Don's fall

Last Saturday, Oct. 2nd, Don was out trimming some branches that were in the way of our satellite dish. He was getting to put the ladder away when he saws branches dragging on the roof about our garage. He put the extension ladder up as high as it would to, leaning on a limb. He reached farther out and lopped off a branch, causing the limb that the ladder was against to flip upward. The ladder fell, and he fell (his feet were 6 feet up on the ladder and he is over 6 foot tall) the back of his head landing on our concrete driveway. His forearm and hip landed on the ladder we think. The ladder is bent and broken from his landing on it. I was indoors with Joshua, the little boy that I teach. I heard the ladder fall, then I heard Don's moan. We hurried out there and Don had a pool of blood under his head. The gash on his arm had flesh hanging out.
Nell, across the street called 911. I hurried in the house to get some towels to hold pressure on his head wound. (The blood soaked through 2 folded in fourths terry towels.) He never lost consiousness. I kept talking to him when it looked like he would close his eyes. It took 20 minutes for the ambulance to arrive - we live about 1/2 mile from a hospital. He fell about 5:00 p.m. - got to the hospital at 5:30. Amazingly he broke no bones. They kept his neck brace on for hours, until they were certain there was no neck injury. He had cat scans, x-rays, and finally about 10:00 was sutured up. He got to his room about mid-night or later. At 1:30 they were ready to let us sleep - I stayed in the recliner chair. We both got about an hour or two of sleep that night.
Everytime Don would move or turn his head the room spun and he vomited. Sunday I left for an hour or so to take a nap, then went back and spent the next night in the recliner again. It was very difficult to get blankets for both Don and me, and the room was very cold.
I was exhausted, and didn't feel safe to drive, so the Morochos, Skeltons, Curt Baker, and Andy were gracious and gave me rides when I needed them. I have resumed driving since Thursday.
On Tuesday, after dinner, (10:30 p.m.) Don was transferred by ambulance to the Renaissance Rehab Hospital. What a bumpy ride it was. It was only a block or 2. I rode in the ambulance - miraculouslly Don did not throw up on that ride. So by 11:00 p.m. they were still admitting him so I call the Morochos for a ride home.
Don was evaluated on Wed. and has occupational and physical therapy working with him. He shows no deficits from the head injury. All that remains are his stitches, and a little dizziness when we first gets up.
We have had a latin experience - time is of no essence. He is to go home today, Saturday, Oct. 9th, after lunch, but that could be any time later today.
I asked on Sunday for a bedside commode for him and they brought one to his room on Tuesday, with only a pink plastic wash basin under the rim.(This is a new, wealthy hospital) I asked for a laxative for him for days - he got one about Wednesday. Hospital routines are completely different from Kansas. Several of his aides could barely speak English. The staff are Latin, Philippino, Taiwanese, Korean.
Two ladies who said they were chaplains ( in Spanish) came in and could understand no English. Don spoke a little to them in Spanish - it seems they were Catholic. In the Hospital there are no Gideon Bibles in the drawers. Someone said they are not allowed. But here in the same complex there are 2 in each room, one in Spanish and one in English. Feels more 3rd world here than U.S.
But underscoring it all - GOD IS SO GOOD.
God has preserved both Don and me from events that could have been fatal. I had massive pulmonary embolism in June, Don had a fall that could have paralyzed him, killed him, or at least caused broken hip, arm or skull. He fell so hard.
Dr. Viswamitra was just in to dismiss him. She said he could benefit from 2 more days of therapy, but that he said no, he is ready to go home. So she will discharge him today. I could write and write about the ways God has undertaken for us and our needs, but that will be another entry. I have taken pictures all summer, but haven't been able or had time to down-load them all.

Catching up

I have not blogged since Estel's death the 16th of July.
Mid-July I saw the foot Dr. He said my foot was healed and go to the shoe. We went directly from the Dr. to the nursing home to meet with Hospice, since Estel had gone from hospital to nursing home the day before. By that night my foot really hurt. I kept wearing the shoe for 4 days in pain and by then could barely walk. I put the walking boot back on.
Estel's funeral was on Tues. July 20th at the Mennonite Brethren Church in Buhler, then went for the burial in Concordia.
John and Dorice, Don and I cleaned out her apartment. Judy had gone home, John and Dorice needed to leave by Thursday. So Don and I took the majority of her things to our house for a garage sale a little later.
Mid- August we had a big garage sale, allowing the people from the Sunshine home to come on Thursday eve. to buy whatever they wanted to first. Then we had garage sale Friday and Saturday a.m. It was a good sale.

August 11th was Don and my 8th wedding anniversary. I had Dr's. appointment the day before and the day after, so we kept that weekend open to camp. We took our small motor home and went to Kanapolis to camp. First time in the water all summer. By Sunday is was cold and rainy so went back to Hutch in time for evening church service.

From mid July until August 12 I had been trying to get back in to foot surgeon to have an x-ray of my foot. It hurt so badly. Finally the P.A. saw me - took an x-ray and found a fractured 5th metatarsal. So 2 more months of wearing the boo.

Labor Day weekend Karen and Teresa came to visit.
The next week Dean and Carol came on Wed. and left on Sat. Don, Dean, and I ventured out to the fair, and went to the tractor pull.

At some point in Sept. Don and I went again for a couple of days camping at Kanopolis. It was too cool to swim, but I did float on an air mattress for a little bit. That was our vacationing for the summer.

On Sept. 29, Don and I headed back for south Texas. We stayed with Ann on Wed. evening, then arrived home on Thursday

Granny Estel is rejoicing in the Lord's Presence

Estel went home to be with the Lord about noon today. Since late May Don and I have accompanied her to many Dr's appointments - she was diagnosed with acute monocytic leukemia just weeks ago, her final diagnosis only was arrived at on July 9. After blood transfusions a week ago, about 4 days in the hospital she was moved into the nursing home for Hospice care this week on Tuesday. John and Dorice and Judy had all returned home after being here last week. Judy returned on Wednesday and spent the night with Estel. John and Dorice drove from Indianapolis on Thursday and Dorice spent last night with her. Judy, Don, and I had a precious time with her yesterday singing, praying, and saying our "till we meet again" farewells. She was alert last evening and talking to Dorice about heaven. The Lord answered many specific prayers for working out details. Estel was 99 1/2. On February 7th, she would have celebrated her 100th birthday, but she was hoping to celebrate it in Heaven. For those that don't know, Estel and my dad were married in August of 1986.
Estel has suffered much pain for several months, but last evening she said she had no pain. The cancer was in her bones, her spine, and who knows where else. She has been suffering, but lived alone in idependent living until last Friday when she went to the hospital. We have had many rich conversations the past few months.

How God Works

This blog is for my benefit since I don't have my diary here in the hospital. On May 10th I had surgery on my foot to remove bunions and do some bone repair. That meant a cast for weeks. They were always too tight so I had it changed about 4 times.
On June 11, while sitting with my step-mom, Estel, at the Medical Center, we were waiting for Don to get the car to come pick us up. While just sitting there I suddently felt a strange flutter in my heart - not unfamiliar to me, but something I had not had for a long time. Then we went to China Star for supper,took Estel back to Buhler, and went home. When I went to get into bed I was short of breath and had to take about 3 real deep breaths. In my mind I wondered if I had a pulmonary embolism. My left leg had hurt bad behind my knee and upward for weeks. My right leg hurt also. I chalked the pain up to using a knee walker, and unteady way I was getting around. Then that same evening I had a fever of 101, coughing, stuffy sinuses. So I thought I had bronchitis, yet again. For the whole week-end my temp. was down in the daytime but 101 each night. My bed was drenched from sweating. Finally on Monday I decided to to go the Dr. She suspected pneumonia, but also wanted to do a doppler on my leg to look for blood clots. That was scheduled at 4:30 that day, so while we waited for that appointment I went to the chiropractor because I had so much pain. I had no idea of a blood clot in my leg. Then I had the doppler and found the clot in my leg. I was put on Arixtra injections plus 5 mg. of Coumadin daily - return on Friday. I went back on Friday and my blood was way too thin. So stop the Arixtra injections, hold the coumadin l day and resume on Saturday at 2.5 mg. So now I was allowed to walk with a walking boot since I had been on blood thinner. On Father's Day I went to church a.m. and p.m. ate out etc. Karen and Teresa were staying at our house. On 21st I felt really bad so stayed in bed most of the day. I felt so cold, had pain in upper rt. adbomen and still had nightly 101 fever. On Tues. June 21 I called to see if I could back in to see Dr. Edwards. I went and they checked my blood - way too thin, did a cat scan of chest, abdomen, and pelvis. Oops, they found a large pulmonary embolism occluded the pulmonary artery.
We were called back to the clinic just as we had arrived home for lunch. Go right to the ICU at the hospital. My INR was up to 10 at which point they can no longer even do that test. PTT was extremely high also. By June 23rd I had an inferior vena cava filter placed by Dr. Brachfeld. While on the cold, hard table in the cath lab I was trying to pray, but couldn't really focus too well. The words of a meaningful to me hymn instantly went through my mind " The Lord will fight for you, You need only to be still." That was so reassuring - I quite trying to pray and just was still.
So far God had protected me from death when the clot brok off from my leg, going through my heart and lodging in my pulmonary artery. Most would not have survived a large clot like that traveling through the heart to the lung.
Then my blood was dangerously thin. Next procedure planned was PTA - a risky procedure to do away with the clot in my leg. It ran from the back of my knee extending upward for many inches. That vein had no blood blow.
On Thursday my blood levels were o.k. for the procedure. They held my breakfast. Two doctors the day before had expressed concern about having this done, but they refused to advise me what to do, but Dr. Crater said the risk was not small - it was severe. So here I am in ICU about 7:00 a.m. with a decision soon to be made if we should proceed. I called Roger to ask for prayer - as he was praying I inserted to please pray that the decision would be off my shoulders. Within a few minutes they came and said I could have breakfast. Later they said they would not do the procedure since my popliteal vein was still clogged, and that is where they needed access to do it. SO the decision was taken right off of my shoulders. Praise the Lord. Dr.Trang visited me the next morning and said he was so glad I had decided not to have it. He even talked to a colleague of his in Wichita whom he completely trusts, and that cardiologist said they do not do this procedure in a vein, rather in arteries. SO the Lord protected me from may have been disasterous for me.
I am now in an room on 5th floor, out of ICU after 4 days there.
I was bleeding from nose, bladder, etc. Now I have a urinary tract infection, readjust me to Synthroid off of my usual thyroid regimen. Still running a fever. A real blessing for me this morning was when I read Romans 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. I was dreading a bad candida flare-up after heavy antibiotics I am on, without any of the prevention or remedies I take at home. Candida has been a real problem for me, but I know I can do little about it while hospitalized. So it was good to read that the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities. What a reassurance.

How God Works

Memorial Day Weekend 2010

Shirley and Cliff went with us to the Pleasant View Cemetary in Darlow, KS, to put flowers on Don and Shirley's parent's graves. On Memorial Day Don grilled steaks and the four of us had a great day with good food, fellowship and DVD.

El Trio del Rey

We have enjoyed having the group "El Trio del Rey" with us from RGBI. They had a concert at Berean Baptist Church on May 18. We spent much time with them, but they stayed at Karen Staib's house.

Beautiful Pink Roses

Roberta's Foot Surgery

Roberta had surgery on her foot on May 10th. It will mean no weight-bearing on left foot for at least 6 weeks, maybe longer. On May 27th she will have a cast replace the splint. Much time is spent in bed with her foot elevated.

More Flowers from this week - May 10 -16

More Springtime Flowers

The flowers have been gorgeous in Hutchinson this year. I missed a picture of the peonies this past week. There will be more to bloom though.

Greg helping with Insulation

Greg came to help Don with blowing 66 bags of insulation into our attic. It turned out to be a bigger job than Don had expected. Don was in the attic and Greg below breaking up the bales of insulation. Thanks for the help, Greg.

Spring time in Hutchinson,KS

We arrived back in Hutchinson on April 1st. It is just a gorgeous time here with all the flowering trees. The Bradford Pear trees are beautiful with their bountiful while blossoms. The Forsythia, tulips, daffodils, red bud trees are also in full bloom. We have lots of hyacinth that are just finishing blooming.

Memorable Date - March 19

March 19th holds many memories - my mom and dad were married that date in 1932. I believe it snowed that day in NW Iowa. My dad had a bath and shave for a dime at the barber shop. They made their home in Marcus, Iowa, until moving to the Neir home-farm 4 miles west of Marcus in 1936.
My dad's father was born on March 19th in 1867 and died just 2 days after his 92nd birthday in 1959.
On March 19, 1984, we woke to a lot of snow, between 1 and 2 feet as I remember. No going to work that day! By evening we were dug out and my dad, brother,Roger, and I made our way to Oakwood Villa where my mom was living. It was their 52nd anniversary. When we arrived we could tell my mom was very ill. An ambulance was called and she was taken to the hospital, where she went home to be with the Lord early the next morning.
I am thankful for the Christian heritage provided by my parents and grandparents.

Joshua and Valentine cookies

On Friday, Joshua and I baked 4 dozen Valentine cookies for him to deliver to various adult friends of his around campus. He practices his Bible verses with various "Grandma's and Grandpa's" from the Administration Building to the Maintenance Shop. He has lots of friends. It was a little cool, thus the stocking cap. He had a basket of cookies ready to share with others..

Happy Valentine's Day 2010

Don blessed me with a dozen red roses on Friday. I am so thankful to have him in my life. God has blessed us.

Mexico visit

Don and I along with the Bob Olsens, the Mark Olsens, and 3 Bible Institute students went to Mexico for ministry. We took poncho's that were made by one of the winter volunteer ladies. Many women and children attended these meetings.

Don's 76th Birthday

Today is Don's 76th birthday. We ate lunch at Red Lobster and tomorrow will have cake and coffe for him in the afternoon for winter volunteer men and maintenance men.

Returning to Mexico - Jan. 2010

Don and I returned to Nuevo Progreso, Mexico, today. We had a whole car load of things to take to them. They have been so cold these last few weeks. They were thrilled to receive blankets, stocking caps, and knit scarves made by our winter volunteers. We had many itmes of food and clothing also. They are always so appreciative. We passed out about 200 candy canes as well. When we returned home from Mexico we found 5 more large bags of things for Mexico on our doorstep, so I will have lots more sorting to do this week.

Kansas City before Christmas

On Dec. 14 I had a Dr's appointment in Kansas City. We went up the evening before and spent the evening with Teresa. These are scenes from Union Station, Crown Center, and the Plaza.