Not a bad day at all...
Dear Friends and Family,
As I write nan is watching a new program and resting in her recliner. Today she has experienced wound care nurse visit, washing her hair, baking potatoes using Roxanna method and taking care of herself all day long. The wound care nurse came about 10:30 and not only changed the bag which covers her incision wound but also redressed her nephrostomy tubes connections. The incision cover had failed during the night and was starting to leak, not a fun experience. The nephrostomy tubes produce a crystal like grains which are sharp as stone and can be generated around the point where the tube comes out of her back and into the butterfly keeping system which is then covered by a gauze. The nurse changed the gauze bandage and cleaned the skin surface removing all the crystals, the result is relief from pain for Nan. Yesterday she used some special powder which was prescribed by a doctor to cure a blister under her colostomy and that has helped reduce the pain in that area. Her feet continue to burn and be very uncomfortable much of the time. The nausea is better and overall nan has had a very good day. I left this morning at 9 driving to Mountain View which is about 1 and 1/2 hours distant. Then I drove on to Aptos, another 45 minutes where I was next to the beautiful Pacific Ocean for awhile doing an appraisal. I found a garden burger in Aptos and then headed back to San Leandro which was on the way home for the third FHA appraisal of the day. Then through traffic to Brentwood to pick up meds and then home for a 7:30 arrival. Nan took care of herself all day and managed to wash her hair, prepare potatos for baking and was tired but pretty happy when I got home. When I am gone she has to get up every time a bag needs to be dumped and head to the bathroom which I take care of with a beeker when I am home. I surprised her this morning by changing the sheets just before I left so when she went up to rest she found clean crisp sheets. It was time, really time for a change.
On days like this one feels we are making progress. Jean was kind enough to not only write appraisals today but also take phone calls being forwarded to her. That let me concentrate on work. Now first thing in the morning I will scan the data from the appraisals from today along with the pictures I took and she will write the basics of these appraisals. She is a very big help.
I was happy to take a call yesterday from Nate who used to help me with appraisals but has been going through some challenging times. He is doing well and getting back on track at a facility in Placerville and is starting to feel good about himself again. He has our prayers, we miss him and wish him well. This afternoon a friend of his came and picked up his motorcycles which were parked in our RV parking area, now Steve can park his enclosed trailer back where it belongs safe and sound behind the fence.
We received a very nice book in the mail today from a fellow GISTer and we can't wait to read it. We enjoyed opening the package to see what had been sent.
When we were in the hospital at UCSF Nikki ordered some special things for her mom, a cute teddy bear, a little box of designer chocolate and a little flower arrangement along with a cute little ballon. Only problem Fed Express never got it to her room, well Nikki does not like to be messed with so she followed up and on the friday we left the hospital the special items arrived in the room, but then Nikki let them know the flowers they sent were not right and the chocolate had not arrived, well now we have received a second teddy bear, three boxes of chocolate, two flower arrangement. Let me tell you, the little boxes of chocolates are the best tasting, wonderful and we are enjoying them very much. Its a gift that keeps on giving, go Nikki.
Keanna and Steve came to visit this morning, Keanna came up to be with her Grammie and they found Dora on the TV. nan explained to her that when her daddy called she would need to go quickly since he was a very busy man. So when Steve finished in the office and called up the stairs Keanna quickly put her shoes on, said good bye to grammie and headed down to go with her daddy, very impressive, quite a little lady! Nan loved the special visit and STeve found some new orders and already has them scheduled. And we received three checks in the mail today, enough to allow us to pay a house payment tomorrow, now that is a great blessing.
Well once again is has gotten later than I intended to go to bed, its nice to be home and to eat the yummy pasta Mary brought over yesterday. Tomorrow we will try the soup she brought.
Thank you for keeping us in your prayers, oh Lord please stop the leaking and give Nan health, strength and energy, take away the burning pain in her feet and legs and give her peace.
love
tim and nan
As I write nan is watching a new program and resting in her recliner. Today she has experienced wound care nurse visit, washing her hair, baking potatoes using Roxanna method and taking care of herself all day long. The wound care nurse came about 10:30 and not only changed the bag which covers her incision wound but also redressed her nephrostomy tubes connections. The incision cover had failed during the night and was starting to leak, not a fun experience. The nephrostomy tubes produce a crystal like grains which are sharp as stone and can be generated around the point where the tube comes out of her back and into the butterfly keeping system which is then covered by a gauze. The nurse changed the gauze bandage and cleaned the skin surface removing all the crystals, the result is relief from pain for Nan. Yesterday she used some special powder which was prescribed by a doctor to cure a blister under her colostomy and that has helped reduce the pain in that area. Her feet continue to burn and be very uncomfortable much of the time. The nausea is better and overall nan has had a very good day. I left this morning at 9 driving to Mountain View which is about 1 and 1/2 hours distant. Then I drove on to Aptos, another 45 minutes where I was next to the beautiful Pacific Ocean for awhile doing an appraisal. I found a garden burger in Aptos and then headed back to San Leandro which was on the way home for the third FHA appraisal of the day. Then through traffic to Brentwood to pick up meds and then home for a 7:30 arrival. Nan took care of herself all day and managed to wash her hair, prepare potatos for baking and was tired but pretty happy when I got home. When I am gone she has to get up every time a bag needs to be dumped and head to the bathroom which I take care of with a beeker when I am home. I surprised her this morning by changing the sheets just before I left so when she went up to rest she found clean crisp sheets. It was time, really time for a change.
On days like this one feels we are making progress. Jean was kind enough to not only write appraisals today but also take phone calls being forwarded to her. That let me concentrate on work. Now first thing in the morning I will scan the data from the appraisals from today along with the pictures I took and she will write the basics of these appraisals. She is a very big help.
I was happy to take a call yesterday from Nate who used to help me with appraisals but has been going through some challenging times. He is doing well and getting back on track at a facility in Placerville and is starting to feel good about himself again. He has our prayers, we miss him and wish him well. This afternoon a friend of his came and picked up his motorcycles which were parked in our RV parking area, now Steve can park his enclosed trailer back where it belongs safe and sound behind the fence.
We received a very nice book in the mail today from a fellow GISTer and we can't wait to read it. We enjoyed opening the package to see what had been sent.
When we were in the hospital at UCSF Nikki ordered some special things for her mom, a cute teddy bear, a little box of designer chocolate and a little flower arrangement along with a cute little ballon. Only problem Fed Express never got it to her room, well Nikki does not like to be messed with so she followed up and on the friday we left the hospital the special items arrived in the room, but then Nikki let them know the flowers they sent were not right and the chocolate had not arrived, well now we have received a second teddy bear, three boxes of chocolate, two flower arrangement. Let me tell you, the little boxes of chocolates are the best tasting, wonderful and we are enjoying them very much. Its a gift that keeps on giving, go Nikki.
Keanna and Steve came to visit this morning, Keanna came up to be with her Grammie and they found Dora on the TV. nan explained to her that when her daddy called she would need to go quickly since he was a very busy man. So when Steve finished in the office and called up the stairs Keanna quickly put her shoes on, said good bye to grammie and headed down to go with her daddy, very impressive, quite a little lady! Nan loved the special visit and STeve found some new orders and already has them scheduled. And we received three checks in the mail today, enough to allow us to pay a house payment tomorrow, now that is a great blessing.
Well once again is has gotten later than I intended to go to bed, its nice to be home and to eat the yummy pasta Mary brought over yesterday. Tomorrow we will try the soup she brought.
Thank you for keeping us in your prayers, oh Lord please stop the leaking and give Nan health, strength and energy, take away the burning pain in her feet and legs and give her peace.
love
tim and nan
posted by Tim Mustard @ 10:33 PM
2 Comments:
At 3:54 AM,
Anonymous said…
Good Morning Mustards!
This sounds like a great progress day. We all need some good days now and then to help balance out the not so good ones. Nan, you did well with managing yourself and fixing the potatoes. And with the nurse's visit to help you get comfortable it was "not a bad day at all". I hope that blister is healing and that pain is less.
Tim, you don't sound quite so stressed out. This is good. We worry about you at times. It must have been "Not a bad day at all..." for you also.
George had the wire for pain relief replaced in his spine on Monday as an out patient and is now back in the hospital with pneumonia, a collapsed lung and a temperature of 104.2. Paulette has been caring for him 24/7 for months now and It is taking its toll on her. Thank God Lesley came into our lives and is doing all the cleaning now. Today I train her on making reservations so we can get away some. She is a very capable lady in her early 40's and mother of 3. We had planned to take in the Christmas shows at Dollywood on Thursday. Lesley will be in charge here.... if we go. We ARE leaving for Hawaii Dec. 8. At least our cell phones work there...... WE NEED A VACATION! Our last one was abruptly aborted when Roger had his heart attack! We haven't been anywhere since last March. Oh yes, we went to Boston in June ~ or was it July? I wouldn't exactly call that trip a vacation however.
Have another very good day today! You are due for a couple in a row! May God continue to give you relief from pain and nausea and peace in your heart.
Love and Prayers ~ Carol
At 5:43 PM,
Anonymous said…
Dear Nan and Tim,
I'm really impressed with Nan's ability to care for herself these last couple days. Way to go Nan!! I'm sure Tim worries like my husband does when he leaves me alone, but you showed him you can do it.
We have had Bob's sister here from Palm Springs for the last week and we celebrated their mother's 92nd birthday. I can't imagine getting that old, but my dad lived to 94.
I'm so glad the amount of drainage has decreased. We will keep praying that it will keep decreasing as time goes on.
You keep talking about baked potatoes "Roxanna Style", but I don't remember you telling us what that was. Why not enlighten us?
I hope we get to see you this weekend and that you guys have a happy Thanksgiving next week.
We send you our love,
Bob and Carrol
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