THEY think I'm doing good, but....

Hi everyone. Joan here. Jayne's making me do this blog again. When asked, "What should I write?", Jayne said, "They keep telling me I am doing fine, but these exercises suck, I'm still tired, it really hurts in the morning to get moving...."
Right now, Jayne is reading the card of exercises the PT gal gave her, and she is on her bed doing them. She stood at the kitchen sink for a shampoo yesterday. She is doing everything right toward a speedy recovery. She has mentioned how good a donut and chocolate would taste, but I nixed that! Vitamins and good food are her diet, altho Mike brought us both a Taco Bell surprise for lunch yesterday. Maybe a donut next week IF she behaves. She is watching funny movies and laughin her arse off inbetween naps. Two or three trips to the kitchen table each day and staying for about 45 minutes are the limit so far. Bed is still the most comfortable place to sit/lay, exercise and move the legs, listen to music and watch the telly. She is getting in and out of bed by herself, and that alone is a plus. Oh, and she wants you to know that the neighbor baked some brownies, brought them over, and Jordan and I ate them and wouldn't give Jayne any. (it's not that we are cruel, it's for her own good) So if ya want to send anything, make it a box of Dunkin'Donuts, since they closed all the Krispy Kremes around here. Jayne is feeling your prayers and good thoughts. Thank you for your support and love. maybe I'll write again if Jayne whines and makes me do it. she can't yet sit comfortably at the computer...soon, soon, soon. have a great week-end!

Home Sweet Home

Sing the tune everyone.......
Home, Home, on the Range... where the walker and commode-chair look strange.....
Where seldom is heard, an intellegent nerd (except me),
And the furniture all had to rearrange. o.k., ya got me drift??? I am HOME FREE!
Mike and Joan got me home about half past noon today. Two steps up, and I was in-da-house! Yaaahhhhoooo. NOW I expect I can sleep better and eat what taste good. However, I don't know about the help I have. Today, after I was home and settled in bed for a nap, the door shut, the fan on, I got tangled in the covers so I whistled my ear splitting whistle. Joan, on the phone in the kitchen, couldn't hear it, Mike running in and out of garage and doing laundry, thought it was the washing machine, so he looked inside it each time he heard a whistle, sooo finally I yelled as loud as I could.......and both of them finally heard me! If we didn't laugh our asses off about that! (I cuda died in those covers...just kiddin.) They are taking good care of me, and Joan otta know, cause she's writin this!. Her final entry. She refuses to do more while I lounge around in bed,, so it is her way of getting me to get up and move! So if ya don't see a new blog for a few days,, don't give up, gosh #%@!&*^% darn it...I WILL BE BACK SOON! It's a great life. Thank you Lord for carrying me thus far. I will be sleeping a lot and "working out" (just getting up for meals and potty breaks is a workout) and don't worry if I don't answer the phone because everyone should know that I didn't answer the phone BEFORE surgery. I figure that if the answering machine fairies invented those machines, and we were dumb enough to buy them,,,,, then we should USE the dang tings, right? or else we are just crappin our hard earned money away on useless junk and makin the fairies rich and ourselves poor and people are starving in China so eat your lima beans!
or I'll haveta give ya a crack! nighty nite

72 hours and countin

Another yo-yo day. Practice standing, walking, sit on pot, sit in chair, get headache, puke, back to bed. IV fluids were reconnected to help hydrate me and get yucky meds out of my system. Hospital food still wins the "crap award" of the century. Mike brings me a hot mochacoffee in the morning and was here to see PT and talk to doc. Then he had to go home and run a job. Joan brings my favorite sandwiches: a tuna and a turkey with cranberry. I show her how I can stand up with walker and amble a few feet around the room. and by the way, no, I am not lying here with a laptop on my knees. The ghost-rider in the sky is doing this job, however reluctantly, and identity will never be revealed. But I WILL tell you that ghost rider is the most beautiful, facinating, giving, loving, person in the world, albeit a wee bit of a braggart! anyway, God has His arms around me and time is flying by, even tho it doesn't seem like it, and since God is CRAZY about me, He will keep me on the recovery road. and don't forget: God is CRAZY about you, too!
He loves us all so much, and THAT keeps me going. So God's blessings to all of you and I hope to fire the gohost-rider soon as I get home, because frankly, she ain't no blogger!

48 hours later.....

A new day dawning......IV came out. PT got me up. Walked 2 steps out of my door with walker, then back in again. Sat in chair for 2 hours. Sat on pot for 2 hours... just kidding, that was only a few mins. Few bites of breakfast and lunch, altho what they try to pass off for food is a big joke.....either that or else I had my taste buds altered during surgery....weeelll, I admit that mashed spuds and gravy were good. I had Mike go down to cafeteria and buy me a tuna sandwich. Will try that soon. Feeling "mucho major hoy". Looking forward to watching Survivor finale tonight to see who wins the million, unless I fall asleep and snore thru it like my old roommate,(o.k. enough about her) Had visitors today and was glad. Joan recognized 2 of my nurses that took care of her when she was in for gall bladder surgery. I like me private room and with door closed, I don't hear the clatter. My "mantra" is, " drink, drink, drink, pee,pee,pee, breathe, breathe, breathe". Mike is coming back tonight. He had to go home and mow the lawn so he can be here early tomorrow and wait for PT and doctor to come in. Maybe I know more of the plan then about how long I might stay here. Happy Mothers' Day to all...have whisky in yer coffee for me and have a great day! and don't forget the whipped cream! (You know it sounds goooooood, admit it!!!!!) I can see you lookin for the bottle now!!! bye

First 24 hours

It's been a whole 24 hours since I was wheeled out of recovery. Wish I could fastforward time to 24 days. I am in a private room now, not the same room nor phone number on last blog. The roommate had t.v. blaring all night even when she was SNORING. Now if those tings keep me awake, it will be me making the racket. Hoping to sleep for real from now on. Had hot turkey for lunch and it was good, but roast for dinner was yuck. oh, guess what? if I try to move.......it hurts! oh yeah, I think I remember that that was likely to happen. Pain meds are helping. I received a pint of my own blood back today. platelettes had a welcome-back party and all were doin a jig. Mike showed up again at 3 this afternoon. I had him tell family to not come to see me today. maybe tomorrow be better. I got all cleaned up and took all pills doc ordered. and Mike stayed til about 7 P.M. Thank God for Mike, doctors, pills, nurses male and female, advances in medical procedures, pills, electric beds, pills, family, friends and did I mention pills? Long may they do their jobs!!!! and God's blessings to you all. Thank you for the prayers and thoughts and encouragements. Now I tink I'll go see the insides of my eyelids and see what my brain is dreaming about tonight. Nite ya'all.

O What a Night

Thanks to my lovely roommate, just call me "Sleepless in Woodland Hills". Good news is: she's being discharged today, ssoooo maybe I will get some rest. Last night, Mike said he'd be back around noon, but he had a premonition and showed up at 8 A.M. to find me in pain and wanting my own room. After turning on my side, breakfast, and pain med, it was better. Then the PT peeps arrived to get me up. Mike was able to observe the detailed process I have to go thru to sit up. Only about 72 movements involved. Can I remember them in all, in order, every time??? Right hand on walker, left hand on bed, or is it the other way around? I sat. I stood. I turned pale. I puked. I lay down again. PT will be back tomorrow. I will be ready. I can do this. Your prayers will lift me up on angel's wings. Mike will be back later this afternoon. Meanwhile, I will sleep, pray, and dream of walking Dublin someday, after I use my cane to prod the roommate's arse out the door.

SURGERY SUCCESS !!!!

I made it! Oh Happy Day!! 10 A.M.: Mike drove me to Kaiser. 10:30 to 1:30 I was in pre-op room thinkin "Let's git this show on the road". (longest three hours ever!) The nurse finally kicked Mike out, and gave me that sleep-potion thru the IV. Next thing I know, I am waking up in recovery and it is about 5 P.M. The doctor told Mike (and Joan, Kim, Jordan and Lorraine) that surgery was three hours and all went well. He took a little extra time to make sure the new leg would not be lengthened (a new hip can slightly lengthen a leg), but mine was already 1/2 inch longer than the polio leg and didn't need to be any longer!!!!! Doc was pleased with his work, as Mike said he smiled so big that they almost needed sunglasses to look at him. Mike asked him, "On a scale of 1 to 10, how bad was the hip?" He said, "8". At 6 P.M. I was in Room 4115 B, with visitors, (see above listed happy-supporters-who-helped-me-get-thru-this). Nurses will get me up tomorrow, but now I am all hooked up with vital signs doing well, and a pee-bag! I had a few ice chips, but am looking forward to breakfast tomorrow. I wanted to see the bandage, so Kim helped me look under covers while Joan and Jordan covered their eyes and said "eewwwwww".
The phone number to my bed is (818) 719-3659. If I don't answer, I am in the hall dancing with the janitors, or maybe in the crapper, or pushing the button that says T.V., radio, bed-up, bed-down, call-nurse on the phone/remote control thingy that does everything all on one handset. Hopefully I'll figure that thing out by Saturday morning. Thanks for your prayers and keep 'em comin till I'm chasin ya with my shillelagh!!!!!!!