Friday Morning Written September 30, 2011 10:57am

Today is the day and now is the time!  We are packing up the room and have went through a ton of discharge papers.......several times it seems!

We loaded a lot of stuff already and have a cart plus of stuff to get into the van. 

I will let you know how the trip went when we get home and settled.  I'm ready to continue on to this next short stop at home.

Till then, let God be in control and enjoy the ride..

Thursday Morning Written September 29, 2011 10:20am

Sorry the updates are a little slow this week.  So many things to do so we can go home.  In trying to wear so many hats I've not been doing a good job of communicating with my kids........I'm so sorry about that.  I definately need to work on that one.

Yesterday I ran home and met with the concrete man, Jack and worked out a plan for the porch.  My Dad came down to give me a ride back to Rusk so I didn't have to leave the suburban & Max's bed & hoyer lift arrived at the house.  Please lift the wheelchair up in prayer ~ we need favor to leave to tomorrow with a loaner Frontier wheelchair.  They are working on trying to get that done but there are problems.  We know that those issues are no problem for God.

It's strange to be home and not have a lot of critters running around.  It will take time to get used to that.  Oh well, I'm sure the inside ones will keep us busy!

Tomorrow is the big day.  We have run this portion of the race and finished well ~ Tomorrow is the start of another one.  It's a combination of excitement, joy, apprehension and uncertainty.  

When we get home we will learn what works well for us and what doesn't work well.  What is going to cause frustration because we can or can't do it.  We will be going from having Max gone at work to being home full time for a while.  While I feel I know everything I need to take care of him, it's kind of sobering to think that all the care will be on me.  While the kids may help with moving him I really don't want them to be doing a lot.  Not that they are not capable ~ I have really smart, helpful, loving children ~ I just know that this is something that Max & I need to do.  The kids are going to grow up, find their calling and move on.  So what needs to be done is going to be done by me & Max.

His schedule for today is:

10:30 - 11:00 Occupational therapy
11:00 - 12:00 spinal cord group
1:00 - 1:30 speech therapy
4:00 - 4:30 occupational therapy

I have no idea what we will be doing tomorrow ~ I'm sure there will be some last minute therapy or meetings to attend!

Go out and enjoy the fresh air ~ count your blessing and continue your day refreshed.

Tuesday Night Written September 27, 2011 10:21pm

Yeah our van came today!!  It's black and silver ~ similiar to the suburban we have :0)  

It seems to be huge, but other than being taller and there is no front end I don't think it is longer than the suburban.

We were getting ready to go to dinner this evening when some friends came by.  They not only went with us to dinner they were sweet enough to pay for our dinner.  How special to have your first dinner away with your good friends!  God is so Good!!

Max's schedule is:

8-9  Physical therapy
10-10:30  speech therapy
10:30 - 11:00 occupational therapy
11:00 - 12:00 spinal cord injury group
1:00 - 1:30 speech therapy
4:00 - 4:30  Occupational therapy

Tomorrow is coming quickly ~ I'm so excited we are getting closer to going home. 

Tuesday Morning Written September 27, 2011 8:34am

We had a pretty good day yesterday.  Our rental van should be coming today, we have someone who will be doing our ramp/porch, Dr. Acuff came in this morning and as far as I know we will be going home this week!

Dr. Acuff came in and made a toast and talked about what a wonderful patient Max is.  He's looking forward to him coming back.

The swelling is reduced in his left side, still alittle in his foot but the majority is gone.  We asked and had several of his medications stopped.  Some were harder on his liver so I'm glad to have them stopped.  The less we have to schedule, the easier it will be to manage when we get home.

His schedule for today is:

10:00 - 10:30 - Newsgroup
10:30 - 11:00 - Occupational therapy
11:00 - 12:00 - Spinal Cord Injury Group
2:30 - 3:30 - Physical therapy
3:30 - 4:00 - speech therapy
4:00 - 4:30 - occupational therapy

During the 4:00 - 4:30 occupational therapy we will be going over how to get in and out of the van, safety stuff and then maybe we will get out for a little while if Max feels up to it.  We can go a little farther than Aldi's.

For all the wearyness of last week, this week has a much different feel.  I'm sure it's the excitement of going home.  It's hard to believe that it's been since July 19th that Max has been home.  While I've been home a few times, I haven't slept in my bed since the 19th of July.  About as close as I've come in falling asleep on the floor when the kids wanted to show me something they recorded on the television.

Please pray for good weather so our ramp can be done & we can get home easier!

Have a great day, pay attention to what God has to tell you, lean on Him and be blessed!!

Monday Morning Sure Looks Fine Written September 26, 2011 8:24am

Max didn't have a lot scheduled Saturday and Sunday.  Makes for long lazy days when you can't go anywhere but down one sidewalk.  We had good company to help pass the time.

His back is hurting more, not sure if it's the back or the ribs that are bothering him.  Hopefully it will all heal soon and we can do more.

I went home yesterday and picked up the kids at the house.  We had to stop at Sams to pick up dogfood and stuff,then spent some time with Max.  The kids wanted to stop and see the dogs last night so we did.  We were blessed when our vets told us that we owed them nothing for keeping the dogs with them.  When Teddy left me a message Saturday I started crying.  It was such a blessing  because I knew they were well taken care of.  When the kids saw the dogs they wanted to take them home......so of course we took them home.  I ended up getting back to Rusk way late last night but it was all good.

I'm not sure what is going on with our ramp.  Apparently there are problems with getting someone to come set it up and pour the concrete.  Please pray for wisdom and favor because we need to have that done.  If we put up a temporary ramp, Max will be trapped in the house for a few days while they set it up, pour it and let it dry.  We hate to pay for something temporary.

Max's schedule for today is:

10:00 - 10:30 - newsgroup
10:30 - 11:00 - Occupational therapy
11:00 - 12:00 - Spinal Cord Injury Group
1:15 - 2:15 - Physical therapy
3:30 - 4:00 - Speech therapy
4:00 - 4:30 - Occupational therapy

Time for Max to relax in the morning and then we will be moving all day.  I pray you have a great day.  I know we will!!

Weary Days Written September 23, 2011 7:51pm

Today was an interesting day.  Some highs, some lows, just weary in general.  I'm sure part of it was being tired, part of it was trying to think and figure out exactly what I need to get done.  I'm blessed that I have so much help in figuring out these decisions, but still some days they make me weary.

wear·yadjective /ˈwi(ə)rē/ 
wearier, comparative; weariest, superlative

Feeling or showing tiredness, esp. as a result of excessive exertion or lack of sleep- he gave a long, weary sighReluctant to see or experience any more of; tired of- she was weary of their constant arguments- war-weary AmericansCalling for a great amount of energy or endurance; tiring and tedious- the weary journey began againSome of it's the end of #1 lack of sleep & I think alot of it is #2.

I didn't sleep well last night, Max is learning some new skills that aren't physical, they just require a lot of patience.  Things that once were so easy to do and did thoughtlessly now are hard because he only has one hand to works to help.  He doesn't get short with the nurses, or therapists but feels safe to be short with me.  I can't imagine what he's going through, can't even begin to understand it.  That being said, it still makes it hard to not take things personally.  Do you help, do you not help........your irratating if you do help, your irratating if you don't help......  I'm so glad God is my source and that God is Max's source.  It could get ugly if we relied only on each other!  LOL

Max still dislikes his wheelchair, can't wait to get a different one or the one he ordered.  He had a pretty good mid-morning after our day got straight and going in the right direction.  He went to the little mall next door and got some cupcakes for one of the therapists.  Her birthday is tomorrow and they sang her Happy Birthday.

I left around 11:00 to head home. They are installing the floor in our house and it's looking pretty good.  They have the front room installed and are working on the kitchen & dining room.  The contractor is supposed to find someone to pour the concrete ramp.  I am praying it gets done before Max comes home.  Otherwise he will be trapped in the house when it does get poured and starts drying.

I took Ray & Zack to the grocery store.  They got about $ 175 worth of groceries......we hadn't been in a while.  When we got home we had to get Rheanna going.  We had to be at the teen club get together before 3:00.  If you arrived late you didn't get to participate with your team.  It always seem like there is not enough time when I'm home to be with the kids.   Soon, soon, soon we will all be home.  I pray the Lord covers the kids and gives them peace as they are also going through this also.

Good news is we should be getting a van that will actually go down our gravel road and have enough room for the kids to ride together and not fight.  :o)    I should get it next Thursday but I may have to see if we can get it earlier.  I need to take my suburban home and have someone bring me back up to Rusk.  I really don't want to leave my suburban here for a month or so.

Pray for restoration of Max's hand, his back and  in his spinal cord.  Pray we both have patience with each other, that we learn to be husband & wife first ~ not just patient & caregiver.   So far we've been doing good but there are times it just creeps in.

Thanks for listening to my unwinding, the good far outways the bad & God always has a plan.  My prayer is I learn to listen and let him lead.

Time for this weary body to go to bed.  Tomorrow is a day of refreshing!

Thursday Morning Written September 22, 2011 9:33am

Dr. Acuff came in this morning and had the stomach tube removed.  He also had the nurse remove the catheter.  Max is now tube free!!!   No more worry about pulling or messing anything up.

Hopefully the floor will be started today and finished tomorrow.  I'm not sure when the ramp will be done, but hopefully it will be done by the end of next week.  Dr. Acuff confirmed we will be staying until next Friday the 30th.  Max has already told them he WILL be home for his birthday ~ LOL!

Max's schedule for today is:

10:00 - 10:30 - Newsgroup
11:00 - 12:00 - Spinal Cord Education Group
12:00 - 12:30 - Occupational Therapy
1:00 - 1:30 - Speech Therapy
4:00 - 4:30 - Occupational Therapy

Jay, Katie & Megan brought the kids up last night.  I miss the kiddos in the nursery at church.  We girls got the stamping nail art out and Audry let me hold her and put a few designs on her nails.  I sure do miss our church family.  I miss being home with my kids.......

Okay, on to other topics before I start boo hooing.  

I ready to see what we will be driving home.  I pray we don't have to crawl down the gravel road with a mini van!  If we do, we may be the family with the cranky children.  ;o) 


I'm so glad that God is in control and we don't have to worry or fret about what is coming next.  I know he loves us and is guiding our steps.  I can't see why he puts us where he does but he always has a plan.

I'm sure this day will have more fun stuff coming so I'll let you all know as I know!!

A Day of Surprises Written September 21, 2011 5:29pm

You just never know what the next day will bring.  We worked on our board transfer this morning.  I transferred Max from the bed to the chair and then from the chair to the bed.  Well, the therapist showed me how to transfer from the chair to the bed.  I wasn't exactly sure how to do it correctly so she showed me once more how it was done.  A little bit later, the nurse came in so I could transfer him from the bed to the chair again & the nurse gave me an A+   It's a little bit harder for me to transfer him but it's a lot quicker than using the hoist and lift.

When Dr. Acuff came in this morning we talked about getting Max's feeding tube out.  He should get it out this week.  They will be able to do it here and we shouldn't have to go to the university.

Max mentioned to Dr. Acuff that he had a knot on his right forearm and Dr. Acuff said we should get it xrayed.  When we went to have it done this afternoon, I had to stand behind the wall where the computer is.  The technician was loading the done xray in the machine to make sure it turned out right and you could see the arm was broken......broken?  How did they miss the broken arm?  I realize it was probably the least of the pains at the time......I really don't know what they will do now.  It will be interesting to see what the Dr. has to say in the morning.

This afternoon we had an appointment with the rental van people.  They brought over a minivan for us to look at.  I had told the representative that a mini van really wouldn't work but I was told that was all they had to rent.  This van was nice looking, really new looking, but looked to be about 4 inches off the ground.  We told the representative that I was afraid we would tear it up on our gravel road.  After talking to him for a while, he realized that we were serious about our gravel road and said he might have a conversion van they could use as a rental.  Hopefully they will be able to rent it to us.  Even if we crawled down the gravel road it would be hard to not tear it up.

We did find out before we went out to look at the van that the Dr. & the therapist met and decided that we could stay another week.  So instead of going home the 23 or 24th we will be going home the 30th of Sept or Oct 1.......depending on what they decide to do with Max's broken arm. 

On the positive side, our flooring was delivered this afternoon and hopefully they will be able to get that installed before we come home.  I've left messages about what we need for the ramp but I haven't heard from the contractor.  I'm sure he'll get back to me when he can.

Ray put a few boards out for me and sent me a picture ~ I think it will look pretty good when it's done.

I have no clue right now what our schedule will look like tomorrow.  If I have a chance I'll put it up.

Tuesday Night Written September 20, 2011 7:00pm

Max went for the bladder test this morning.  I guess everything went well and we may end up staying yet another week.  We won't actually know until we talk with the Dr. in the morning but he has been saying he "might" want us to stay depending on what the bladder test shows.

Oh well, I guess that way we know for sure that everything we need at the house will get done.  The flooring should be going in Thurs/Friday.  That will give the kids time to put stuff back where it belongs.  Eventually we will have to clean out the bedroom and do the floors and renovations on the bathroom so Max can get in there!

We are hoping they can get Max a different loaner chair.  The chair that he is in now is making him crazy......it hurts his back and he really doesn't want to be in it.  For some reason I think it is hurting his ribs to sit in it.   We are both ready for him to be totally healed. 

Looking forward to a full day of therapy and then we get to test drive a loaner van.  It should be an interesting adventure.

Probably any time after 5:00 we should be free ~ up to that point I guess you can come to therapy with us!

Stay tuned for tomorrow.

Monday Night Written September 19, 2011 7:32pm

Well, Sunday Max had alittle bit of therapy.  Then I had to run Rheanna home to the house.  The kids were going to do a little more cleaning and getting ready for Max to come home.

We went to the University today to let the surgeon look at Max's back incision.  It's healing well and we don't have to go back for 3 weeks.  He will have a ct scan then and we will see how the bones are healing.  I know all will be well and everything is healing as it should.

We are going back to the university tomorrow for Max to have a bladder test.  Depending on what the results are will probably depend on when we go home.  Not sure what to pray on this one.........sure am ready to go home.

We are going to look at a van Wednesday to rent.  All this company has to rent are minivans :0(    the minivans were too small even when Max wasn't in a wheelchair.  The kids hated having to travel in it.  We will see how it goes.  I would love to drive something smaller but on the flip side I sure don't want to listen to bickering and having to store everything we take on top of the vehicle because we have no room!!

Soooo the long and short is we will be out in the morning and probably in therapy all afternoon trying to make up therapy time.  We should be free after 5:00.    I can't guarantee that one because we left at 2:30 for a 3:00 appointment and didn't get back to Rusk until 6:00.

I'll try and keep the schedule updated a little bit better!