Well, What Do Ya Know????

Well, I don't know if I hit the wall or the wall hit me yesterday, but Norm and I are both still here and the dog is hiding, so, I guess things aren't quite so bad!!!! A good "vent" does the soul good!!!

Therapy went well today. We had thought it was going to be our last week with physical and occupational but the physical therapist said that we may as well finish out the month with the schedule that we have, and then they will cut Norm loose. The cardiologist wants Norm's heart to rest for a week before we go to cardiac rehab, where they will really start pushing him. The heart surgeon said that was a good idea, but "let's not make it too long!!!". Dr. Mitchell has always been really concerned about the deterioration in the muscles from laying in bed so long. I must say that the inactivity has sure taken it's toll, but like I've said before, it is coming back. Slowly maybe, but it is coming back. Norm was just saying tonight that he could tell a difference in his hands and arms.

He has shed the oxygen a lot again today. We have discovered that he holds his breath a lot when he is stressed or tired. That makes a huge difference, so there again "breath deep through your nose and out your mouth slowly". I'm gonna make a recording!!!! Norm doesn't think it is going to be long before he won't be on it much at all during the day. It sure is annoying to hear that noise all of the time and for him to have that thing stuck up his nose and drag that hose around.

I often think of how things were when he first came home and how they are now. We were both so nervous about everything, and were really stressed out. We were on our own...kinda like bringing your first baby home. You are responsible for the meds, baths, clothing, food, and so on. But, Norm is getting so much stronger that he can do a ton of it himself. It is a little hard to watch him struggle, but I have to let him do what he can. I had to be in the same room with him every second, when he came home. I had to help him move from one room to the other, and help him up the stairs to the potie. Getting him dressed was a major undertaking, but now, he can dress himself. The shoes are rather "iffy" but, someday!!! I can even go to Wal Mart for a bit now, and leave him home. But, I am thinking about looking around for some kind of cheap cell phone, and a plan that we can afford, so he can have a cell phone with him all of the time, instead of trying to answer the regular phone. They have so many different options now, that I am sure I can find something to fit what we need. I think they have one now, that you don't pay, if you don't use it. I'll just have to look.

I have to say that, after all my moaning and complaining yesterday....when Norm and I were in the kitchen today, we heard this funny noise. Our neighbors watch out for us pretty well, so, I just thought one of them was at the door. I went to the door and there was our neighbor across the street, climbing up on our roof to fix our shingles. We had not said a word to anyone, but it was not hard to see!!! Anyway, we were just going to have the roof re-done, but he just showed up and fixed it. How nice was that???? So, I guess I got humbled one more time!!!

Tomorrow Norm is planning to go out with this same great neighbor and friend, to get parts to try to fix our sprinkler system, one more time!!!! I have often thought about putting a FOR SALE sign on our lawn so our neighbors will talk to us again. The poor man who fixed the sprinklers four other times, won't even poke his head out the door!!!! I don't blame him. He worked so hard trying to get them going. Maybe someone with different ideas, will figure it out. I am a little worried tho, cause the man who worked on it before, is really smart and invents things all of the time!!! If he can't fix it, I'm worried. What wonderful friends we have. There is so much to be done that I don't want my neighbors and friends to run away when they see me coming!!!!! I think that the hardest part of this whole thing, is to watch our neighbors do our work. Our yard, our water cooler, our laundry, and the "whole nine yards". Very difficult to watch.

My bother called me tonight, and boy, if I thought I had it hard, I was mistaken. He is sick and has been for several weeks, is newly married to a great gal, and has to take care of my crabby, ornery 95 year old father. We love my dad to pieces and my brother would do anything for him, but my father is mad at the world right now, and not fun to be around. My brothers wife is very patient with my father and very understanding when it comes to the amount of time my brother has to spend with him. It is good that he has her to support him, because he has a huge load to carry. My father has quite a sizeable piece of property, with some rental housing and business rentals on it, and my brother is also taking care of all of that. So, I will take my situation anytime. I hate being so far away and not able to help. Anyway, it was great to hear what was left of my brothers voice, and to hear that he is happy and semi-well.

As far as everything else goes, I have decided to eat the elephant one bite at a time instead of trying to shove the whole thing in my mouth at once...or however that saying goes!!!

One must be fond of people and trust them if one is not to make a mess of life.
~E.M. Forster