Hello From Rockville

I have not written for a while, because there isn't much to write about.  Harlan is not up to going out and the weather is not the best to take him out in.

Sue left on Wednesday and had a good flight back, it was so good to have her here.  Friday she is having foot surgery so she will be incapacitated for a while, but it's something she needed to do.

Yesterday when I went in to see Harlan he was missing his upper plate and I looked everywhere for it, under the bed, in his bed and in all his nightstand drawers, it was no where to be found.  I checked at the desk thinking maybe he had taken it out when he ate lunch and it was left on his dinner tray, the kitchen was informed to be on the look-out for it.  I then went back to his room and looked under the bed at a different angle and there it was so that was a good thing I washed it and he had his teeth back.

Today he asked about his ring, it had fallen off his finger earlier so I took it home with me and now I'll see what I can do to to make it stay on his finger, he has lost so much weight, I'll just have to see what I can do.

Today was one of his better days he was a wake the whole afternoon while I was there but his speech is garbled and hard to understand and he has a hard finding the words he wants to use, I do my best to at least pretend to understand what he says. 

This should update everyone and I'll try and write more often......Fran

Hello From Rockville 

Today we said "Good Bye" to Sue as she left for home, I'll miss her.  When I got up in the morning she had a fresh cup of coffee waiting for me to enjoy.  We had a good time together.

We met Rick for food at Five Guys then on to the VA for a short visit before Sue left.  We had a surprise, when we got to the VA Harlan was eating his lunch in the dinning room, he ate half a hamburger and drank his milk.  The rest of our visiting was done in his room, then Rick and Sue left for Mpls and the air port.  I spent the afternoon with him helped him with his meds and went home.  He had good today and was able to be up some we'll see what tomorrow brings......Fran  

Hello From Rockville 

I have enjoyed Sue's visit but as all good things must come to an end so must her visit, she leaves tomorrow.  Rick and DeeAnn will see that she gets to the airport.

We had a good day today shopping and eating and spending time with Harlan.  He is not doing well, today I was told there are symptoms indicating yet another bleed.  His leg is still sore from the clot but not as sore as it was, walking is easier for him.  He went to the dining room for two meals today so he did eat some.  Before I left we (Sue and I) helped him with his meds and his neb.  His weight is in the high 120's but it is slowly going down as it has for the last several months.  He no longer asks to go out for a treat as he has no energy and and no desire for food.

I'll update this blog tomorrow.....Fran
  

Hello From Rockville

Today is Monday and I didn't write yesterday.  I went in to spend time with Harlan in fact Sue went with and we stayed with him until we left for church, put some heat on his leg and chatted then to church and back to see him.  Denese and Sue went to pick up chicken and ribs, ribs for him and chicken for the rest of us.  Harlan had eaten a few bites when he declared, " I wouldn't order this again!"  Just a few weeks ago we had picked up the same thing for him and he just inhaled it he enjoyed it so.  We just never know how he'll react to any thing.

Today I had a meeting with the staff and because he is failing there were only four staff members there and then the NP joined us.  After the meeting we went to his room to see how he was, he was awake and ready to visit.  I put some heat on his leg, I don't think it is as sore as it had been but it's still quite swollen and with pain medication he is able to do some walking.  We were told he had gone for breakfast and lunch but no report on how well he ate.  Rick & DeeAnn and Sarah & Wes stopped to see him, he was ready to sleep when I left.

We will see how tomorrow goes.....Fran

Hello From Rockville

Today was a busy day.  Denese and I went tot Becky's to pick up Sue, she flew in from Atlanta and will leave on Wednesday.  From Becky's we went to Owatonna  to spend time with my sister Lucille we also met Cheryl and the six of us had a lot of laughs talking about funny things we do, oh yes, we also ate.  After all this we headed back to St. Cloud first stopping to drop Becky off and spend some time with Walt and Luke.  We got to the VA around 7:30 and spent about 45 minuets with Harlan.  His leg is quite swollen and still very painful making it hard for him to walk, he just doesn't understand that if he takes his pain medication he won't hurt so bad.  We got him to take his meds while we were with him and they helped him get cleaned up ready for bed.  He enjoyed seeing Sue and Denese that seemed to cheer him up we'll see how tomorrow goes......Fran

Hello From Rockville

Today was C-O-L-D but some how we get through it.  We, the support group from the VA, had a lunch instead of a meeting, each one brought something to share.  My contribution was vegetable pizza I brought the left overs to the staff on Harlan's floor.

Harlan did not have a good day, his leg is very sore and his pain medication has been increased from two a day to one every 4 hours.  He had an appointment to see Dr. Fox and because he did not feel up to go I cancelled the appointment and Dr. Fox came to him he had to walk the full length of the hall way connecting the VA a campus some one told me that the walk is half mile making the round trip a mile, WOW!  He changed Harlan's medication we'll see if that helps.  Harlan is again not eating and drinking very little.  I feel as if I'm on a "Roller-Coaster" ride and I can't get off.

Tomorrow Sue comes in maybe she will brighten his day and the time she is here.

Denese and I will get her and bring her up here, I'm looking forward to her visit, we'll be busy as we always are and we'll pack a lot in while she is here...........Fran

Hello From Rockville
It is cold, temperature is -15, wind chill -33, the place to be is inside looking out!!!!
I spent the afternoon with Harlan, his leg is still quite sore and they are giving him stronger pain medication.  He says he feels like he might fall.  They took him to breakfast in a wheel chair.  I hope the pain medication takes care of the pain for him.
We had our pot luck tonight with 9 of us attending, not a good very turn out.
Tomorrow our VA support group has our finger food pot-luck followed by a Dr. for Harlan.
Until tomorrow Good Night..........Fran