beginning, blister form, of a pressure sore, but it was not open

and oozing. They took a picture of it at the hospital, and they are treating it.

They are so efficient at the hospital. Jim had round the clock care in the

Accute Care Unit. One or two people were always

catering to him. They turn him every two hours to reposition him on the bed.

They have two buff guys just for this purpose, that make the rounds every two

hours to reposition the people. I wish they would be this efficient at the nh.

If it wasn't for me repositioning Jim, I don't think they ever would. They would

place him on his backside everynight to sleep. Jim may be released tomorrow

depending on how well he seems. I am almost afraid to send him back to the nh,

but I have no choice. I can not handle him at home alone and don't have the

means to afford full time care. The grass is not greener on the other side when

it comes to nh in this area. Jim is in one of the better ones here. I don't want

him any farther away from me. An hour away is just too far to drive to visit him

daily. Even half an hour. I want him where I can see what is going on and be

there daily. I am thinking of hiring a sitter to share watching over Jim and

making sure his needs are met. It is time for

a lot of decision making again.

I am feeling better that Jim is out of the woods, but he will not be the same

as he was a week ago. He has been weakened. I may not be able to take him out

again to eat. I don't know if I will even be able to take him for rides. He has

been in bed since last Thursday. His legs weaken so fast and lose the ability to

stand. They have not been working with weight bearing with him. I don't know if

he will be able to regain the strength in his legs now. I have to make sure that

the nh will raise his legs now when he is in his chair, so they don't atrophy.

That will be another problem, if he doesn't get exercise and weight bearing.

I feel like the circus juggler trying to keep it all going.

Hugs to all.........Jan

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