I went to sacrament meeting today.  It was the first time since the surgery and it felt good to be back, both to take the sacrament and to be in the fellowship of the saints.  The speakers were very good too.  Brother Pendley spoke and a new member of the ward, Brother Sherman, both spoke on being followers of the Savior.   I did pretty well but by the time the meeting was about to close I knew I had hit my limit so I came home and put my leg up.  Seems so crazy that is he I felt but I suppose it's pretty normal.

It just goes to show that new habits are hard to make...I've been trying to write here daily but I'm sure not always remembering and yesterday was evidence of that!  Rich went to his training appointment but I'd had a rough night so I just stayed home instead.  Then he spent the rest of the afternoon with Julio, Wiley, and Alex preparing for their Young Men/Young Women "Date With the Book of Mormon" activity.  It went well, at least he seemed very pleased.

Early this morning, at 3 a.m., I received texts from Wanda and Hannah that Hannah and Phil were headed to the hospital as Hannah was in labor.  I was pretty relieved as I have been concerned that the baby would be too big to deliver if he didn't come soon, and since she wasn't due until the 18th, I was very happy that she had gone into labor on her own.  However, our family sat on pins and needles waiting for news, which finally came about 1:40 this afternoon.  Hannah had Winston at 1:15.  He weighed 10 lbs. 11 oz. and was 21 1/2" long.  Phil texted me some photos so I will again try to figure out how to post them here tomorrow when I can utilize the desktop.

Also, Emmett had his second swim meet this morning.  He swam in four races, placing 1st in one, second in two, and third in one.  Considering he has only been in one previous meet and he is only five years old he has really done well!  We're very proud of him!  Again, Cherstin texted me some photos and so I'll work on that tomorrow...I'll probably need her help to figure out how!

This evening most of the steri strips have come off my leg and so I took them all off.  I used some vitamin e oil, mederma, and Shea butter to massage my leg.  I'm hoping to break down some of the scar tissue and improve the lymphodema.   Now I'm icing it.  I'm tired and feeling a little "antsy" so I'm taking my meds and heading to bed.

I was pleased this morning at physical therapy to get to 111 degrees range if motion.  I hadn't thought that there would be any improvement over Tuesday, especially since I had not had therapy yesterday, but I guess it just goes to show how unpredictable this progress is.  Poor Rich, since I'm not cleared to drive yet, brings me to therapy and then sits in the car and waits for me.  I'm really grateful for his support.  He's made sure I have the commode riser, shower chair, walker, and the ice machine...but he has also made sure I have the ability to get my leg up for hours at a time and never complains about me needing more ice or helping me get into a better, more comfortable position.  What a blessing he is!

Cherstin has confirmed that Dan is definitely leaving...sometime around the 19th.  I'm so sorry for them all.  They are going to bless Lorenzo this Sunday just to be certain that it happens in case Dan's date of departure changes.  I'm bummed that I won't be there.  I don't see any way I could manage it yet but my heart is certainly with them.  They had been hoping to have Joey and Carlie there but even that doesn't work out.  Cherstin is pretty positive about it right now...and she is busy trying to nail down things to do and even hoping that perhaps she'll be able to break up the summer with visits from and to family.  I hope that works out.

Wanda sent an email to the family about Hyrum's evaluation and progress.  If I can figure out how, I will post that email here, but I'll probably have to amend this tomorrow because I have no idea how to do it on the iPad.  Lol

Well, I'm heading to bed...Rich has an early training appointment tomorrow morning and I want to go with him to utilize the nustep...but I'll have to see how the night goes too.

I spent some time this morning working on a piece of music that I love, Oh How Lovely Was The Morning.  I decided that I would try to memorize it!  Lol. I have been anxious about Alzheimer's for a while and think I need to expand my memory.  However, true to my experience in primary and seminary, memorizing is a challenge.  I think I managed 8 bars!  Lol. Tomorrow I'll probably be starting all over again!

Rich and I went over to the gym this afternoon.  He walked on the treadmill for 15 minutes and rode the bike for an additional 15 minutes.  I used the nustep for a mile in 20 minutes at level 4.  I don't know how wise that was but I'm really desirous to get my strength and stamina back.

Wanda called today.  They had their appointment with the neuro psychologist for Hyrum.  There seemed to be a lot of good news and some levels of concern but all in all, they're hopeful.  He told her that on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the worst, full-blown autism, Hyrum would probably be a 2 1/2.  He also acknowledged that much of what he saw may well be a result of the abnormality in the EEG brain wave patterns and encouraged Wanda to go through all the lengths to get the answers they need with the further tests through the neurologist.   In the meantime, they are also pursuing all avenues in therapy to overcome the patterns and difficulties he has.

Cherstin and Dan also got rough news today.  It looks like Dan will be deploying at the end of the month for the summer and early fall.  I am so sad for them. I guess it isn't final yet, but pretty much a done deal.  More info will be coming probably in the next few days.  I'm just hoping there will be a reversal in this plan.

Joey and Carlie and the kids had packers today.  It will be just a few days before they are headed out west.  I'm feeling pretty bummed about that!

And, today I celebrate the birth of my daughter.  I know that Hannah and Carlie are not my biological kids but they may as well be!  Hannah is the love of Philip's life and the precious mother of Orion, William, Oliver, and Winston...and our daughter.  Happy birthday Hannah!  We are so glad your parents had you so that we can have you!!! Lol.

I went to physical therapy again today.  I must be progressing as new exercises were added to my routine.  I added calf raises, hamstring or leg curls, step ups both laterally and straight.  I think they'll be adding the bike soon and so I want to head to the gym for the next few days and try out the nustep.  And I managed to get to 109 degrees range of motion.  When I came home I did a little bit of Internet research to determine what the typical range of motion progress is likely.  I learned that many get to about where I am and that is the extent of their progress.  I was surprised by that.  Obviously that would probably be a range they can easily get to, and I'm not there yet.  I really have to work to get that number and it is very painful.  However, I would like to believe that I'll have a much better outcome if I keep working on it and can keep the swelling down...something in the 130 range would suit me just fine! Lol. I don't have therapy until Thursday but I will try and do things tomorrow that will strengthen and free up my leg tomorrow.  I'm fully aware that my weight hinders me but I was pleased to be down an additional 3 pounds this week.  I would like to be down an additional 20-30 pounds before my next surgery.  It can only help.  Also, this is my last week on Coumadin! Yea!!!

This evening I fixed a bite of dinner and Rich and I relaxed by watching "So You Think You Can Dance" and reruns of O'Reilly, Hannity, and Greta.  I also enjoyed a phone call from Hannah with news that they're not inducing her but will be doing additional tests next week to determine how big Winston is...they're hoping he's smaller than 12 pounds!  Also heard from Joey - they are in the midst of all the final move stuff and will be shooting to be down here next weekend on their way to California.  It's going to be hard to have them so far away...we've sure enjoyed having them this close!

Sunday I decided to stay home from church for one additional week.  After my dr. Appointment on Thursday is seemed wise as I had noticed that the swelling has been really responding to having my leg high and on ice.  I had thought about going for just Sacrament Meeting but knew that Rich would have to bring me home and that gets a little dicey with his priesthood obligations.  So I just spent the day with it up...although I did fix a salad for dinner.

On Monday I went to physical therapy and was able to get to 106 degrees of range of motion.  They also took out the staples, all 64 of them, and put on steri-strips.  They will stay on until they come off and then I can swim, bathe, etc.  I can hardly wait!

Rich picked up Wiley to come mow the lawns and then got a pizza and watched some tv with him.  I watched Ice Castles (a chick flick) that was on tv and just kept my leg up.

I am feeling more and more hopeful that this is going to improve.  I notice that most of the people I know who have had this done say that the first 6 weeks are the hardest.  I would bet that if they were queried they would say that really it is the first 3 weeks.

Maybe tomorrow Rich and I will take in a movie.  We have wanted to see the new Star Trek movie and of course it has been out since my surgery...I think I may be able to manage it, but I'll see...keeping my leg down for any length of time really does make it swell.

On Thursday I went into meet with the orthopedic surgeon.  I was hoping that I would have the staples pulled but it was not to be.  The swelling in my knee, thigh and upper leg is great enough that the skin is popping and taking out the staples may put the incision in jeopardy too.  So, my goal for the weekend is to keep my knee higher than my heart, keep it iced, and compress where possible to get the swelling down as much as possible.  If I am successful the staples may be able to come out on Monday.

They took x-rays and everything looks very good with the implant.  I was surprised at how long the stems are that are drilled and hammered into the femur and tibia...they are probably about 6-7 inches long.  They provide the greatest stability for me and eventually the bone will graft around them.

Because if the swelling it was determined that I ought to probably reconsider the other knee and instead of having it done in a couple of weeks, have it done in August.  There is a general consensus that you have about three months to get the greatest range of motion back into the joint...it is just a rule of thumb and of course there is some variation in that prognosis...but in general, it is what most likely happens.  Anyway, because of the extreme swelling, my progress is being hampered.  It is felt that I need to take these few months and do everything I can to maximize my progress before I do the other knee.  Honestly, that is fine with me.  It is only now that I am beginning to feel the other knee.  The pain has been great enough in the operated leg that I've not even recognized any pain with the other one.  Needless to say, I have cancelled the surgery until August.  As Felicia gets closer to due and knows more about their job situation and living arrangements I will finalize the date.

On Friday I went to physical therapy.  I was somewhat disappointed as I had reached 104 degrees on Wednesday and had hoped there would be improvement...but there wasn't...but I didn't regress either.

Later that afternoon we drove into Knoxville.  Rich had a physical therapy appointment too and then we went to Costco for some fresh fruit and veggies.  I walked the entire store.  I found my knee getting stiff and so I went and sat down while Rich checked us out but I was amazed that I could actually walk the store.  As luck would have it, in the cooler I met the dr I saw the day before.  She looked at me and then said that as glad as she was that I was walking I needed to get right home and get my knee up and on ice.  I told her I would.

Also, Thursday and Friday were busy days in that we finally had the food replaced.  Rich has been worried about it and getting quotes.  The bishop's construction team calming competitively and we went with them. It wasn't something we wanted to do, but something that needed to be done.

Last night Cherstin and Dan spent the evening hours in a storm shelter at their church.  Two weeks ago an E5 tornado hit Moore,just south of them, 24 people lost their lives in it and the destruction was immense.  There were multiple tornados last night and 9 people lost their lives in them.  Luckily our loved ones there were safe.  It was Hyrum and Levi's birthdays.  Hyrum won't remember how his 2nd birthday was spent!

We received news today that Brianand Lauriehad their little guy early this morning.  Things are ok. I haven't talked with anyone...just read Facebook...but I'll call tomorrow.

Today we have just spent the day with me keeping my leg elevated and iced.  I have toyed with the idea of heading to church for at least sacrament meeting but when my leg is downfor any length of time it swells.  I guess I will stay home one more week and see if I can get this swelling down.

A New Knee

On the 14th of May I voluntarily walked into Methodist Medical Center in Oak Ridge to have my right knee replaced!  I was anxious about it, even fearful.  As it turns out, those fears were pretty justified.

The surgery went well but coming out of the anesthesia was a very different matter.  The typical pain management protocol didn't work.  The nurses spent the better part of that day trying to find something that would give even a modicum of relief.  They finally hit upon a dilauded drip and Demerol.  It was just agony.  I think I actually had a little bit of shock...teeth chattering, cold, tense, extremely low blood pressure.  Dr. Robbins said that now we've been down that path they will just start there when they do the next one...right now I'm not so sure when that will be.  I had thought I wanted it done ASAP but right now I'm not convinced!

Once the pain was more manageable I started therapy at the hospital.  Things went well but I was surprised at how stiff and swollen I was (am).   I was black and blue from ankle to hip - the entire circumference if the leg.  I am told some people just react that way...and I guess I'm lucky like that! Lol. I had no appetite for several days and just spent the time trying to get comfortable, dozing, in therapy, or zoned out.  By my second day I had learned how to climb stairs and I was pleasantly surprised how easy it was.  I had not expected that!  It was a relief to know that I would be able to manage the steps at home.

Surgery was Tuesday and by Friday I was ready to come home.  It felt so good to get home.  Rich left shortly after getting home to get prescriptions filled.  He had a terrible time doing that!  I've been on Percocet for a while now, to manage the arthritic pain, and I had a prescription filled the week before surgery.  However, after the problems in recovery, Dr. Robbins had prescribed Demerol for me to go home with...the pharmacy didn't want to fill it and Dr. Robbins wasn't in his office!  Rich finally got it taken care of but again, I was behind the pain due to the problems, and struggled for the next few hours to get control of the pain.  The nurses had me on a three hour interval and had counseled me to get on a schedule around the clock so I set my phone alarms and that has really helped.

The weekend passed with me hardly getting out of bed.  Ice and elevation were my best friends.  I found myself sleeping a lot and not coping real well.  I wanted to chat with the kids or Rich, but found I reverted to hermit mode with everyone else.  Just didn't want to have to put on a brave face...just wanted to cope the best I could...without having an audience.  I was somewhat surprised by that response but I can only liken it to being in transition in labor...knowing it would eventually end but at that time it was taking all the reserves I had just to endure.  I found myself reflecting on the Savior in Gethsemane or on the cross...how much harder was what he had to endure made by the "audience"?  The mocking and scorn would be hard enough...but trying to endure and be strong and provide comfort for those he loved...wow!  I am humbled by the very thought!

5+ Days cont.

I'm writing this on my iPad and for some reason, when the text gets to a certain length, it no longer crawls and then I can't read what I've been typing...hence the "cont."  Since I'm so tech savvy, I have no idea what to do to correct it so I've got my own solution. Lol

Desi reports that all is well there.  They have been running like crazy as the kids are playing soccer this season.  It really does seem like once a child hits school, activities just explode.  They've had a bevy of birthday parties and baby showers to attend as well.  Jason, Mike's sister's husband, is staying with them this summer while he completes an internship there in Denver.  Desi did quite a bit to try and set up a place for him so he wouldn't have to live out of a suitcase and yet not disrupt all the kids too.  He's gladly accepted a place in their basement but Desi has been trying to find a way to give him some degree of privacy.  In the meantime, the silliness and hyper behavior of 7 and 5 year olds is driving her nuts. Lol.  I remember those years so well...and I remember going through it the first time...it is easier, as are most things, the second time around. Lol. Cherstin and Dan are experiencing the same stresses!  Lol. Spring has been so on and off again for Denver so it'll be really nice when she can just send them outside to play, regardless of whether or not they want to.  Desi has also been looking for quite a while for a dining room table...she finally found it and I think they are really going to love it.  It even has chairs!  It'll be nice to have, especially since they will have Jason for the summer, they won't have to deal with the folding chairs.  Desi also called her dad last week, concerned about what she could do for Mother's Day.  She had decided that she wanted to have me get a pedicure (ooooohhh...I've been thinking how nice that would be prior to my surgery) and so she and Rich conspired for me to go get one.  Rich took me, last Friday, down to a place I've been to a few times only to find they had closed for the day.  So he made me an appointment for today!  Yes!!!  I'm going this morning!!!  Thanks so much Desi, Mike, Emily, Mordecai, Ruby, and Ivy!  I'm really going to feel pampered!

Phil and Hannah are doing wonderfully and I'm so very, very, very grateful that Hannah is so thoughtful about sending me little snapshots and videos of the kids regularly.  One of the very most difficult things about being a long distance grandmother is that I miss the day in and day out activities of my grandkids.  These little snapshots and videos help me feel like I'm right there witnessing it all, even though I am obviously not!  All if the kids are good about sharing...but I get a few more from Hannah and it always brings tears to me as I contemplate the beautiful relationship I have with her...I truly feel like she is my daughter and I know that that it is because of her efforts to include me and treat me as her mother.   The relationship of Naomi and Ruth from the OT is more poignant all the time as I realize that this relationship is a result of Hannah's efforts, not mine, as I suspect was the case with Ruth.  I wish I had had the wisdom and foresight with Mom B. when I was a young mother but truly...I just was clueless.  I had no idea how to do it...I didn't not want one...just didn't know how.  I know that sounds stupid...but it is so accurate.   As with my own mother, there are so many things I wish I could do over with Mom B - I hope she will forgive me.  Anyway - Hannah is hugely pregnant and just taking each day one at a time...only a few weeks left...but I know she probably feels ready to pop!

Wanda reports that baby Joshua is doing well and seems to be a contented, happy baby.  What a blessing!  With all that little (????) family has going on at the moment that is a real blessing.  I think Wanda is also doing well.  She seems to just enveloped Joshua into her life without even missing a beat.  I doubt it has been as easy as that...but she sure seems to make it seem like that.  Felicia has mentioned on numerous occasions that Wanda has made pregnancy and mothering seem easy to her...and Felicia has voiced her dismay and utter amazement at that now that she is experiencing pregnancy herself.  And, perhaps all the hubbub of the last days of school, soccer, church, etc. just require that the family just keeps moving.  Or, perhaps, with the focus and concern for Hyrum right now, everything else just takes a back seat a little bit.  Hyrum has had his sleep EEG and MRI and they have appointments for the pediatric opthamalogist and audiologist - and it looks like all results of those tests and the genetic blood tests will be back in time for their appointment with the neuro psychologist.  On a good note - Wanda said that Hyrum seemed to be babbling the other day.  That's a hopeful sign.  In the meantime they just keep working with him and praying for him...as are all if us.  And, to add to all the stress - Sam had been complaining of his eye hurting.  Wanda had a dr. Appointment for the baby so she just included Sam.  They looked at his eye, couldn't see a scratch but prescribed and antibiotic.  The next morning he broke out in a rash all over that side if his face and forehead.  Wanda called the dr back and made a return trip where they diagnosed him with shingles and sent him to an eye doctor.  He hasn't had chicken pox, just the vaccine...but it looks like he is suffering now.  Hopefully the antiviral meds will help him.  Such a miserable illness!  I'm wishing you a speedy recovery, Sam!

5+ Days

I have five days to go until surgery...it is coming quickly now...more quickly than I would like!  It occupies most if my waking thoughts.  I've wondered why that is...don't know...just does.  In the meantime I keep plugging along trying to prepare.

For the better part of a week we've had no Internet or cable.  The first day Rich called them and they told him that there was a "node" they were working on but it should be up and running in a few hours.  The next day they said it had to be our modem...Rich responded that if could possibly be our modem but since we don't have cable either it is more likely something other than the modem.  They said they would send someone out on Monday.  Rich told them to make sure they called our cell numbers as our house phone is a voice over ip.  So by Monday night, when they still hadn't come, Rich called again and they told him that they were sorry that they had missed us but that we hadn't responded to their phone calls!  Ugh!  They had been calling the house phone!!!  So they said they would come the next morning...and they did...and they called his cell number.   An hour later, and lots of rescheduling on our part, the tech traced the problem back to the box...someone had disconnected us and connected themselves...no way to know who but it sure was frustrating!  However, we finally have access to the outside world!  Who would have thought we were this dependent on technology!

Over that nearly week, there were lots of things that happened with the kids and I was feeling a little disconnected, to say the least.  And to make matters worse, our cell phones have been more spotty than usual too!

However, Cherstin managed to get through with the news that Abby had been pushed down at a playground.  She continued to fuss about her arm hurting, rather than getting over it like she normally would have, so Cherstin and Dan took her to the dr. office and discovered that she had a broken collar bone.  The brace is helping but it still has been painful.  It wasn't helped yesterday when Ellie and Emmett were jumping on the love seat that Abby was sitting on and Ellie landed on top of her.  Again, ouch!!!

Cherstin is also reporting that baby Lorenzo is a very fussy little guy.  I've asked about the possibility of reflux since Ellie and Hyrum had it but she says he doesn't show the symptoms like they did.  She has thought that it just might be him...but I see from her blog last night, that she is trying a trial dose of Prevacid to see it might help and he has been much less difficult.  Maybe his symptoms are just extreme fussiness.  I hope, in a way, that it is...it is so much easier to handle a fussy little one if you know what the reason is.

Felicia and Tom have graduated from BYU now - they have their MSWs and have met the licensing requirements as well.  Tom's folks were able to go out for their graduation and I just received a very much appreciated note from his mom, Jean, with pictures and a program.  They are now hunting desperately for a job for Tom as Felicia is hoping to stay home with baby Noah and just work part time for her credentials after he's about a year old or so.  Tome has been putting in applications like crazy and, as I write, they are on the road for some interviews.  Tom had a phone interview with a place in Independence, KS last Friday and he will travel there for a face interview next week.  Yesterday he had an interview with the state of Utah down in St. George as a case worker, and from there they traveled to Gilbert, AZ for another one.  Right now it is just a walk of faith and we keep them in our prayers.

Joey and Carlie are continuing to prepare for their big move next month to Monterey, CA.  The kids have piano recitals this weekend and Gideon has a band trip to an amusement park.  It is also the Fathers and Sons outing but Joey knows they will have more of those but this trip for Gideon will be the last big event with friends that have made his time in Ohio so wonderful.  Toni, Carlie's mom, will be arriving there on Saturday.  She is going to be staying with the kids all next week as Joey and Carlie are leaving on a much needed cruise of the Caribbean on Sunday.  I'm so grateful that she is able to do this, even though it is her and Stephan's anniversary that week!  Joey and Carlie will have the opportunity to visit Kevin Smith and his family on the Sunday morning after the cruise and that will be lots if fun.  Kevin was a great friend to Joey in El Centro and even the best man at their wedding.  Three days after they get back from the cruise Carlie is having some surgery to repair  some of the stresses for child birth.  It will only be a couple days later and they will have packers arrive.  It is going to be a crazy few weeks for them.

Siblings

Today, on my way to the gym, Brad and Mike called me.  They were wondering how Rich and I were doing and when my surgery was scheduled for...they wanted to make sure I wasn't "chicken-ing out" lol.  I was so sad that I was in my way for a training appointment and so I had to cut short our conversation.  I would have loved to just chat for a while.  It isn't often that we are able to connect like that and I found myself longing for the deeper connections of family.  One of the consequences of Mom and Dad being gone is that we don't call as often as...life just has a way if getting in the way and the time differences don't help either!  It is much easier to connect than just a few years ago but even with the blessings of technology it isn't as easy or as often as I found myself longing for.  I once read that the sibling relationship is the most enduring if all, just because we are connected over the longest period of time and I find that the older I get, the more I need to connect with my wonderful brothers and their sweet wives.  I find my interest and worry in their families and lives growing.  I'm not sure if this is a normal phenomenon or if it is just that I'm finally growing up. I guess it doesn't matter...just matters that I really, really love them and are so grateful that I have them in my life.

Because of their call I've been remembering conversations and events all evening.  I have to say that I feel particularly blessed that we had our parents and the gospel in our lives growing up.  I know of people who have pretty difficult relationships with their siblings and I feel real gratitude that I have nothing but love and admiration for each of my brothers.  It is not to say that either they or I are perfect.  We aren't.  But I love each if them with my whole heart and are grateful for their love and support.  Indeed, heaven wouldn't be heaven if they aren't there.  

I am very grateful that our children also have such warm, tender, and compassionate feelings for one another.  Just today I have learned that one of our children, when they and their spouse were at the temple yesterday, placed one of their sibling's name and their family on the prayer roll.  Another child, seeking to provide aid and support, is sending a package with things the other might need.  And another family is praying with their whole hearts for two other families....surely this is what heaven is all about....  I think I have just a tiny, tiny glimpse into what my Father in Heaven must feel like when we are trying to love and help others of His children...our brothers and sisters.  

Today is 13 days until my surgery day.  I have done sets of the pre-op exercises and met with my trainer for arms, shoulders, and backs, went to yoga, and dropped another 2 pounds.  I wish I could have new knees without going through the surgery...I know...it's a constant theme...and I really wish I didn't need to have them both done.  Both of my trainers, Debi and Kathleen, told me today that I can't chicken out and they will be here on the morning of my surgery to help Rich get me there if I tried to chicken out.  Lol.   I keep thinking that my knees aren't really that bad and that I can put this off but then I try to work or stand and I realize that they really are that bad.  I just hope the few things I've done to prepare are enough.  I wish that I hadn't regained so much of the weigh I'd lost but at least I've lost 40...too bad it isn't 40 from two years ago...but I can't go backwards...only forwards.  

"Turn Around" continued...

Rich's dr. at Vanderbilt had found that due to the breathing difficulties he has, the body remains tense and that happens throughout the body and pressure builds inside the bladder that will not allow the full release of urine.  The potential for kidney damage becomes more likely the longer that this goes on...and it may have been going on much longer than we even know.  He's had blood in his urine off and on for years and had numerous tests but this finally explains what seems to have been happening.  To make a long story short...they have tried medications, physical therapy, etc. with varying degrees of success.  But finally decided that they could put a pacemaker of sorts in, leads run along the sacral nerve and override the body and allow the bladder to release.  I don't really know exactly how it works...have sort of a rudimentary understanding...but suffice it to say...the decision was made to put it in on the 5th of  March.  It was to be done in two stages.  They implanted the leads through his back and rear with a line that connected it to a control box that he wore on his clothing, sort of like an insulin pump.  If it worked, the surgeon would do the second stage a week later which amounted to implanting a control box.  The good news was that it worked fabulously and Rich had felt more relief than he had felt in a very long time.

The sad part of this whole saga was that the day before he was to have the second stage done he didn't feel well, at all.  He didn't even get dressed or go downstairs at all.  I kept looking for infection but didn't see any and he wasn't running a temp either.  The next morning thought, I knew he was not doing well.  He slept all the way to Nashville, only waking when we hit a bump in the road or made turns.  By the time we got to the hospital and he had been taken back to the pre-op room his temp had begun to rise and his entire left buttock was red and hot.  They called the surgeon in and she believed that they would be taking it all out and cleaning out the wound sites due to infection.  That is exactly what happened.  He was in surgery for about an hour and a half and pull it all.  They cultured the infection and treated him for mrsa, believing that to be the cause.  It was a nasty infection, according to the surgeon and they gave him massive antibiotics and kept him over night.  I stayed with him and they taught me how to clean, pack and dress the wounds.  The next morning we returned to Oak Ridge.  He was really feeling pretty rough but I knew he'd be more comfortable a home.

We stayed home on Wednesday, just trying to help him get comfortable and some rest, but he was really in distress.  The next morning, after a rough night, I called his pulmonologist and asked if we could see him.  He had us come right in.  He took an x-ray, lung functions test, etc. and sent us to the hospital er for a work up and admission.  He had pneumonia and his heart had enlarged.  The dr. Was concerned about the "many moving parts" that needed to be managed in order to care for him and felt it needed to be done in the hospital.  They would need to give him lots if antibiotics and steroids.  The steroids would be a mixed blessing...they would help him with the pneumonia but would raise the blood sugars which would negatively affect wound healing, and they would suppress the immune system and potentially allow the infection to overrun.  In the meantime, the cultures from surgery had come back positive for mrsa.  He spent four days in the hospital.  The care was excellent and I felt especially grateful that he was getting the care he needed.

It has been nearly two months and the wounds have closed more in the last week and a half than they did the entire rest of the time.  The drs. believe that he is finally over the infection enough that the body can actually work on the wounds now.  I'm hoping that they'll be closed by the time I have my surgery, or Rich will be bringing alcohol, gauze, scissors and tape twice a day to my room.  Lol

Good news continues to abound on this front as Dr. DiMeo wanted him to see his cardiologist as he was concerned that the infection had harmed the heart and that we might be facing congestive heart failure.  We met with the cardiologist last week and he believes that the pleural effusion that Rich has is residual from the infection and pneumonia, rather than from the heart.  The heart has actually decreased in size since the hospital visit and he has dropped 13 # as well.  He believes that if it were the heart he would have gained weight instead if losing, and the heart wouldn't have decreased in size.  However, he is running the tests tomorrow just to be sure that all is well.   I'm extremely grateful for the continued evidence of the Lord's hand in our lives.  It seems that there have been miracles all along the way...I guess "seems" isn't really accurate...we've seen the miracles over and over.  It has been a long haul but Rich is beginning to gain some strength and stamina back and I'm beginning to him have enough energy to do a few things...he haswatched lots of tv and slept and slept and slept...but I suppose that is to be expected.

"Turn Around, Turn Around"

Time seems to have flown by and nearly every day I vow that I am going to do better about recording our lives...and that seems to be the extent of my efforts...a vow.

Our year started off without much fanfare.  We had Joey and Carlie and their family, and Phil and Hannah and their family visit for Christmas.  It was so much fun for me.  I'm so grateful that they were able to come.  Joey and Carlie have received orders and will be relocating to Monterey, CA in June.  The time that they have been this close has been so wonderful.  I will really miss them as I know that other than Levi's birthday, we probably won't have much opportunity to get together as a family.  The extended family is getting bigger by the month and we are so far flung around the country that the expense and time are beginning to take a toll.

Joey had to get back to work so they left the Monday following Christmas and Phil  and Hannah left a few days later so that they could stop over at Joey's for New Years.  The house got very quiet, very quickly.  I remember a talk that President Packer gave many years ago about the most wonderful site in the world...the headlight of your kids coming to visit...and their taillights when they leave.  I laughed then and I laugh now because it is so true.  We just LOVE having the kids come and HATE having them leave but also realize that we have really gotten used to quiet. Lol. I so wish that we could all live within a 1/2 hour drive from each other and could see one another regularly.  But, I guess we have done pretty well at getting together these past few years...just hard to think of that coming to an end.

For my birthday Rich gave me an iPad and I have loved it!  I thought I would and I have not been disappointed.  I think I've turned on the computer only a couple of times since getting it.  Perhaps now that I am attempting to use it for the blog and it seems to be working, I'll post more often...at least I hope so.

In November I saw Dr. May about my knees.  She referred me to an orthopedic doctor that she has confidence in and in January I had my first appointment with him.  He x-rayed them and told me that I was a candidate for total knee replacements.  I talked to him about doing them bilaterally but he said he no longer does them that way.  He prefers to "stage" them, saying that in his experience if there are going to be complications it is always in the bilateral.  Unfortunately complications are a real possibility and so we set my surgery for May 14th and the second will be done six weeks later.  He gave me a packet of information and a list of things that need to be done prior to the surgery and I have been working to get those done.  For example: allergy testing for metals and cements used commonly in the procedures...I learned that I am allergic to nickel...but I had already suspected that.  I have been to the dentist, had my teeth cleaned and I'm good for the next six months.  He gave me exercises to do twice a day to strengthen the muscles that will be affected as a result of the surgery and I have been doing them as well as meeting with my trainer 3-4 times a week.  I need to donate my blood in case they need it during the surgery.  I have made alcohol/water ice packs, and will be ordering an icing machine, loose fitting clothes, shoes, shower stool, and toilet risers in the next few days.  All in all I think I'm getting prepared...just wish I didn't need to have it done.

Joey and Carlie and kids came back down the end of January for a weekend.  Again, it was so lovely to have them and I'm really feeling the pains of them moving.

February was spent just doing the normal activities of life and was also the first year that I didn't have dad to call for his birthday.  It was a bitter-sweet day.  Felicia and Tom purchased some flowers to put on his grave and headed to the cemetery.  They called me several times, asking if I could give them directions for his grave.  I was rather baffled by this as I knew Felicia knew where it was.  It wasn't until I read their blog that I understood why they had such difficulty locating it...the entire cemetery was under at least a foot of snow!  Poor Tom cleaned off many plots in order to find Dad's!  They sent me some pictures and somehow I'll try to post them.  I was very glad they were able to go to the cemetery and felt especially grateful that they were able to commemorate his birthday...even though it was their effort, I felt a little bit a part of it.  It is hard for me to realize how much time has passed and I'm grateful that he is with Mom but sad at how much he had to endure.

On March 5th Rich had a surgical procedure done at Vanderbilt in Nashville that was to help him with a bladder problem that has been giving him difficulty for a few years.  His dr there had run all kinds of tests to discover what was happening.  She believes that his breathing difficulties keep all muscles and