Fingers and Toes Crossed

Well since the posting of Worst Week (previous post), I'm almost afraid to say shhhhh things might be getting better. Everytime I think things look better, or look like we're moving forward...we go back 4 steps.

Mom got released to the 2nd Rehab Facility from the Hospital on Sunday. The day everyone was sick, Dad, my husband me sorta, my sister-in-law; my nephew stayed with Dad for the night so at least we felt better that nothing further would happen to him.

Hubby had the lightess case of the 3 of us. ONly part of the day and just felt tired for another day, I had it slightly over 12 hours and felt dizzy and light headed for 3 days, daddy lost 7 pounds..he was somewhere in between the 2 of us with severity.

I check on everything Sunday am, and head back home to regroup and recoup, and fill everyone in over the phone. Dad calls early next morning....pre 8 am to say he's ready to go to the hospital. He wakes up my older brother after waking me up. We know...my brother and I that the release is gonna take HOURS, and try to explain; but Dad thinks he needs and wants to be there first thing. So...off we go. We stand around for about 4 hours, finally everything is official, ambulance comes and we head to The Rehab Center. She has a nice private room, roomey, nice and efficient staff, the room is yellow---her favorite color and we're all pretty up when we see everything....except her. She says she doesn't like it, bed's too hard, the food isn't good, and on and on and on. Can't think of any positive thing she said. We all tried really really hard to get her to see this was best. Daddy spent the night with her, slept in a reclincer in her room. He was misserable, uncombfortable and his back was bothersome next day.

Fast forward today is Tuesday and it's almost over. She must have realized this was really the best for her, for daddy, and for us and the only way she was going to recover. Her attitude was much improved the next day when she called, and then I visited and ran several errands for them. Had one rest day-get acquainted with the facilty day, then Monday the hard work of physical therapy began. Tuesday, today...harder and more painful still...but she's beginning (the first time in about 1 month), beginning to make headway. Now, daddy's being a bit of pill. I don't want to get old. Emotionally, this is awful for both of them. They are, and we kids are, realizing they aren't and never will be again independant. It's official now, my older brother said. Our parents are old and are roles are reversed. It's really quite sad, frustrating, difficult.

Had my 3rd chiropracter apt today, and hoping I'm gonna be able to maintain tomorrow at work. I work a very fast past job, always on my feet and if they weren't short staffed right now...really wouldn't be going back tomorrow. Told them I would do my best, but was not 100%, and was most definately slower than normal. My job is pretty physical, so we'll see how it goes.

Sent off a large stack of Thanksgiving Cards for Shareacard today, waiting on address to send 6 pr. of booties and 4 hats (to be picture...maybe tomorrow) for the 10 preemie project through Homespun Helpers. Worked a bit tonight on the Candy Corn Ghan (haven't touched it in months).

I've not had time to come and visit any of you, to see what you're all up to. Hope all are doing well, and I will try to soon. Many many thanks for your understanding, your good wishes and vibs and prayers....all much needed and very much appreciated.

Hugs
Sandy

*****WORST WEEK !!!!************

I hardly know where to begin. Last I posted, I was trying to enjoy sun and surf while on vacatiuon. Each day devoted some time on the phone to checking on mom, talking with other family members and learning she was going down hill fast. Not only wasn't the back pain better, she was losing ground with the knee rehab...too much back pain so she would cancel her therapy sessions. Both are not good. When I would talk to her, her voice was garbled, her speech slurred. This concerned me. My older brother and dad got her to the doctor finally after they had called him twice...he thought he should see her. Though all he did was medicate her more. He felt she needed stronger longer acting pain meds to deal with it. She does NOT do well with pain meds. He knows this, we all know this. Neverless thats what happened. A long acting pain med, a short acting one, a muscle relaxer, and Tylenol. He had her way way too dopped up. My brother said she wasn't able to do any of the therapy, he spent the night there even though they didn't want him too. He was even more concerned and called to ask when I would be home. I was due home the next day, so went home for 10 minutes from airport, grabbed appropiate things to spend the night there (different from my light weather Florida stuff), and spent the night. He was right, she had lost all muscle ability, was dead weight, things were not good. She was irritatble and confused and very slurred speech. The next morning I began making arrangements for her to receive care at a rehab center (where we all wanted and though she should have gone post op---most people do, but she was very opposed and the doctor didn't tell her rehab was best). We...being my dad and brother, or my dad and me couldn't support her with the help of the walker. She almost fell twice the night I was there. We felt strongly she needed to do this, but when my brother and I precented her with the information/insurance coverage etc. she wouldn't agree. Initial she was all for it (that morning when I told her I was going to check into it), her doctor Dam him anyway, told dad on the phone she hadn't given the meds long enough. She was in terrible pain, she was in no less pain taking 4 meds than she had been taking 2 meds, she had gone down hill big time on the four meds and was dead weight. (I need to add my brother and I both have bad backs, and my dad has 2 Harrington rods in his back from surgery years ago). They decided they were going to sleep on the idea.

And so, what we were trying to prevent; her falling.. all for naught. My brother spent the night (we were trying to take turns), and she did fall! DAM I was irritated and upset. Ok, we tell them they have no choice. We update the arrangements from the day before, call a transport service and get her to a Rehab Center. She's there about 2-3 hours, when someone gets her up, gives her the walker and walks away from her...AND she falls AGAIN!!! When she fell at home, it was sorta sliding out of bed and hit the floor which is carpeted. At the facility....she hit tile floor and busted her head open on the underneath part of the bed. She fell backwards. Blood everywhere she's squaded to the hospital. I had only been home from the facility and running errands for Daddy for about an hour. We head to the ER and got home the next morning at about 2 am. She was admitted, had x-rays, MRI's, Scans, blood work, got 8 stitches in head. The next day with further tests, they found she also had a cracked back, and more bruises than I can count. She's miserable. She's not gone to the bathroom in 7 days and looks 9 months pregnant. Pain meds do that.

Not knowing how long she'll be in the hospital, and knowing she has to go somewhere else after the hospital for the needed P.T. for her knee I make other arrangements with a different faciltiy. I've had mutliple conversations with them, and social service, and have physical been to the facility.

She's been given more laxatives, stool softners, and enema's than I can count. Know she has the opposite problem, diarrhea. Head is healing, back has been fused with some kind of adhesive. That procedure was done yesterday. She has an incision in the middle of her back from that. She was bed fast for several days due to the back. Therefore no PT, therefore losing more ground, more muscle mass. The only movement to date is to use bedside commode. The possibility exists that she'll be released tomorrow. Though, she's scared. She's afraid to get up, she's afraid people aren't going to help her enough, she's afraid she's going to fall again. She's forgotten some of the hospital stay, due to the meds and being doopy.

I got a stomach virus 2 days ago (think I lost about 10 pounds--that what it feels like anyway), my dad has lighter bout of it now, as does my husband. It started with my dad last night and he passed out making his way to the bathroom, and he fell. He cut his foot on the cabinet in the bathroom, but thankfully thats all he did. So he can't go visit mom today. I'm still feeling pretty punk. 12 hours of diahrea and vomitting really takes it out of you. Hubby hasn't had the stomach part, daddy only once. My older brother got the call from my dad at 3 am when he woke up after passing out. He's been there all night with him. Neither got much sleep. It's a real mess around here. My back's been real bad this week (been to the chiropracter twice), could hardly walk yesterday, some better today. I did manage to get to the hospital so I could check on her, hear what the doc had to say, and talk to the nurse. Only stayed a little while (1.5 hours), at least enough I could update dad so he wouldn't try to go. Older brother will go later, probably after he gets some rest. Fingers and toes crossed he doesn't come down with this two.

My nephew is going to stay with dad tonight. We can't risk his passing out again.

If you've got some spare good will, we could surely use some.

Sand, Sun, and Surf for Sandy

Well, after the strange and hectic Friday (see previous post), Sat, the (this time last week), started out about the same. First a call from Mom, who had been making good headway to ask if I muscle relaxers (from when my back when out, she thought I might). I answer no and she tells me she was pulling on her ted hose (you know those anti-embelism hose from the hospital), and pulled her back out and she was having lots of pain and bad muscle spams. After taking tylenol and using heat it was no better. After she did her physical therapy for the knee replacement, it was worse still.

We did manage to leave town on time and have had wonderful weather. Fun in the sun, but each day I call once or twice to check on her, hoping to hear she's better. She's not. In fact the opposite, she's continued to get worse with more and more pain. Finally she got a script for something from her doctor, but after several days on that...still no improvement. She's ready to go back to the hospital she feels so bad. Hearing how poorly she's doing had dampened my fun in the sun. I wonder how I could help if I were there. Finally get my brother involved more. They went to the doctor yesterday, he changed her meds and decided she doesn't the oxygen any longer. One less thing to worry about. She's thrilled though to not have the oxygen to mess with. Hard enough trying to move on her post op knee, while her back is in spams without trying to trip over the oxygen.

Have walked the beach everyday which is good exercise. I'd forgotten how much harder walking in the sand is vs. cement etc. Have soaked in some good sun around the pools, and have enjoyed watching the large ships come and go from port. A couple of cruise ships, lots of package ships which are HUGE, and some personal yatch's belonging to the rich and famous. In fact, one ship with the name Privacy went by and hubby said...hum, I know that name. I think that's Tiger Wood's ship. He googled it and found out indeed he had a good memory. We didn't see him, he might not have even been on it. It's the time of year when people have the yatch's moved further south and that might be what we were seeing.

I've gotten a good tan, but no one's gonna see it; as I understand I'll be covered head to toe tomorrow when we return home since it's gotten not just cool, but COLD there. Looks like we're gonna have a cloudy day today. Pooey...wanted one more day of warmth and sunshine.

Finished a hat, a pair of booties, and am about half done with a baby sweater. Haven't knitted or crocheted as much as I thought I would. Really can't do that while sitting in the sun around the pool.

Have a good wkend, one and all.

Sunday Stuff, Prevent Brain Freeze, Knee Replacement

These 3 items are being sent for Prevent Brain Freeze (a school project), through Homespun Helpers. The two tone green scarf is crocheted, the blue scarf is knitted, and the headscarf is knitted. been making items it seems mostly suited to females of late (though the blue scarf was made for a guy), I need to check for some guy colors and yarn types in my stash.

Been at the hospital alot the last 5 days, Mom had a knee replacement. She was to have been released to home or a rehab center a couple of days ago, but her recovery has hit some snags. She's having more pain then anticipated, dealing with low oxygen, and they've done some extra test. I do hope things improve soon. She's getting a bit down, though we did manage to surprise her and pick her up with an unexempted visit from my daughter. She flew in Friday night and was able to visit with her yesterday and flew back to Baltimore first thing this am. A very quick visit, but a worthwhile one. Mom was thrilled and really surprised to see her.

Working on a pair of blue baby booties. Then...might start a new ghan for a friend, though I still have more WIP I wanted to complete before starting something new. I have made good headway and reduced the number of WIP...but, my friend is anxious...so, don't know. Perhaps a bit of this, and a bit of that.

"FROST on the Pumpkin"

VOTE 12 days left

Frost on the pumpkin...I know I'm dating myself when I say that; but...we're really had it this am. Windows, grass...all frosty with the temperatures dropping. Soon it will be gone and warm up, but we've now had our first frost and sooooooooo, sadly I must admit the season is upon us. How many months before summer again?

This red granny hat, quick and easy to make. 3 approximately 6 inch granny squares, all edged with sc, sewn together. I used 2 rows of sc for band portion, and again using sc decreasing as I went (every other stitch), enclosed the top to make the crown of the hat.
The green slippers are both knitted and crocheted. The initial rectangles/squares--the green portion is knitted while the grey edging is sc. Stitched together with grey.
This pair of slippers, larger than the green pair is crocheted (basic dc for the rectangle portion, and again sc for edging).
I LOVE this blue and I LOVE working with this yarn. Probably my favorite for regular knitted worsted weight yarn, Caron Wintuk. Nice feel, soft but also very substantial. I don't actually know what the difference is between this Caron yarn and the large Caron pounders which I also like to use. Though, I think this might be softer? This is dark colony blue.
Another pair of knitted booties, pink multi-colored for a newborn. This is some of the balls of yarn I rolled and rolled and rolled. Berroco's Comfort Yarn, works well for booties, is soooooo soft.
Using more of the multi yarn donated by a friend paired with rust, this scarf is crocheted with basic dc, sc, and fpdc.
This very nice Red Heart Yarn. I ordered it several years ago in 4 or 5 different colors and was thrilled to find I still had 2 of the green skeins left. I've never seen this yarn in the stores (JoAnne, Hobby Lobby, Michaels or Walmart). It's called Red Heart Tweed came in 4 oz skeins 113 g, worsted weight, 4 ply. It's very soft and I'd like to find it again. This color is Moss. The scarf is simple dc, with this nice yarn--the tweed really no need for fancy stitches. In fact, I experimented with a few that were lost. You really just didn't see them, or texture. So, keeping it simple seems to be the way to go.
More fun with granny squares. I call this hat fall granny. Green, gold, burnt orange all harvest colors varigated squares (3 approximately 6 inchers), edged in sc burnt orange. Stitched together in same burnt orange, several rows back loop sc for band, topped with pompom of orange. I did not decrease to make a crown on this hat. I gathered the top using darning needle weaving in and out, every other stitch and pulled tightly. This method is faster then the one used for the red hat, but also makes hat smaller. A good way to alter sizing. Kids heads are soooooooo many different sizes.





Slippers are heading to Pine Ridge
Scarfs heading to Homeless Veterans through a group on Rav called Knitters for Obama
Booties ...will be sent ??? Gotta check my rotation and see who's turn it is next. Several groups need booties.
Hats will go to the school project, Prevent Brain Freeze as soon as I get the address.

Works in progress:
The blue scarf, candy corn ghan, pink and purple ghan. I'm really really really trying to finish all my projects before starting more. This is pretty good for me to only have a few things in the works. The project bag organization seems to be helping.

Had a busy, and tiring though enjoyable long wkend with my daughter in Baltimore this past wkend. Trying...to catch up.

Updates for bookkeeping

You know, sometimes procastinating can be a good thing. Had the box here address for HAP, as well as for Lil Troopers. Thought I could squeeze a bit more in each box and so.

8 more rectangles for HAP, 2 each, brown, green, teal, and dark red-burgundy (though in the picture it looks like rose ?). A variety of stitches. sc. dc, v-stitch and combination thereoff.

Got one more poncho made, and newborn vest. Susie modeled the vest ...she didn't want to give it up, said it matched her hair. lol

Finished the brightest colored lapghan for Sissie's nursing home project.

**Just back from post office, so all will go out first thing tomorrow am**

Working a green tweedy scarf for Homeless Veterans. Hope to have it with the tanish multi colored one in a few days. Tanish one shown in previous post, though here's a better close up, so you can see the colors better.