Post-Op

At Richard's first post-op appt. yesterday the surgeon said his incision has healed like a baby's. He was given the green light to drive again which was welcome news. He's sore in his stomach and hip area and was told that's because his spine was stretched during surgery to remove the old disc and implant the artificial one. That explains it! He now goes for PT three times a week. TBI (Texas Back Institute) has just opened an office closer to us so he will be able to go there instead. He's taking fewer and fewer pain pills all the time so it's just a matter of continuing the healing process.

I got my embroidery machine out a couple of days ago for the first time in several months. I had gotten so frustrated with it binding up over the holidays that it sat for some time. My first project was this shirt for Mom L and all went well, though I held my breath the whole time waiting for something to go wrong.  I also worked on some Easter items.

My folks have been in out of the hospital several times over the past few weeks. Daddy was admitted again yesterday (as my mom was being discharged for gall stones & pancreatitis) as a result of a minor stroke, severe dehydration and a staph infection in his arms which is no better after having been treated for a couple of weeks. Our niece, Marie, works at the hospital where they go so she's been helpful in getting good doctors to see them.

Julie is an accountant and works 80-100 hrs a week this time of year. She's taken quite a bit of time off taking Mom & Dad to doctor's appointments, the hospital, etc. Her bosses have been very kind in giving her the time but it's getting close to April 15 and they are beginning to make noises. Richard told me yesterday he feels he can handle things on his own now so I will be going out next week for about 10 days to help out. We've hired care givers to come in several hours a day but they can't do it all.

I'm so grateful I've got family in CA who can do much of the care giving but I think we are getting closer to pulling the plug and maybe moving out there for a time to get things settled for Mom and Dad.