Not a good week............

It is now Thursday evening..........Bill is still not feeling well. No more fever....no more throwing up. It is really weird. We came home from the trip and he was fine..........transferred well at the airport and into the house.
The next morning he was just so weak. I thought he was just really tired. As the week has progressed I found out he is really sick not tired.

Today we went to his primary physician for a scheduled follow up visit. She found he has a slight sinus infection....fluid in the ears.....and urinary track infection. They sent a specimen to the lab for test and started antibiotics for 2 weeks. March 11 is the soonest we can see the urologist for a follow up to be sure it is just a infection and nothing more. Bill has been having pain in the right side ....in the gall bladder area on and off since about November. So she also wants a G I doctor to check him out....to be sure it just muscular and nothing more. I don't have that appointment yet.

Bill's appetite is a little better but not much. He has not even wanted to go around the pond all week.

Also, today the therapist said if Bill does not make any progress next week. He will have to turn him over to someone else to try a different approach for Bill's walking. He was doing so well before the trip and now he is just so weak and feels nauseous as soon as they start to walk him....so he has to cut it short and just exercise him in the wheelchair.

I hope tomorrow will be better.....he started the antibiotic today. We do have BINGO from 12-2 tomorrow. Then a pot luck supper with BINGO tomorrow night. He really likes that...........we will see.
Greg & Tina are in Mexico.....the Nanny is bringing the two girls by to visit us tomorrow. Lori will be sleeping over with her 3 girls Friday night and staying Saturday until the afternoon. Hopefully a weekend of the children and BINGO will pick him up.
I asked him today if you knew you would be so tired from the trip would you have gone.............YES, in a minute....I would do it again right now...was his response.

I asked at the clubhouse if the two employees there knew anyone that might be interested in sitting...since the other guy didn't work out...

Our subdivision has formed a care group ............they have 15 people who have volunteered........but nobody had as yet asked for any help. We are the first everyone wants to do something to help us. One lady wants to bring music over to play for Bill since she heard he is a musician. Today one of our neighbors Dianne is a nurse came over to stay with Bill while I went to the grocery and CVS to pick up RX. They hit it off very well....he talked to her........she read to him. She said he has lots of good stories and is funny. I glad they hit it off.
She asked to come back on Tuesday and have me show her our routine and how we work together. She plans to come back from time to time and feels with her experience she will be able to take him outside on the porch or for a ride around the pond in the not too distant future.
We will see how that progresses....but it was good to know he was in good hands while I went to the grocery. It was a really good start.

Roller Coaster rides again..............

Bill has still not recovered from the trip home. He is weaker and not able to respond to cues as before. He says he gets stuck............he hears the cue ....wants to move....but feels he is unable.

A few other areas are not as before either............I hope as has happened many times ............that he will come back stronger and be back on the track to recovery.

We still talk everyday about how happy we are to have been able to go home to visit.

Home Coming # 1 Feb 12-16th 2009

Bill is doing so well....working hard in physical therapy 3 times a week. The new therapist has new ideas and Bill is motivated. I think he also is feeling stronger since the little event he had about 2 weeks ago.

Well he got his wish for his birthday .....we went home for a visit.

It was better than we even dreamed it could be......
much thanks to family and friends for making our visit very special.

Bill was able to see each of his brothers and sisters and their families at least once........ a few twice and most several times.

We laughed at nothing until our sides hurt and our heads ached. It brought back so many memories of years gone by but memories that will never be forgotten.

The love given by Bill's mother & father....has passed down to the children.....and those of us lucky enough to have married a Murray....got grandfathered into a wonderful family.....full of love and lots of laughter.

Bill and I will be married 44 years on March 12 and in that time I can truly say. I have never had a disagreement with any family member nor has any family member ever been anything but supportive of all others.

I think that is pretty rare.

We love you all and I know how much we are loved by each and everyone of you. Bill, Lori and I could have not made this trip without all of your help ..........from Steve at the airport for our arrival and Babes at Mom's house to help us load Bill up for the return trip home and everyone in between.

Special thanks to all of the strong young wonderful nephews that helped Uncle Bill on this trip......thanks for being there.

Special thanks to Mom for putting up with us all and all of the home cooking....Stew...fish....soup....meatballs .....all of our favorites.
Thanks to Shirley & Johnny for the king cakes and the wedding we missed on video and wedding cake........
Thanks to Mike & Gaye also for more king cakes from Baton Rouge.........
Thanks to Maurice Trosclair for the visit...........
Thanks to Donald Boue for the special requested lunch at Rocky's.........
Thanks to Mona & Harry Ravain for the surprise visit........
Thanks to Eddie Roth for the visit.........

Special thanks to our sister in law Sandra for above and beyond help when we really needed it.......thanks for being there for us !

Thanks to our son Greg for watching things in Texas while we were gone...

Most of all thanks to our daughter Lori without whom we could not have made these happy memories. Thanks for being there for us every step of the journey and taking care of us from reservations, picking us up, rent-a-car, park-n-fly, driving by the old house, bringing us snacks, etc,etc.

It is nice to get away and nice to get home again. We filled our suitcases with love that will last until we see ya'll soon.

Friday was the Bingo.........the crowd was small to say the least. Including Bill & I we were a grand total of seven players. We hope everyone tells neighbors and it will grow rapidly. It was fun and a good way to get to know your neighbors in a small group for a couple of hours a week.

The roller coaster ride is back on track..........remember last week during therapy Bill had this small event and had to stop therapy. Well this week he is so.........strong and really taking steps with the therapist and the walker. He walked from the kitchen table across the den carpet and to the front door twice. The improvement in the left foot is remarkable. Bill is also complaining of pain in the toes and foot for the first time. If he is now feeling pain.............at least he is getting feeling back. Keep your fingers crossed.

We really need him to be strong tomorrow for the trip home. He has 9 transfers just to get from home to his Mom's house. Wish us luck.....I keep you posted when we get back next week.

Love Ya Ruby

Where do I begin this has been a very exciting week. Last Friday I had to call 911 to help me get Bill up off of the bathroom floor. They did he is OK it was the worst yet but neither of us got hurt except Bill scraped his cheekbone on the texture on the wall on the way down. I didn't drop him I just had to let him down gently. Once he gets his weight so low I can't pick him back up with just my arms.

Saturday and Sunday Lori and Vic and the girls slept over. Vic did some Honey do's for us. Thanks Vic & Lori

Sunday Super Bowl..........Bill won two squares on the pool at the Club house and I won one. $75 total. YEA....it's not penny slots but it's as close as we can get right now.

Monday Bill's new therapist started.........slow start just evaluation today.
Monday a really nice couple we meet a couple of years ago ....Joy & Ted....came to visit us from Minnesota. Ted caught Walleyes in Canada froze them and Joy cooked us up a Yankee fish fry. It was delicious she used egg to dip first, then seasoned flour, and potatoe flakes.....ie instant mash potatoes....it added a little extra crunch and makes the fish a lighter color after frying. It was good to see them, good friends and good food. You can't beat that !
Tuesday Tony therapist came back to see Bill ......he had him up walking but Bill had a sort of weak spell and had to stop early.

Wednesday........Maurice was in town for work.....called.........took a taxi over from his hotel to visit. He brought Bill a Hu Dat Hubig Pie T-shirt and a bag of pies. What a sweet surprise. Again good friend and good food.

Thursday...........Bill had therapy and walked better today. It was such a pretty warm sunny day. The sitter & I got him in the car. He got much needed haircut. Went in the grocery but didn't care for that waited in the car for me with Wesley. They went with me to do some returns. We had a lunch from Popeyes and stopped at a dead in street cut off to eat......we sat in the car and threw the bones out of the window.

Friday ..........we have our first BINGO at the club. We are hoping for a big turn out. We have lots of BINGO practice since my mother and my mother-in-law both like it. I'll let you know how that goes .