Weekend update again

Well, Thursday and Friday were weird as I was not able to go to the hospital.  But we did get to do a video Hang out both nights. Jake always loves playing on the video on the phones anyway. :)

Thursday, Jake and I went to see Durwood and we did our hangout there so Dean could see his dad and vice versa.  It was nice to see him. Boy, Durwood was really glad to see Jake!  Once he saw Jake and I coming, he held out his hand and Jake ran over there to hold his hand and would NOT let go!  We got a chair for Jake to stand on and he held his hand while we moved the chair and he got on.  So very sweet.  He is doing better and better everyday, even if it's just a little bit.  He is having more awake days than sleeping days now.  This is encouraging.

Progress Report!!!

Friday, Dean saw his surgeon for a follow up to see how things are progressing.  He had 2 areas operated on, one is healing quite well, the other has not yet, but we didn't here anything out of the ordinary, so not bad  news.  He has a follow up next week, please pray for progress!!!

Saturday morning I went to spend time with Dean while Jake stayed with Nonnie. It was a busy morning, but nice to spend some time with him.  Knowing the food is terrible, I brought in breakfast, but didn't bring lunch.  I had planned on going to a deli 2 hospitals over to grab some lunch.  So, I go at 12 and walk all the way to the deli.  it's closed on the weekends.  THEN, I went to another deli, also 2 hospitals down from Kindred but the other way, and IT TOO was closed on the weekends!  Does anybody in the med center get hungry for decent food on the weekends?  HELLO!!!  I ended up having to leave with Dean not having lunch and come back that afternoon with Chick-Fil-A! 

After this eventful morning, I went to an AWESOME wedding shower for Dean's niece Linda Jean.  I did almost miss it since I took a different way home and it was jam packed with traffic!  The Kirby and US59 area is under construction, so avoid it at all cost!  Back to the Shower....

Jazzercise!!!  It was a great work out, and I had to have Jake there and he had a blast dancing with me!  Until I told him he couldn't hit me anymore with his "dirty horsy" then he got mad at me.  Nonnie saved the day taking him to the toy room in the back.  After an awesome workout, we brought Daddy some dinner and were able to try to watch Umi Zoomi with him, but the internet didn't work to well that night.

I was there, but not at this picture.  I had to leave early unfortunately.  

The workout was GREAT and FUN!  LJ's future MIL is an instructor at the Jazzercise 

place in Atascocita.  Great fun!

Jazzercise makes a boy tired!  He crashed after about one minute in the car after the shower.

Saturday evening fun with a frisbee and a dog.  Not much better than that!

Sunday, Jake and I went to the hospital that morning.  We had planned on trying to go to the zoo but the A/C in the hospital was not working well and his bed makes him warm so he got overheated. We managed to finally track down a fan but it didn't work too well.  So after lunch Jake and I got him a big new fan from target.  It took longer than expected because Jake had to go down all the aisles to look at the toys.  He loves cars and trucks, especially emergency vehicles (ambulances and fire trucks - they make cool sounds!).  He also loves the characters Hulk, Captain America, Ninja Turtles (that's new!) and all those cool Star Wars toys!  He picked up a light saber and said "Hey!  We have one of these!"  My boy...

 

<== Jake playing with the Ambulance!

==> After shopping, he apparently was tired and took a nap in this tiny chair.  

So sweet!  He actually slept for two and a half hours!

I came to the hospital well prepared on Sunday.  I brought in Breakfast, Lunch, AND dinner!  However, they finally had a decent dinner, Turkey club sandwich.  Ironic that I brought in a turkey sandwich for lunch, but he enjoyed both that day.  And, of course some of my home made chicken pot, chicken pot, chicken pot PIE!

Chicken Pot, Chicken Pot, Chicken Pot PIE!

 

Jake playing with his bubble leaf blower on Sunday evening.  It was such a nice evening and he had been watching TV and playing on the phone all day.  Had a good time playing with Buddy!

Handsome Dog, Buddy!!!

So, all this being said, Dean is having a hard time taking visitors, since the schedules are a little hard to work around.  He has a bulletin board in his room, so if you want to send a card, please do, and I'll pin it up for you.  If you need my address, contact me, I'll get it to you.

Jake and Nonnie already made him some get well signs!  Can always use more!

Four More Weeks

Dean is getting adjusted to life at Kindred.  He did get to visit with one of his doctors and they said his 6 weeks on the IV drip started the day of his first surgery so that means he is already 2 weeks in his 6 weeks of IV drips!  What that means is that he may possibly finish up any recovery necessary after the 4 weeks of antibiotics at home!  This is great news!

What's even better is that Kindred has free WiFi, so he's not only able to connect, he's able to use his computer as well, so he has a little more freedom and independence with something to do.  This is Awesome!  Of course it will be only in short spurts as the nurses/staff will be coming in to do their stuff every 2 hours (or even more often) but at least he can get to his computer.  And, as it turns out, it's not very strong WiFi, so some times it just doesn't work.

What's not so awesome?  The food.  Apparently the food is absolutely terrible!  He's only had a few meals there, but he told me on his 2nd day he had lunch of "some pork thing" so you know it was horrible!  This coming from a guy who eats SPAM right out of the CAN!  So, if you are wanting to help, meals.  That we can heat up in a microwave are best!  Sandwiches are good too, or even cold cuts and crackers and cheese.  Dean LOVES Cracker Barrel extra sharp.  Just saying...

My mother headed home on Thursday morning, after spending all day the day before at Kindred helping Dean get settled and more acquainted with the staff.  She was such a huge help to us while in Methodist and getting him settled in Kindred.  Thank you Mommy for all you did for us in these last 2 weeks!

Dean is going to see his surgeon for a follow up visit and to see how his recovery is going.  We hope to hear good things, and will let you know what we find out.

Wednesday night, Dean's mom came over to have dinner that a friend of mine from work gave us (she's from India and made the best Turkey Rice and Spicy Potatoes - spicy, yes, very spicy!).  She had not seen Jake in a while and was missing him so she came to play.  They got dressed up in a mask and doctor stuff and "operated" on his horse's hurt leg.  The surgery was successful.  Take a look!

 

 

Moving Day

Monday, 8/4/2014

After almost 2 weeks at Methodist Hospital, Dean was finally able to move to the long term acute care facility Kindred in the medical center. I did go to work on Monday as they told us his move would be that afternoon at 5 pm, or later that evening at 8 p.m. due to shift changes being between that time.  The ambulance drivers came by a little bit before 8.  Mind you that Kindred is only about a block or less away, but they still needed to use an ambulance.  Lots of work for a 1 minute drive.

As I'm walking down to the ambulance with Dean, my mom calls me that she can't find her car.  We have parked so often in so many different levels and garages its getting hard to remember where we did park.  I had to start taking pictures with my phone so I know where I'm parked each time!  So, I tell Dean I'm going to go help, and go out another door I can't get back from and the parking lot attendant finds her car just as the doors close behind me.  So, now i'm stuck walking to Kindred by myself.  The walking is not the issue, it's seriously just next door to the OPC which is connected via a bridge to Schurlock (sp??) tower, then Smith Tower, so I can walk most of the way in the safety of inside the hospital.  The walk is quite short, so I'm not too nervous about it, and I get there fast, but Dean did manage to get to the room before I did.

We waited until 8 so the staff at Kindred could get his bed and room ready, and we finally get there just about 8:30 or so only to find out that the bed was not ready and his room was barely ready. Thank goodness the Ambulance drivers stayed around until they got the air bed set up since he can't spend even 1 night on a regular hospital bed.  I actually overheard the supervisor nurse tell the bed/equipment guy that he had to get the bed ready while the guy was complaining that is was the end of his shift.  It's always tough to actually DO your job until the job is done, ya know???  ARGH!  Anyway, we didn't get settled until about 10:30 p.m. but we didn't leave until after 11.

So if you read the last blog post you heard about the incident that my mom Jake and I experienced while walking back from Herman park. Let's just say Mother and I will getting some pepper spray. There are crazy people at the Medical Center!!  If you do come to visit, please try not to come alone if it's after hours.  Seriously, its dangerous.  ALL the security guards and cops are telling us to start carrying pepper spray.

So, Tuesday morning, I took half a day off to go to Kindred to help him again get used to way things are run in Kindred, having arguments with the Nursing staff about when he takes his pills, because it's in the computer to take them at the wrong time.  Well, the computer is WRONG which is what we have been saying for 2 weeks while in Methodist, but have they listened or updated it?  NO!  He still has a few kinks like that to smooth out, but it will get there in time.  Most of the doctors and supervisors give us phone numbers to call if we need help getting things sorted, so we feel confident that once we get to know the nurses/staff, everything will be fine.

We are hoping for a more regular schedule from now on to the end of his stay at Kindred.  I may not be updating as much, just filling in here and there.  Please feel free to ask me for updates, and if you want to visit, please let me know!  There are no visiting hours at Kindred, it's open all the time, but again, try not to come alone after hours.  I'll fill you in on where to park if you contact me about visiting.

TTFN!

See!  I parked at SMITH TOWER on the 3rd floor on Monday! :)

Mother and Jake on Sunday Morning.  HOW awesome is this picture?

Monday - My Mom with Dean's doctor!  Nice Tie!

Jake going to School on Tuesday Morning.  

He INSISTED that his Giraffe be buckled in with him!

Weekend - full of activity!

Well, it was the weekend.  It was busy, but not busy.  Lots and lots going on, but not necessarily with Dean!  He had a good weekend, Talked to many doctors, and enjoyed good food.  My Mother stayed with my Dad in the evenings while he was staying in town for the Hunter's Show in NRG Center, so she got to be with him all weekend.

Saturday.
Jake, Mother, and I were at the hospital all day.  We woke up early to get there to spend the day with Dean.  Jake is such a good boy.  He really is doing well.  We got a chance to visit with all Dean's doctors today.  They all seem to be happy with his recovery from surgery and we had not heard if anything grew from the samples they took, so we are hoping the antibiotics are doing their thing.  I think we have 5 weeks left now.

We were able to enjoy some DELICIOUS spaghetti and meat sauce for lunch!  My project manager's wife cooked up some meat sauce for us, it was so good, ALL 4 of us had seconds, including Jake!  Then, after lunch Mother, Jake and I went to Herman park on the train (Hoot and Toot again!).  On the way out, the Piano Man was there and Jake had to stop and watch and listen.  Then, he played some songs to see if Jake knew them.  He started with our favorite, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, and of course Jake sang while he played  The guy LOVED it!  Then Itsy Bitsy Spider and Mary had a little lamb.  The Piano man looked at me and said, "You read to him, a lot! Don't you!"  I smiled and said yes, we do!  And sing and dance and encourage music!  Then, Jake asked him to play one of his favorites, "We will rock you!"  :)  the guy laughed and said I don't know that one.

At the park, it was a rare day of absolutely gorgeous weather in August!  It was warm not HOT and everybody was enjoying the park that day.  Jake played on all the equipment he could get on, really had a great time!  Then, it was time to head back to the Hospital.  We decided to walk back since it was such a nice day, and we headed toward the intersection of Cambridge and Fannin through Herman park.  This is were it got interesting.  A man started walking towards us, I told mother to hold Jake's hand and as the man passed he grabbed my mother's leg and she elbowed him HARD and we kept walking.  I told her don't make an issue, lets just keep walking.  We just kept moving and we were discussing how nice it was to see all the families enjoying themselves.  Then, when we got to the street crossing, that man was RIGHT BEHIND US!  Staring at my mom!  We scooted across the street and he followed.  Mind you this was at 3 pm in the middle of the day!  We thought fast and ducked into Herman hospital right there on the corner.  He didn't follow us in, but he stopped outside, lit a cigarette and waited.  And, of course there was no security or cops anywhere!  So, fortunately I know my way around Memorial Herman, so we went out the back door, walked through some parking lots and made our way back to Fannin when we saw more people walking.  Mother looked to see if he was still back where we went in and he was but we were a block and a half away.  He didn't follow.  That was really scary!  But, my mother did manage to talk to a cop about it later and he said we did the best thing we could.  Get out of there and away in a most public way possible. He also suggested we don't go back there. It was enough to scare us to not go back to the park anyway (unfortunately) and not even drive by that intersection.

After all this, and after we calmed down a bunch, Jake laid down on the chair and took a nap.  an Hour Later, he woke up SCREAMING and pitched a major fit.  I had to take him out to the "Healing Garden", where he continued to cry for another 30 minutes or more.  But, that evening he said he was so upset because he was scared.  I think he didn't know where he was and it freaked him out a little.  As he put it, "I was all crazy in my head"!

Sunday.
We all went to the Hospital to spend the day with Dean.  He is really doing well, and his spirits are up more that we know where we are going and what we are doing for the next few weeks.  We heard more from doctors and got the go ahead from everybody (doctors, nurses, and insurance) to move to Kindred on Monday.

While I was helping Dean do some things, Mother took Jake to the lobby where the "Piano Man" was playing.  They had some singers there and the Piano Man asked Jake to get up there and sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.  Of course he did, loud enough for everybody to hear, then, when everybody was clapping, he took a bow.  No, not kidding! Little showman he is!  :)  Then they played Itsy Bitsy Spider and he actually was walking around the "audience" doing all the right moves and then again bowed when he was finished.  I seriously could NOT be more proud!  :)

I again enjoyed the spaghetti from Saturday, it's really good, and then helped Dean with lunch, and we decided to go to the ZOO!  Another interesting story.  We know the medical center entrance is open on the weekends, but since we had that nasty scare the day before, we decided to go ahead and drive and park in the free parking lot so we don't have to walk.  MISTAKE!  The parking lot was full and we drove around for about 30 minutes looking for a spot, then ended up coming BACK to the medical center to park and walk anyway.  It was warmer than the day before, but we got to go to the Swap Shop because Jake had a rattle snake rattle AND a horny toad skull from the ranch.  He got 650 points his first visit!!!  Can you believe that?  We will be collecting more things for him to bring soon!  He even got extra points for knowing they were found on the ranch! :)  We then road the carousel, saw the Apes, Giraffes, Rhinos, and a few other animals, we went to the gift shop and my mother got Jake a Giraffe.  He decided to name him PeeWee, but calls him his "Horsey Giraffe" and wears him on his head.

After our short visit to the zoo, Jake sat on the chair again in the hospital and took a long nap.  Alfredo, my sister Dawn and her hubby David came for a visit, Jake woke up just enough to show them his giraffe, but sat on Alfredo's lap and quickly fell asleep again.  :)  Dawn and David stayed for a little bit, then I went to Goode Company BBQ and Mother, Daddy, Dean, Jake and I ate GOODE BBQ!  Yummy!

Monday is the big move.  I'll be updating when I know more!

 

Saturday's lunch of Yummy Spaghetti!!!

Saturday - Herman Park - Jake enjoying the swings at the park.

Saturday - Herman Park - Jake on the Tire Swing with Kevin (random friend he made at the park)

Dean wanted a snack, I didn't know what they had.  I took a picture and sent it to my mom so he could pick.  He got cookies.  :) 

A Sunday afternoon at the Zoo!

On the carousel

Waiving to Queenie!

 

Going into the African Forest - where the Apes are.  The Chips were not too close to the windows today, were in the shade in the back of the enclosure.

Healing begins

Again, the next few days will be pretty much the same again. He should be in Methodist for another 4 or 5 days.  After that it looks like he will be going to Kindred in the medical center.  His doctors who have been treating him do rounds there so it is the best fit for proper healing.

Thursday
He didn't sleep well on the new bed. He put it this way. It's really comfortable but sounds like he's sleeping on a running washing machine! To me it sounds like a salon hair dryer!  My mom was with him all day and he got to talk to his doctors and case worker about what's next.  Jake and I had dinner with him that evening as Mother went to stay with my dad who's in town for the hunter's show in NRG Center.

Friday

I went to work but Dean's staff was HORRIBLE! !! I had to leave work to help out.  When I got it was confirmed.  His nurse would take FOREVER to come to the room, if at all! Even when another nurse came in to check bandages the nurse didn't come after 30 min! I had to help her! But turned out good because we had all the doctors come by one at a time. They said he is doing very well and healing better than expected.  

So Dean will be moving to Kindred most likely on Monday.  His bandages are doing well and the cultures have not grown any of the infections he had yet (as of 8/1 4pm). But a fungus did so his antibacterial cocktail will change.

On Thursday, mom went to the food court and bought me a Diet Coke.  she had NO idea it was supposed to be for her!  She didn't even look!  :)  And, Jake eating dinner (Pizza and chips again - Mom of the year right here!!!) But, he ate, which is the good thing.  He also stole Dean's Banana when he got to the room.