Just a short post this morning. I came home early yesterday as I didn't feel well all day. I think it was just exhaustion setting in. The only chair for me to sit in is a chair from the conference room table...no arms, low back. So, my legs dangle which makes my feet swell and my neck and back hurt from looking up at the near ceiling mounted TV, while having everything on my lap (food, book, tablet). Plus, the 1 1/2 drive each way with the last 2 in the rain, the wonderful, refreshing, gullywashing rain.

Bill was very chatty yesterday, even calling me at 6:20 in the morning to see where I was! But, it was a day when nothing happened. Dr. Threlkeld is not concerned with the staph infection. He said it looked to him like it came from skin contaminating the blood culture. And every other test has come back negative.

They were supposed to get Bill back up with physical therapy but apparently did not. He called me right before they brought his dinner at 4:30 and they had not been in, so he had not been out of bed all day. His nurse didn't want to get him up without PT being there to see how his oxygen sats dropped.

I went to bed a little after 7:30, after dozing off and on and slept most of the night. I woke a couple of times and looked at the time and went right back to sleep. The cats woke me at 4:30 and here we are. I'm ready to get dressed and hit the road again. But, don't have to get gas this morning and I have something here to take with me to eat on the way. I think my stomach can handle food this early...we shall see.

So, not much of an update. Tonight's/tomorrow mornings should be better.

I should have done this last night, but I spent most of the evening on the phone with various people.

Bill was 1000 times better yesterday when I got there. He had eaten all of his breakfast and was breathing well on cannula. He said they didn't put him back on the mask after I left, but I don't know if they did or not. Anyway, his numbers were good. His O2 was set on about 5 1/2 so they had bumped it up a little.

I asked Amanda, the cardiology nurse practitioner about the DVT and she checked with Dr. Edwards and they switched him from Lovonox shots to Eliquis. She said that in 1-2 months they would repeat the ultrasound and if the DVT was dissolved they would discontinue it. I told her when we go to Mayo and I'm going to call Stephanie today to see if they want to schedule an ultrasound while we are there or let Memphis do it.

They had discontinued his Bactrim again and when I told the nurse about it she asked Dr. Edwards about it and explained why he was on it and he agreed and if he didn't get it yesterday, he will start getting it today.

After lunch he got up and sat in the recliner. When he sat on the edge of the bed, his O2 dropped to 77, but he recovered with some deep breaths. They moved him with the Sara Steady which is a great gadget, all the patient has to do is stand on the platform, a seat closes behind them and they sit and then roll them to wherever they are supposed to be. He stayed in the chair for at least 2 hours and was in it when I left.

Khylie, the nurse yesterday, said that the blood cultures had come back and he has a form of staph. She couldn't remember the 2nd word in the name and she said it's not one they see often. But, the antibiotics are working. His white count on admission was 21.6 and yesterday it was 10.6! See, I knew 15 was not going to be a normal count. They were holding his Prograf last night as he was near the upper edge of where they want it so we'll see if that has come back down this morning to the therapeutic level.

I did leave early yesterday because weather was coming in. I got about halfway home before I hit rain and there was almost continual lightning. The rain was heavy, but not bad until about 5 miles out and then the skies just opened. I did not have to pull over as some did, maybe because I know the road, but I did have to sit in the driveway for a bit before I could get out of the car. I had wanted to stop at the store for a couple of things, but that didn't happen. And, almost as soon as I got in the house, the rain stopped! So, I ran to the store and got what I needed.

Instead of going to bed early I watched TV because one of my favorite shows was debuting and I wanted to watch it, but when we lost satellite I gave up. I didn't sleep well at all. I had two nosebleeds yesterday out of the blue, one of them in the night. And it feels like it could start again. But, maybe that feeling is because of the weather change. It's still raining and has gotten cold. At this time yesterday it was 70, today it's 58 and still raining. All of the cats were huddled under the overhang by the back door so I moved their food bowls. Hopefully they will eat there.

I've got to get moving, even though it's only 5:30. But, it's Monday, there will be more traffic and if I want to get a good parking place I've got to leave by 6. And I still need to get gas. I did not want to pump it in the rain yesterday, but since it's still raining, that is a moot point.

Hopefully we'll have as good a day as yesterday. You'll know when I know. There's still no time for discharge and Bill's already asking Dr. Edwards about it! He's to start some physical therapy this morning to strengthen him so maybe he won't get so winded when he moves.

All for now. Later everyone!

I'm trying something new this morning with this post. I posted a lot of Facebook yesterday and instead of trying to recreate it here, I'm going to try to cut and paste and then at at the end what wasn't posted. So here goes....OK, so that didn't work.

Bill was very agitated yesterday morning when I got there. The room was freezing and he was covered with a sheet and a towel. The blanket was laying beside him, don't know what that was about. Anyway he was freezing and said he hurt all over and couldn't keep his oxygen level up because he was in panic mode.

The decision was made to move him back to ICU and use a mask instead of the nasal cannula, and hope they didn't have to go to Bi-pap or vent. He was going to go to the "sicker side" since remodelling of the transplant knocked it down to 5 available rooms. I asked if I would be able to stay in there with him and they said yes I could.

Just as they were getting ready to transport, his son Joe and his wife Tina and their daughter K'zalee came! They were in from Texas for Joe to have eye surgery this week so they came by on their way home. So, while they were getting Bill settled, we went and had lunch. He was much better when we got back to the room and I knew his nurse Richie from before. A couple of others stopped in to say hi and again, can't believe how good he looks.

After the kids left we talked some about getting Dr. Edwards removed from his case and Bill decided that he was OK with the way things were right now. But if it started to go to feeding tubes and nursing homes again, he would himself make the request.

Dr. Okpor is one of the pulmonologists in our group and he is on call this week-end. He doesn't remember treating Bill with one of his last heart attacks, but I do. He's a very large black man but very knowledgeable and he made a couple of decisions that over-rode Dr. Edwards.

He ordered them to try to do a PICC line again, this time in the left arm. There had been a problem getting a line in there before but it must have just been the technician because they got this one done with no problems. Richie did tell me that the ultrasound showed a DVT (deep vein thrombosis) in the right arm and they didn't want to do anything to disturb that. I don't know what will be done about that and I forgot to ask about it because I was so surprised at Dr. Edwards when he came in.

He was a totally different person! He was personable, let me ask questions and make comments and he agreed with me on things, which is the total opposite of what it had been before. I think maybe the strange phone call had come at his suggestion and he had gotten wind that we wanted a different doctor. He explained what the CT and x-ray showed, increased area of emphysema, bronchiastasis in the mid-section and then a small pocket of lower lobe pneumonia. He did say it was going to be chronic and he would always be susceptible to it. He said they are keeping his Prograf low and it is at 5.5, just where Mayo wants it. Then he told us that Amanda would be there in the morning and he would be back in the afternoon. I was so taken aback that I didn't think about the DVT until on the way home, so that's on my list of questions for today.

He's now on 4 different antibiotics. Since they can't get a sputum culture and apparently don't want to do a bronch to get samples, they are using some hard hitting ones that they pseudomonas is susceptible to. We're all just hoping it will respond to one of them!

The put Bill back on nasal cannula so that he could eat dinner and bumped his O2 back up just a smidge so that he could eat and he was eating when I left. He had been maintaining his sats fine at the level we use at home, so we talked that we may have to start using a mask more. We have one but the last time I tried to get him to use it he threw it across the room. It does make it hard because he glasses don't sit right then. So, we'll just have to see.

 I'm tired, I will admit that and if I don't answer a phone call, think nothing of it. Not only is this physically tiring, it's emotionally draining too. I do try to keep everyone updated in some way, even it it's just by text or Facebook. And please, if you get information, pass it to others that you know need to know. And example of this is when I send a group text, my sister or brother will let my mother know. I did find out yesterday that Joe did not get the group text because he had a different phone number that I didn't have. We fixed that yesterday. So, pass the word to other family members and friends. That will take some of the burden off me.

I think that's it. It's almost time for me to head out and again I'm not even dressed yet. At least I didn't unpack my bag from yesterday so nothing much to put in it except my tablet. And again traffic should be light again this morning and easier parking than tomorrow will be. By this time tomorrow I hope to be well on my way.

All for now.

I KNEW IT!!! I knew that Bill was still not well and that his white count was not going to be his normal! But, as I said last week, I'm just a wife, what do I know? Well, apparently, quite a lot.

Bill did not feel well at all Tuesday and I was able to get him in to see Dr. Burbeck's nurse practitioner on Thursday morning. His oxygen level dropped to 77 when he stood to get on the scale and they had a hard time getting it to rebound. They did a chest xray just to be sure and, there it was, pneumonia in the lower right lobe. So, off through the tunnel to the hospital to be admitted.

We spent nearly 12 hours in that small freezing ER room! We were at the admitting desk in the ER at 10:01. At around 5 they finally brought Bill a turkey sandwich and 3 cups of apple juice and some chips. But, they did not check is blood sugar or give him any insulin, even though all of his meds were up to date in their computer (I stood at the computer myself and compared them with my list). Again, they took him off Bactrim, which is one of his transplant meds. It's not actually an immunosuppressent, but the hearts were mismatched, meaning that the donor heart had been exposed to a nasty virus that Bill hadn't been exposed to. So, he takes the Bactrim as a preventative. It does wreak havoc on the kidneys which is why they keep stopping it. I got it put back into his list, but who knows if it's still in there. They also, according to his nurse yesterday, took him off Prednisone, which IS one of his transplant drugs. So, I need to check on those today. I had his insulin test kit with me and I could have done it, but I thought that's not my job, in the hospital. They also did not ask about the schedule for his other meds and they had not been given when I left the hospital.

He was finally transferred to Transplant ICU around 10 pm. He had made me leave about 8:45 since I still had to drive home. Usually I'm prepared for things like this better than I was this time. But I didn't have any of my meds with me. I did speak to the night nurse about the pills being missed and the insulin/shots issue and she was going to check on them.

We were told at first that he would just be going to transplant step-down which is just the ward for transplant patients. When I spoke to Stephanie at Mayo, she said that since he wasn't there for a transplant related issue, she didn't understand why they were putting him there. She said even if he was at Mayo, he would be on a regular med/surg floor and they would just follow meds, but not treat. But that's not how Memphis does things.

The nurse came in and told us that we were just waiting on a bed in ICU and when I questioned that she said the house monitor, or something like that, had called and said he needed to be in ICU. The only thing I could think of was that his oxygen flow was set pretty high because all of his numbers were excellent. His heart rate was under 100 and his O2 was holding in the mid 90s, unless he got agitated about something, like using his urinal. 

I had requested twice in the ER that the attending physician not be Dr. Edwards, once directly to the ER doctor who would be making the call and again to the nurse when she came in and said that he had been called. I even game them the name of the dr. Mayo recommended he see. When I got to Bill's room yesteray morning and asked who is dr. was it was Edwards! So, I told his nurse, no, Edwards was not to treat. The floor nurse came in then and made sure. I told her the same thing and that Mayo wanted Dr. Shirwany to treat. Nothing was said again until later in the afternoon when there was a small problem and Kelsey said she had just texted Dr. Edwards about it!

Now, I don't know why he won't release Bill, especially after his comments that we CHOSE to use another center and that he wouldn't treat but would follow. I told Stephanie that and she was astonished! Anyway, we are getting to see our pulmonologists this time, although I have nothing against Drs. Williams, Fox, or Munday. I was going to ask Kristy about it when she came by yesterday, but the room was full of nurses so didn't think that it would be the right time.

I did get a very strange phone call from someone in the hospital. I don't remember the name given as I was in the middle of talking to Bill's nurse about the little problem he was having. But, she said she had some questions they ask all patients at admission. We have never been asked these questions before but OK, maybe they have a new policy. She had me verify who the patient was and then stated that he had been placed in a facility from there prior, correct? I said yes and then she asked if I had just removed him from the facility. I told her no, he graduated and there was a pause with an "oh" another pause and then "that's wonderful". She then asked if he was able to tend to his personal needs and dress and feed himself and drink with no problems and walk. She then wanted to know what medical equipment he used and who his oxygen supplier was and if there was any other equipment we would need when he was discharged. That part we have gone over before, but closer to discharge. I started thinking afterwards, when I could think again, that Dr. Edwards had wanted the answer to those questions. It also confirmed what I had thought all along, that when he had discharged him to Restorative Care and then to skilled nursing, he fully expected him to die in the nursing home, and with the amount of feeds he was getting through the tube, it wouldn't have taken long!

All of the nurses who remember him couldn't believe how good he looks. Of course he looks better, even sick. He's gained 20 pounds from eating! He's back to an almost normal weight for him. I told his nurses the trick I had used with using the larger plate to make him think he didn't have much food so he would ask for more and they thought that was a unique idea. 

He had eaten pretty well. Only ate about 1/2 of his pork chop at lunch but he had a hard time cutting it. His IV was in his right hand right at his thumb. I offered to cut it for him but he said he could handle it. He did eat some peanut butter crackers in the afternoon (they brought the meals really early) and then devoured his baked fish, baked potato and green beans for supper, along with his strawberry shortcake!

The main problem they are having is that his veins are so fragile that they are blowing after only a few hours. He's on 3 different IV antibiotics, plus they are doing labs daily, and there are not veins left. They tried putting in a PICC line but the technician said that she couldn't get it because of scar tissue and narrowing, so she put in a midline. But, as soon as they started running the antibiotic, Bill complained that it hurt from his shoulder to his fingers. They finally were able to get 2 other IV sites but who knows how long they will hold. They were able to get all the meds pushed through and do some repeat cultures but his blood wasn't flowing, it was just dripping into the bottle. They did ultrasound the midline area and while I don't know what it showed, they did remove it.

Just after I got home last night his nurse called and said first off that he was fine but was being moved to step-down. They needed the room for someone sicker and he was the "wellest" of the patients in the unit. I talked to Bill and hour or so later and he had gotten moved. This room will be more comfortable for me because it has a couch and an easy chair/recliner. The ICU room just had a straight back chair. There were 2 so I put them together so that I could put my feet up.

I think I've hit the hightlights of the last couple of days. It seems like my brain is on overload and again I didn't get my notebook out to refer to. The internet at the hospital is pretty much nonexistent right now so I'm not taking my laptop. 

After talking to Bill's daughter Mary-Rose last night, she said there is an on-call administrator for week-ends and they don't like getting called. I'll try the case manager in the new unit today about getting Edwards removed and if that doesn't work, then call. She also said she will call him if necessary. She did tell me that she would not go over my head but would defer to and back my decisions as she always does. So today may be interesting again.

I told Bill I would try to be there by 8 so I need to leave here in 5 minutes to do that and I'm not even dressed yet and still have to get gas. I don't think I'll make it, but the traffic shouldn't be too bad this morning so maybe 8:30ish. I should also be able to get a good parking spot instead of the top of the parking garage like the last 2 days.

So, keep the prayers going. I'll keep updating and if there are any suggestions, let me know.

This week has been discouraging, but not as bad as the last 2. At least we are cool!
 
We finally got some rain and some fall like temperatures. Of course it got cool after we got the new air conditioner! But it's going to get hot again this coming week with record temperatures. We also had 2 days of rain and some nice wind. But, you don't come here to read about the weather.

Bill went to the dr. Monday. Had to be there at 9:15 for labs and x-rays and then see the dr at 10, who came in at 10 but didn't start seeing patients (we were the first one) until 11:15. I had to go to the car to get a new oxygen tank! We were just discussing telling the nurses that we would come back when she decided she was going to see patients when she walked in.

His white count has come down a little to 15.1 and she's now decided that 15 is going to be normal for him. I totally disagree with her but again, what do I know I'm just a wife. She said his left lung sounded a little coarse up high, but his right one sounded about as good as it always does. The only thing she did was tell me to give him Tylenol Sinus twice a day since that's the only thing that seems to address his sinus drainage. And she wants labs again in a couple of weeks.

Now, I can tell that he isn't well. He's coughing all the time, or most of the time, although it comes and goes. There have been a couple of times at night that he's gotten me up saying that he's not getting any air. So I check the concentrator and the tubing to see and he usually is, but his nose is so full that he can't feel it.  He usually 2 pillows, or he has 2 pillows, but he's all scrunched up at the bottom of them and not propped up which would help I'm sure.

Yesterday, in addition to all the meds and inhalers, I started breathing treatments again and that helped with the coughing. He also did not cough in the night last night, so we both got a better nights sleep.

I'm calling Dr. Threlkeld, the infectious disease dr. Monday to see if I can get him in there. I think I'm also going to call dr. Burbeck, the pulmonologist again. It just seems like Connie is washing her hands of him now. We've had a couple of other drs. do that and it makes me angry. It's like since they can't figure out what the problem is, they will just say this is how it is. And it may be how it is. It could be that the COPD/emphysema is progressing again, or it could be the weather conditions, or a lot of things, but just don't give up without saying you're giving up. And, there aren't that many drs. left in this town and they are all so busy it would be about the same.

We were supposed to meet 2 of my former brothers-in-law Thursday for dinner with the kids. They were in town for only 1 night. But, we decided that it wouldn't be wise for Bill to be around a lot of people again. As my sister said, it's not fun not being able to go out with friends, and I agree. You do what you have to do to protect yourself, or in this case Bill.  

We did have to go to the DMV to renew the handicap placard for my car. I called them to see if he had to be with me, and he did because they put the number on his drivers license, so he had to get a new one. At least they didn't charge for it. It wasn't busy as I new it would be Monday. All of the windows were full, but no one was waiting exept us. But by the time we were waiting for his license to print it filled up. And when we got home, he fell coming up the front steps. Luckily the shrub broke his fall some. Unluckily, it's an English boxwood and has really sharp leaves. Since his skin is so thin, he had several small places that were bleeding and 2 of them needed a bandage. He has a mark on his forehead but it didn't bleed. I haven't checked his knees yet but he said his legs were OK. He had tried to put his oxygen tank on the next step and he put it too far away from him I think. I had told him to wait until I had the door unlocked but, stubborn person that he is, he didn't. I was able to get him up, and he didn't fall hard which is good since our stoop is brick, but he just doesn't have any strength in his legs to help push up while I lifted. If I had known that Emily and Brianna were on their way we just would have sat on the steps in the lovely wind and waited for them! But, we managed and got bandages where they needed to be. And we were both none the worse for wear during the evening.
 
So, that's our week. Oh yeah, Bill did get his flu shot. It's a little early for it, but since he's relatively well, they decided to give it early. I need to ask Dr. T about another pneumonia shot. He got the Prevnar 13 last year so no one can say for sure if he needs a regular one this year. Some say yes and some say no, so between Dr. T and Dr. B we should be able to get an answer.

If anyone has any suggestions on what to do for this constant sinus drainage he has that is causing his symptoms let me know. He's already on Zyrtek twice a day, Musinex twice a day, 3 different inhalers, breathing treatments, and now the Tylenol Sinus. He has also used Astelin nasal spray and/or Flonase which made no difference, along with plain sea salt nasal spray. Other than the surgery that the ENT wanted to do that was nixed last year, I've run out of solutions.

I hope fall has arrived where you are. Here it looks like fall, leaves are falling like crazy from some of the trees because it's been so dry, but we still have the summer heat. My cursor now wants to travel all over the place, so I'm going to stop before I have to proofread this a letter at a time. It also doesn't help that I have a cat walking all over me! Have a good week!

If I thought that last week was trying, it was only a blip in the road compared to this one. Our air went out on Sunday. Bryan came and checked it and thought it was one thing but it turned out to be the compressor. We have a free standing unit in the apartment and he brought it in and put it in the dining room. It cooled that room and part of the living room. I closed off the bedroom after turning on the ceiling fan and closed all the curtains and blinds in the living/dining rooms. (I always said I was going to find a cave to live in but I like light too much). It didn't help that this was the hottest week of the year, not including when the heat index was 110. The actual temperatures this week where in the upper 90s with no air moving at all until today. We had a lovely breeze and it was only in the 80s. We also haven't had any rain for a month so the air is dirty, complete with smoke from burning fields. But, I digress.

The repairman came Monday, or he sent a crew since he was playing in a golf tournament, and it was confirmed that it was the compressor. So we got 3 estimates on Tuesday, just replacing the compressor, replacing the air conditioning unit only, and replacing the entire heat/air system. We opted on just the air unit, but his supplier didn't have one in stock, so he had to order it and it wasn't due until yesterday.

We were able to stay in the house most of the time, and I pulled the mattress from our bed and put it in the dining room. The first night wasn't too bad. Bill had a hard time getting up and down, but with a little help, he managed. The second night was not pleasant. I told Bill we were going to a hotel for the next 2 nights and he was agreeable. He's still coughing a lot. As I was making our reservations, the room rate jumped from $87 to $104 to $108 per night. So, I switched hotels and that rate jumped from $65 to $99! That was an awful lot for a Quality Inn, but the others that are decent were more than that. So, there was really no choice.

When we came home Thursday, and as you know travel for us is not easy with oxygen tanks along with everything else needed, I was hot and sweaty. We waited all day for them to come. I figured it would be afternoon since they had to wait for it to be delivered, and finally sent them a text about 3. The unit had not come in, so we would have to suffer another night, or leave again. I just could not make myself pack things again, even though most of the oxygen tanks were still in the car. So we stayed here again and it was a terrible night.

Bill needed to use the bathroom and he could not manage to sit up. He had his urinal to use but he wanted to stand to do it. I was already in the bathroom and he started yelling for help and having a panic attack. I got him into a dining room chair and then told him when this little crisis was over he was going to start moving and using his arms and legs or he was going to be bedridden! He informed me that he could move them. And I told him he couldn't even sit up from laying down without help. Of course, 2 am is not the time to have this conversation! But, being tired and hot to begin with, this just was the icing on the cake. He decided we were just going to stay up but I told him I wasn't, so he got on the couch and reclined it while I lay back down.

The air was fixed today, but there's a problem somewhere. It cooled down to 74 and that's where we usually keep it, so I set it there. But late this afternoon I walked by the thermostat and it was 77 and the unit was running. I turned the thermostat off and back on and the unit is running and the freon line is cold. It doesn't feel warm in here and we can feel cool air coming from the vent. So I'm thinking it's the thermostat. But, I have a call in to the guy who installed it. All I could do was leave a message and he's also a fireman so he may have been at the fire station.

As I said, Bill is still coughing. He's finished his antibiotic and he has an appointment Monday morning. I decided that instead of getting the nurse here to draw blood, we would go to the office because we would get the results sooner. Depending on what that shows, I may call Dr. Threlkeld the infectious disease doctor. Three rounds of doxycycline and 2 rounds of Levaquin and he is still about the same, so something has to give. We'll just see.

I've really noticed lately, and it could be just because he was hot, his mind seems to be slipping a little more. He kept asking me why we couldn't turn the air on. He's had a problem since the transplant with memory, but this is a little different. But, he's still doing his puzzles so I don't know.

I took him to his barber Wednesday and he doesn't have much hair on the sides, but it's a little longer on top. It's a strange cut, but the barber is 87 years old. That's right, 87. He's been barbering for 59 years and he said he's lost most of the regular customers to the cemetery. He's the only barber left in town now. I don't remember how many he said there were when he started, 23 I think. It's kind of sad, he's the only one of his siblings left and I think he said all 10 of his children have passed away. His wife just turned 80 and she isn't in good health. But, he keeps going, even if he's lost some of his ability.

So, that's our horrible week. Things of course can get worse, but I'm going to stay positive that things are only going up from here on out!  Fall starts Monday, and next week we're back into the upper 90s again with very little chance of rain. But, family is coming in for a quick visit on Thursday so that will be nice. Maybe Bill's white count will be down but I doubt it. Anyway, we'll hope for the good. Until next week...

This has been a very frustrating week! It ended better than it started though. And in some ways, it was boring enough that I don't even remember anything about last week-end. I could go look in my personal journal to see if anything major took place, but it's clear across the room and I don't even want to go that far to get it.

Monday Amy came to draw Bill's labs. I figured we would hear from Connie after she had seen all her patients. I needed to get a few groceries and when I went out, my car wouldn't start. It just kept telling me that it couldn't detect the key. I could use the fob to lock/unlock the doors, but that was it. I couldn't even use the fob in the emergency setting. Bill's car did start but was running really rough and I didn't want to chance getting someplace and then it wouldn't start again. So, Emily brought me her car. Bryan came by when he got off work and my car was totally dead, no lights on the dash at all and no response to the fob for the doorlocks. So, new battery time. I wish they would program the car to give a warning when the battery is low, but there was no warning at all. To change the battery, the drivers side tire has to come off, then the wheel well cover. Ryan said that he would come over Tuesday to do it for me so that I didn't have to have it boosted to get me to the dealer to get it done.

We didn't hear anything from Connie or Amy about the labs, although Emily had told me that his white count hadn't come down any, which was surprising because I can tell he feels better and he's not getting as winded walking as he had been, or coughing as much. So, especially since Em said it was crazy at the office, I figured we would hear on Tuesday.

Ryan came Tuesday and did get the battery changed.  We bought one but had to take it back. It was about 1/2 inch too wide to fit on the shelf. Ryan said it would work but he would have to use a bungee cord to secure it. So, we got a smaller one. It doesn't have as long a warranty on it. But, it fit on the shelf and it cranked the car so all is well. 

Wednesday Emily called and asked if Bill had finished his antibiotics. He had taken the last of them on Sunday. She called me after work and said that she had seen Amy as she was walking out and asked if Connie had decided anything and Amy said that she was calling in some more Doxycycline. Amy told Em that Jamie (the other nurse) had taken care of it. So, more pills but no shots.

Thursday morning I went to the pharmacy to get the pills, and there was nothing for him! So, I called Em and she checked with Amy and lo and behold, the meds had not been called in. Amy thought Jamie had done it and Jamie thought Amy had done it and no-one (who does a lot of things everywhere) had done it. I was not happy! To not even hear from Connie, who is a nurse practitioner, about the results of the labs, let alone what the treatment plan is, is really frustrating. And then to not get the meds called in. To me, if she was concerned enough when we were in the office 10 days ago to repeat the labs when he had finished the meds, she should have been on the phone on Monday when his white count had not changed! I told Em that if I knew she wouldn't get blamed (after Amy did tell her, assuming she would tell me), I would have just waited until one of them called. I can't even call and talk to the nurses or Connie because they just let it go to voicemail. But, that would also jeopardize Bill, even though it was nearly a week without the meds she thought he needed. I still don't know if we're to get the labs repeated when he's done with this round of meds or what. But, we're going to go to the office to have it done so that I know wha'ts going on. And, you can tell from this blog that we are compliant with drugs and instructions and Connie knows that I keep notes and notebooks on what's going on. It's nice that she will send her nurse to the house, especially when the weather is bad and there is a lot of sickness going around, but follow-up needs to be done. Anyway, I got the meds, just more Doxycycline which surprised me, and he's taking it. He does still feel better so hopefully this will work.

I changed the bandage on our neighbor Barb's foot Thursday as I've been doing all summer and that wound looks so much better! They brought us Zaxby's for supper that night as a thank you and when they brought it, I was taking it from her and kicked Bill's shoe (with his foot in it). I have re-jammed the big toe on my right foot. It really hurts and I can't bend it. So, I'm trying to figure out how to alternate limping on both feet. 

The brighter spot for the week is that Mouse is better. He went back to the vet yesterday and Dr. Cato could tell that his pain response was less and his temp was back to normal. He wants him to continue on the steroid for a few more days and then we'll check him again. He's (Mouse) has adapted to the leg being weaker. He's figured out new ways to get from point A to point B that doesn't require a lot of jumping. He's been climbing the bedspread to get on the bed and yesterday morning instead of grabbing on to just the bedspread, he also grabbed on to my foot...at 3 am! I'm surprised Bill didn't hear me yell, but he said he didn't. 

So, that's our frustrating week. Hopefully this coming one will be a little smoother. Maybe it will be a little cooler, although according to weather forecast yesterday, summer is not going to go meekly. We're back to heat advisories again. Some harvesting has started, not sure what crop it is, and a few fields are being burned, so that makes breathing difficult for people, especially ones with comprised pulmonary function. So Bill may not be leaving the house much. We also desperately need rain. Our grass is so brittle. I really don't want to have to start watering, but, we won't have any grass again if it doesn't get some moisture. Some of the trees are already losing leaves, so it's getting pretty bad. 

I hope everyone has a good week-end and week ahead. I know I'm looking forward to one with no craziness, but who knows!