One More Day

Today started off with Rich urging me to get out of bed because our training appointment was just an hour away....ahhh....sleeping in....to all those with little ones...the day will come again....Promise!  I had a good workout with Debi and then went to the theater room and biked while Rich had his appointment.  I got in nearly 12 miles on random hills - pretty good!  We sure have gotten spoiled with the theater room - filled with elliptical trainers, tread mills, bikes, recumbents, and rowing machines - I just pedaled away while watching Practical Magic - a pretty fun movie to watch with Halloween coming up.  I had to muse to myself for a minute - the movie has Sandra Bullock in it and I remember how many comments we would get about Desi looking like her...and we would get the comments about Wanda looking like Goldie Hawn...and we got comments about Cherstin looking like Reese Witherspoon...from the same family????

We came home and showered as Rich had an appointment with Dr. May.  Can I just say how much I appreciate her care and doctoring???  She is just awesome!  He had lost four pounds since last week - that was excellent.  And his breathing sounded much improved - yea steroids!  I asked her if his situation now was a new baseline or if it was reasonable to assume that he would be able to climb back to where he had been.  She said. "Reasonable - no.  Hopeful - yes."  The fact is that they don't know and it will take time to see how much he is able to regain.  She doesn't anticipate that he will be back to work anytime soon.  She acknowledged that she understood his frustration about not being able to do - but he should just do what he can and let the other stuff go - at least for now.  And, part of the level of frustration, impatience, and irritation may be attributed to the steroids - steroid rage is well documented.  The feeling that he continues to express about being in a fog mentally may have something to do with oxygen levels - but it may also have to do with blood sugars - so we'll be watching those much more closely.  She was very candid in telling us that his future health is very dependent on not taking any more hits with colds, flu, pneumonia, mrsa, and blood clots.  His lungs no longer have the elasticity they once had, there is heavy scarring, and his immune system just can't overcome all the hits.  She, depending on Dr. Dimeo's assessment in two weeks and if he continues on the path he is on today, will clear him to do some limited traveling - although he must stop every hour and walk for 5-10 minutes.  Absolutely no plane travel...kind of figured that.  He is to stay out of crowded places, no WalMart, no mall, etc.  He is to carry around hand sanitizers, use a mask if he has to be around anyone who is ill - i.e. dr.'s offices, sick family members, etc.  And, last but not least, he has to get off the river in Egypt.  All in all I do feel hopeful.  And, I am grateful to realize that there are things that we can do to limit his chances of taking another "hit" and allow his body to get stronger and get farther away from the "edge".  It is helpful to know a little bit about the kinds of things that they (the drs) are concerned about and recognize that while he may look fine...even feel pretty good on some days...his condition is more fragile than we realize and how quickly that can turn...so that we remain vigilant and cautious rather than being stupid.  That's always helpful! LOL

We came home and I went to a funeral for a friend's sister.  I hadn't met her but I wasn't really going for her - but for her sister.  It was in a Baptist Church...I can't get over how much having a fullness of the gospel really does change things.  These were lovely people, caring people...but as the Pastor spoke I just flashbacked to Grandma Bainbridge's funeral and realized that there really is comfort in having some of the answers that we do.

After I got home we went back to the gym.  I fully anticipated going swimming after riding the bike again...but only managed 20 minutes and 6 miles on the bike and then decided to head home.  I could have done more...I know it...just wanted to come home.  Home is good.