Tour de Force de Erin: This Mom Fights

Thank Goodness for John

bcwgolf — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 07:51:48 +0000

This morning was super busy with calls from 4 different hospice people, the bath aid, the chaplain, the supervisor of nurses, and the head clerk regarding Erin’s Medicare coverage. Clark went down to Sutter Hospital to see his oldest son Jim who had been hospitalized for diverticulitis and fever.

I made some lentil soup for lunch, and then in midafternoon Clark and I went to an 80th birthday party for my friend Sue who had gone to Oaxaca with my sister Patricia and me 9 years ago and whom I have know since I first came to Sacramento 54+ years ago. Sue’s sister and 3 nieces put on a lovely party. Cousin John and Erin went to Trader Joe’s while we were gone.

We had just arrived home, and I was fixing dinner, when Clark got a call that his son, Jim, age 56, had had a stroke while in the hospital. It struck the speech center of the brain … the same place as Erin’s tumor. Jim is not paralyzed, but cannot talk. He had been complaining of heart problems and he and his wife Debbie had not really believed that his problems were associated with the colon. The neurologist said that he has endocarditis and a piece of dead tissue from the heart broke off and caused the stroke. He is having more tests tomorrow.

Thank goodness that John was here to stay with Erin so that I could drive Clark to see Jim in the hospital.

Tommy

tiawheels — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 07:34:41 +0000

Steve said Tommy picked his own hat, gloves, jacket, scarf today and displayed them proudly.

Party Time in Erin’s Room

bcwgolf — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 07:28:43 +0000

When Clark and I arrived home from bridge about 10:30 pm, we heard lots of laughter and voices. We had left Erin home with her cousin John who arrived from Albuquerque this morning. I couldn’t figure out why there was so much conversation going on. But, Colleen had driven home from work in Carpenteria bringing Deke with her.

Clark and I joined the group and Colleen took this photo of left to right:

John, Barb, Clark, Deke, and Erin.

Party Time

tiawheels — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 07:14:17 +0000

Mišelka and Erin, 25Jan2012

tiawheels — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 05:27:45 +0000

Adams Appt

bcwgolf — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 05:16:20 +0000

Erin had an appt with Dr. Adams today. She told him that she was happy. He did not see any significant change in her neurologically since he saw her 3 weeks ago, and he said that the report of the MRI taken on Jan.9th said that it was about the same as the MRI in Oct. (Both Dr. Clarke from UCSF and La Radiologica Magica saw some minor changes in the rear of the brain that might have contributed to her falls.) So, Dr. Adams said that Erin seems to be in a plateau. Lucy, do you think that the Bowen’s helped contibute to the plateau?!

After the appt, Shannon met us outside the clinic and whisked Erin off to shopping and the Cheese Factory for lunch. Right now, 8:30 pm, Miselka is visiting with Erin.

We are looking forward to the arrival tomorrow of Erin’s cousin John from Albuquerque. He will visit until Monday.

Barbara

Costco Outing

bcwgolf — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 07:12:30 +0000

Steve got word that we were going to Costco this afternoon, so he showed up in the late morning to join us. We had not been to Costco for probably 6 weeks and I guess Erin had not gone with us that time. So, she said that she really enjoyed the outing. Steve pushed Erin around and added their items to our cart.

Tonight Clark went with his son to a 16-year-old grandson’s basketball game, Erin did laundry, and I read a new bridge book on Opening NT leads, trying to catch up with Clark on the topic. To the bridge players out there, (I know there are at least 3 of you) you will really be surprised by the results of computer simulations for different opening leads.

Happy Birthday to my brother, Jim (one of the bridge players)!

Barbara

New Nurse

bcwgolf — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 06:05:23 +0000

Ardys, who is the hopsice nurse in charge of Erin’s case, is on vacation for a couple of weeks, so a new nurse, Blas, came today. … a charming man with a big smile, who said in the course of conversation, that he is a year older than Erin. Kaiser is certainly good at choosing workers with outgoing, but gentle, personalities.

Blas changed the dressing on Erin’s burn wound and used a different anti-biotic ointment, because the one I had had on hand and had used was not for people allergic to penicillin, which Erin is.

It was a day to catch up on sleep.

Barbara

49er let down

bcwgolf — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 05:24:40 +0000

The day began with a call from the weekend bath giver, Evelyn. She arrived about 10:15, a real dynamo, who said that she had been doing this for 20 years and loved her job. She requested 2 bath towels and tossed them in the dryer just before she used them to warm them up. The cord that held her hospice identification tag said, “I love Jesus”.

The timing was perfect because Cindy and Shannon arrived at 11 with breakfast… Erin hadn’t wanted to go out. Her burn feels fine and looks fine, but she is a little nauseous and has an intestinal upset, I imagine from the Norco pain killer which she took twice yesterday.

We are all feeling a little low with the 49er loss today.

Barbara

Explanation of “Ow”

bcwgolf — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 00:42:32 +0000

Erin was trying to make herself some Starbuck’s Via coffee and spilled boiling water on her left thigh just above the knee. Steve and the boys were here at the time. They got the wet pants off. And I got an ice pack. The red area is about 3 inches in diameter with the broken skin area about the size of a nickel. She took some ibuprofen, but that didn’t really do the trick, so after Steve and the boys left, I called Kaiser Hospice and the advice nurse said she could also have a Norco, which seems to have left her very comfortable.

The nurse also said to cover the area with gauze. Just then Erin’s friend Laurie arrived and stayed with Erin while I went to the drug store to get some gauze pads. She seems to tolerate the ice better through the gauze. The area really looks quite good and she is off to sleep for a nap.

Barbara