Dad 448: Oh, What a Relief It Is

(I think Dad misses his pump... NOT! Enjoy his post! ~ Tracy)

 

Derf Here! Great day today! Temp only reached around 30°. Good day to clean up our yard with plow and Lew's new snowblower.

 

Congratulations to grandson Zack as he was a finalist (one of three) for the Gaziano lineman award which is based on grades, community service, and football. (As a runner-up he received $1000, a really nice jacket, and a trophy.) Additional recognition he received this year: He was chosen as the outstanding lineman for the large schools. Was also all-state and all-academic team. Great job, Zack!

My bag containing the pump for my antibiotics (given me through an IV) was taken off and PICC line was removed last Friday. The bag was on me for 26 days, 24/7. What a relief! Check Tracy's post on Friday for my picture as I exited the doctors office.

Haircut for spouse tomorrow. It will be cold.

Spouse and I go to primary care doctor on Friday.

Enough for now.

Until next time!

Toodle Pip!

Derf!

Accomplishments

Now that Dad is free of his medication pump/bag, he is accomplishing a lot of errands. He went to the post office, grocery store, and drug store today — and maybe a few other places! (The sky's the limit!) I believe he also took care of getting the trash/recycle bins to the curb and back.

On Saturday we watched online as Zack was named a runner-up for the Gaziano Award. We thought he should have won (of course!), and we are so proud of him and his many, many accomplishments this year. Congratulations, Zack! You are a fine young man and we are excited to see what the future holds for you!

As for our biggest accomplishment this weekend: Lew and I rearranged the area rugs in our living room last night.  😏

Good Riddance!

Below is the photo that Lew took of my father as he walked out of his doctor appointment this afternoon. He is waving around the bag containing the medication pump. The PICC line is gone! HOORAY!

Dad 447: Pump and Plow

(Dad writes today about a couple things to get rid of. Enjoy his post! ~ Tracy)

 

Derf Here! Well we finally have a temperature above freezing. In fact we expect rain tomorrow. Better than snow.

 

Well I thought I was about to get rid of the antibiotic pump Friday that I have been wearing 24/7 since December 31. I found out today I may have four extra days. I will, however, try to get this bag off me during Friday's visit to the infectious disease doctor. Wish me luck. I guess I can take another four days if necessary. Won't like it but I will do it.

 

Lew bought a snowblower today to help us remove snow. Still have plow truck but thinking of getting rid of it and having someone else plow a couple shots down the driveway. Then use the snowblower to clean up the yard. We'll see.

 

Tune in next week to see just when I got rid of the PUMP!

 

Until next time!

 

Toodle Pip!

 

Derf!

A Puzzling Day

I decided I wanted a long weekend, so I took today off from work (we were open despite the holiday).

I slept in and then finished the puzzle that Debbie's family gave me for Christmas. It was a fun one!

"Holiday Cats"

Dad 446: A Survival Story (Part 4)

Derf Here! Still waiting for tonight's storm into tomorrow.

It took one week of IVs pumping antibiotics into my system to clear my blood. Thanks to all those who poked me to get this done!

On Monday, December 31st, the doctor and nurses checked with me to ask if I'd like to go home. Absolutely YES! Well, if I were to go home I still must take antibiotics for about a month through IVs. I finally agreed and they told me I must get a PICC line. I said "alright" and to the PICC line people I went....

The IV PICC-line is currently in my right arm. A line is inserted up my right arm (above the elbow) in a vein and goes across my chest and then down to the heart. This is why I'm wearing a pump 24/7 that pumps antibiotics three time a day every eight hours. I do believe my time with this pump will be up in about a week. Only then will I be able to recover.

Also, I'm a diabetic now!

Several other things happened that I haven't mentioned but I think you get the picture of my illness. This has been a reader's digest account. I may not have followed exactly when all the activities took place, but I did hit the highlights of my hospital stay. Thanks for listening.

Until next time!

Toodle Pip!

Derf!

Dad 445: A Survival Story (Part 3)

Derf Here! Waiting for 1 to 2 feet of snow this Saturday night and Sunday. Now back to my story.

 

I spent my first night in the emergency room area. Sunday morning I was moved to room 395. Now what was causing my problems? After several tests and conversations, the doctors and nurses figured out why my blood was filled with bacteria. My toe had an infection (in the bone) and this caused my blood cultures to be seriously out of the ordinary.

 

During my hospital stay I had an MRI as well as several other tests (including a camera sent down my throat to check my heart valves). The morning after the MRI my toe was removed. The surgeon believed he got all the infection removed. This was confirmed by the pathology report.

 

I had sepsis. A doctor told me if I didn't come to the hospital when I did I would have been gone in a couple days. This taught me a lesson about why a person should be careful when dealing with a scar or bruise that isn't healing. I learned a lot about my physical body in that week.

 

I am home now and still recovering. In my next post I'll show how my returning home presented other problems. Tune in tomorrow.

 

Until next time!

 

Toodle Pip!

 

Derf!

Dad 444: A Survival Story (Part 2)

Derf Here! Bad storm Sunday! My story below.

 

A few months ago I asked my primary care provider to check my feet. He advised me to go to a foot doctor. I did and the foot doctor got my feet looking all right. Then one toe started to act up with an ulcer. Well, we treated the ulcer for a few weeks. It didn't heal as we had hoped.

 

On Thursday, December 20, I took Spouse for a haircut. Same day I went to the foot doctor to help cure the ulcer. The next day I didn't feel quite right. Then Saturday came and I thought I might have the flu. I tried getting off my bed, slid to the floor, and then I couldn't get up. No strength. Lew tried to help me up. No success. Called 911 and they came along with all my local family members. By an almost unanimous vote (I was the only "no") I agreed to go to the hospital.

 

That decision I made was the right thing to do. I got to the hospital with a 380 blood sugar count and a 102° temperature. Tune in next time to hear how my (forced by family members) decision saved my life.

 

Until next time!

 

Toodle Pip!

 

Derf!

Dad 443: A Survival Story (Part 1)

(Dad will be writing for a few days. Enjoy! ~ Tracy)

 

Derf Here! Slight snow on Friday. Could be a serious winter storm Saturday night into Sunday. Coast could get serious ice storm. We'll see.

 

In 1948 at the age of nine I spent February 25-28 in the hospital. My appendix was removed. After that I spent 71 years with no other hospital visits for me. Then I spent December 22 to the last day of December as a patient just a few weeks ago. I'm home now wearing a pump for a month while getting antibiotics three times a day. Thanks to Tracy and Lew for changing my pump every day.

 

Over the next few days I will explain what happened and how I survived. I voted "no" for a hospital trip. I was outvoted by all others in attendance. So I went. Tune in the next few days while I'll explain just what happened.

 

Enough for today.

 

Until next time!

 

Toodle Pip!

 

Derf!

Ah’nold

There are some movies you come across while channel surfing that always make you stop and watch for a bit. Tonight that movie was Terminator 2: Judgment Day. 

Tonight we watched enough to see Arnold’s terminator character rescue Sarah Connor, who was being held at a hospital for the criminally insane. This is my favorite part of the movie because Sarah’s doctor finally gets to see that Sarah has been telling the truth all along. I mean, who wouldn’t believe a woman who talked about human-like machines coming from the future to bring harm to us now?

Lew claims he’s never seen the whole movie — just the parts he’s seen from prior channel surfing. We may have to rectify that soon.

We Are Spontaneous

Lew and I had to go somewhere early this evening, so we ate a light supper beforehand. 

After we got home we decided to watch a show on TV; partway through the program, we both commented on how hungry we were.

After a few more minutes Lew asked, “Do you want a pancake?”

When I finally realized he was seriously considering making pancakes, I was mostly excited about the spontaneity of it all.

We are not spontaneous people, but that all changed tonight.

Eating pancakes long after the usual dinner time.... Try topping that for true spontaneity!

Spontaneous is my new favorite word.

🤪

Dad 442: The Return of Derf

(Dad returns to blogging today! Enjoy! ~ Tracy)

 

Derf Here! I'm BACK.

 

Weather not too great. Lew has had to plow a couple times.

 

Tonight grandson Zack is supposed to interview for the Gaziano award. The award is for the top lineman in high school football in Maine. Josh is riding up to Auburn with Zack because Glen and Deb are on a cruise for the week.

 

Spouse is getting along fine.

 

In the next few weeks, I'll tell my story of being in the hospital during Christmas week – the first time incapacitated in 71 years. I had a good run. I hope to have another good run. Be sure to tune in to hear my story.

 

Enough for now!

 

Until next time!

 

Toodle Pip!

 

Derf!

Two Fun Games

Josh and Zack came for a spaghetti supper tonight. (Thank you, Chef Lew!) After our fine dining, we played Codenames. This is a game I got from Santa a couple weeks ago. Josh, Zack, Lew, and I played it on Christmas day; we had so much fun we had to play again!

Lew and I are now watching the college football national championship. The game has been quite fun so far — lots of scoring! I don’t know if I’ll be able to stay awake for the whole game, but if it stays this exciting, I just might make it.

Kitty Greetings

Happy New Year! Meow!
Love from us,
Jerry and Marilyn

Friday Update

Lew and I successfully changed out Dad's antibiotics bag yesterday. Dad was pumped!  😁

He had a nurse visit the house this afternoon, so she did that chore today. But Lew and I are back on for the weekend. We are up to the task.

I went to work yesterday and today. I was chatting with the owner today; he knows I'm in "work-is-my-hobby" mode at the moment, and he is fine with that. I expressed my appreciation for his understanding and the flexibility that I have in my work schedule. I think I saw him tear up just a little... or maybe my eyes were the ones tearing up.

Count your blessings.  💓

We Are Ready... Really, We Are

I gave Dad the option of taking another week of from writing a post, and he took me up on it! He will resume his weekly post next week.  😊

Lew and I passed our review session today with flying colors. We are all set to change out Dad's antibiotics bag on our own tomorrow. We are all set.... We are.

Dad had a toe removed while in the hospital. (The toe was the one next to the big toe on his right foot.) Despite being such a small part of the body, this toe caused massive problems for him. So we all say, "Good riddance!" The site is healing nicely.

He also now has diabetes, so he is getting used to the new regimen of testing his blood sugar twice a day, taking an oral medication in the morning, and giving himself an insulin shot in the evening.

That is all for today.

Signed,

Florence Nightingale

Lesson #2

Lew and I will be helping Dad with his catheter IV for the antibiotics on the days when nurses don’t come to the house. A new medicine bag needs to be put into the pump every day. A nurse came last night to do it (Lesson #1: observe) and a nurse came today to help us through the process (Lesson #2). Our third lesson (for review and confidence) will be tomorrow afternoon, then we will be on our own on Thursday. I think we will be able to manage it as long as our patient cooperates!