Finally!

The family just got confirmation on Tuesday that Doreen has been accepted and will be moving to Timbercrest on Monday, December 8th! Karen, Linda, and Judy will all be there to assist with the transition. I'm sure they will provide a much more detailed report next week.

However, Karen has still not been able to get in touch with Carl to tell him of the news. She's continuing to try and call this morning.

Thanks for all you thoughts and prayers over the past 6 months. Doreen has made wonderful progress since her move to the Rehab Hospital and while she will be sad to leave the kind people there, she is very much looking forward to being in North Manchester.

Dear Carl Myers Travelers

by Jim Garber

After this week we will have been at the task of providing rides for Carl to Ft Wayne for 16 weeks. I hope you know how thankful Carl, Doreen, and the whole family are for your generous rides.

Now, in consultation with the family, we believe it is time change our strategy. It is our plan to move from a style which demands special trips to a plan which, hopefully, can take advantage of occasional journeys that can combine your needs to be in Fort Wayne when Carl can ride along.

Here’s what we are suggesting: When any of you find yourselves heading for Ft Wayne for shopping, medical visits, or whatever, we encourage you to invite Carl to be a passenger. He can be dropped off at the hospital (he no longer needs someone to stay with him), where he can visit with Doreen and then return with you to Timbercrest on your schedule.

I expect I will remind you each week to include Carl in your travel plans when it makes sense to you. You can simple call or email me or phone Carl to set up the trip. My observation is that we are traveling often enough to provide a fairly regular ride for Carl.

If this raises any questions or reactions , please let me know. In the meantime I will look forward to our continuing serving Carl and Doreen in this more informal way.

Right of Passage

by Clay
You may remember the first time you got to mow the yard, at least I do. It was a highly anticipated and memorable moment when grandpa trusted me enough to let me MOW! And he allowed me to help years before my dad did.

Here's a video of Cameron's first experience mowing this past weekend. He's quite excited about it.



(That high pitched whine is me using the leaf blower in the garage.)

Planning for the Future

by Judy

Judy picked up Carl in North Manchester, and the two of them visited with Doreen today. After getting help with a kind family driving who helped Judy change a flat tire, she stopped at Timbercrest and helped to set up some new telephone and clock equipment for Carl. Then they surprised Doreen, who didn’t know they were coming.

The reports had been that Doreen was making great progress at the Rehab Hospital, and Judy felt that was accurate. Therapy sessions were done for the day, but Doreen was choosing TV channels and resting. The things that Judy noticed were that she smiled spontaneously more often than before, that she seemed more aware of what was happening and when, and she seemed to have a broader picture. Judy and Doreen worked on filling out a survey form related to Covington Manor (the place she was in for two months, lasting until two weeks ago), and Doreen seemed to be able to separate the experience there from the current experience and reflected very realistically on her reactions.

An exciting advancement is that the stomach tube has finally been removed! Doreen said that the doctor just “pulled it out.” She said there was some pain for about one minute, but then it was fine. So now she has two belly buttons, but the tube is gone!

One clarification involved the broken bone from the fall a couple of weeks ago. Apparently the broken bone was the bottom knuckle on the index finger of the right hand. The knuckle is still somewhat swollen and sore, but everyone hopes that the splint will be removed on Dec. 1 when she sees the orthopedist again. Doreen said that, if the splint is not taken away, she will ask if it can be taken off at least when she eats. That planning and suggestion is a great indication of Doreen taking charge of some of her care.

Crosswords are very important to Doreen at this point. She wants to do them as often as possible, and she continues to improve her abilities. She has been able to give answers to the puzzles at times throughout the last six months, but she is now able to remember recent clues and anticipate how the words may cross each other. And she still does it almost entirely in her head, because it is hard to her to see the grid and the clues. Her eyes are improving, though. She read most of a card that Judy brought, but after reading a couple of paragraphs, she seemed to lose her place or find it difficult to focus.

Doreen also continues to talk about going home and wanting to do things related to her old life, but that reflection is no longer as unrealistic and impractical as before. She no longer thinks she slept in people’s homes, that she will be going to the National Older Adults Conference when she has not yet slept anywhere besides a hospital or treatments center, or asking where she should get gas tomorrow so she can drive home. Now when she talks about going home, she says she would like to be in her home again for a little while, but she realizes it wouldn’t be like before. She wants to talk about Christmas plans, but she is planning for events at Timbercrest rather than Elgin or Camp Emmaus.

There was quite a bit of discussion about the progress she is making. There was clearly a smile when she heard about what others thought she had achieved, but she also talked about how she wished it were faster. She has come a long way, but she adds that she has a long way to go.

Birthday with Daniel

by Daniel Myers-Bowman (freshman at Manchester College)

On Sunday, I helped Grandpa Carl celebrate his birthday by taking him to visit Doreen in Ft. Wayne. A friend of mine was kind enough to lend us a car. We spent much of the day doing crosswords, which seem to be getting much easier for her. For Carl's birthday dinner, we brought in some Chinese food, which we all enjoyed very much. Doreen's condition gets better every time I see her. The Rehab hospital is able to meet all of her needs quite well, from what I could tell. The nurses responded very quickly whenever she needed help, and treat her with great care. I think she is in a good place for now, while we wait for her to be able to move to Timbercrest.

Birthday Greetings

(The photo at right was taken during Carl and Doreen's 60th anniversary celebration during the summer of 2007.)

Tomorrow, Sunday, November 16, is Carl's birthday. If you get the chance, you can post a message here for him to read. My guess is that he'll be in church in the morning then headed to Fort Wayne to visit Doreen. All of us want to express our appreciation for all the support and encouragement you've given dad over the past 5 1/2 months.

Progress and Patience

November 9 & 10, 2008
by Judy

(Doreen is pictured here with her roommate for the past several weeks.)
Another move! As of yesterday, Monday November 10, Doreen has moved to Lutheran Rehabilitation Hospital of Fort Wayne. We saw this as an exciting move ahead, but Doreen was not so sure. (This blog entry focuses on Judy’s experience with Doreen on Sunday and Monday morning.)

On Sunday Judy drove from Lafayette to see Doreen and help her pack. She arrived a little while before supper and found Doreen alert and visiting with fellow residents. Doreen was concerned about getting food for Judy and asked the staff to order a tray. Although the food was less than special, it was good to share the meal, and nice to see Doreen interested in taking care of other people’s needs. Doreen did well with feeding herself much of the time, although her movements were somewhat spastic and jerky. She was pleased that she didn’t spill anything! The splint on her right hand (from the fall and break from a couple of weeks ago) was largely responsible for the awkwardness.

Judy had not seen her mother for two weeks, and the change was remarkable! She moved around much more accurately and comfortably, she was talking well and sitting a bit more calmly, and she seemed to be much closer to the old Doreen. But she still has a long way to go!

Judy packed things and helped Doreen with crossword puzzles. She did very well with medium-level puzzles and wanted to keep working on them. She also asked to look at greeting cards as they were taken off the wall.

When Judy first called to say that she was coming, Doreen asked some questions about the move to the Rehab Hospital. She had talked with some former residents who said that they had been at the rehab hospital and that the staff make the residents work really hard. So Doreen asked if they would make her go to the bathroom alone and get herself in and out of bed alone. She was worried that she would be expected to do things she didn’t feel she was capable of doing. That nervousness was also an issue when she asked if she would get any help with eating. It seems that she doesn’t remember much of anything from her earlier stay at the Rehab Hospital, except maybe that she wasn’t ready to be there and felt pushed beyond her limits.

On Monday morning, Judy and Carl arrived at Covington Manor to get ready for the move. After packing up last-minute items, having an exit interview with someone from social services, getting discharge papers from the nurses, and taking one more trip to the “lost clothing room” (where we found none of her missing items), Doreen and Carl were picked up by the Rehab Hospital van, and Judy drove behind. We arrived at the hospital at the same time as Linda, who was coming from Illinois. Items were stored in drawers and the admissions and nursing staff asked questions. Then it was time for lunch and a very different dining room. Then the baton was passed to Linda.

November 1 update

November 1
by Judy, Karen, & Linda

DOREEN’S RECENT “ADVENTURE”
On Monday, October 27, Judy got a call from Covington Manor that Mom had fallen out of her wheelchair. The report was that she hit her head and had a bump on her arm. They were taking her to the ER at Lutheran Hospital to be checked out, since a bump on the head was not something to ignore following 4 brain surgeries.

Judy headed to Ft. Wayne, picked up Dad in North Manchester, and the two of them traveled on to Covington Manor. When they arrived, they noticed that she had a splint on her arm. There was a bruise on her left temple, but the more significant outcome of the fall was that she caught herself with her right hand and broke a bone—the thumb bone closest to the wrist. The splint goes all the way up to her elbow, so it is rather awkward. But neither the head nor the arm was causing her a significant amount of pain.

The story of the fall is that Mom wanted to watch TV, but she dropped the list of channels. She bent over in her wheelchair to pick it up off the floor, and she fell out, hitting her head against the open bathroom door and catching herself with her hand. Like the last time she fell, she said, “I did a dumb thing.” Her roommate was gone when she fell, and there were no staff members in the room, so she scooted on the floor on her back up to the door to let someone know she needed help. Her chair alarm was going off, too, so she did get help. The fact that she could respond that quickly to ask for help is a very good sign!

Mom saw an orthopedic doctor on Wednesday and was told she will have to wear the splint for several weeks while the bone heals. We are pleased that it is a splint rather than a cast. It is removable for showering, etc. It makes it difficult to feed herself, but they have made special utensils available to her and she is able to feed herself.

During the rest of that day (Monday), much time was spent with crossword puzzles. We had hoped that therapists and activity staff would do puzzles with Mom regularly since we brought up that activity at the last Care Plan conference, but that has happened only twice. On Monday, Judy and Mom (with some contributions from Dad) completed 3—one easy, one medium, and one hard. Mom is still having difficulties with double vision, so all of her contributions to the puzzle completion were done verbally, but she is still capable of “seeing” the puzzles in her mind!

Monday evening Judy and Dad stayed until Mom got in bed. She was given two Tylenol PM, so she should have slept well that night, and we hope that the awkward splint was not too annoying. She would like to always have someone there when she goes to sleep. The family wishes we could fulfill that request.

NEXT STEP: TIMBERCREST?
On Tuesday morning, Judy joined 5 members of the Timbercrest staff/administration to discuss their current thinking regarding admitting Mom and to talk about Dad’s living situation. Karen and Linda joined the meeting by telephone conference call. Although we were hoping for a final decision, Timbercrest was not ready for that yet, but they did say are willing to admit Mom—just not quite yet. They generally do not admit residents directly to health care, but their census there is down right now. However, they have a few long-term residents who may need the open beds because they are facing health care issues. They said that they will be in touch with us in two weeks, if not before. And they still did not guarantee that we would know for sure in two weeks.

There was also discussion about Dad. The family reported that they think he is doing very well there and that his functioning has improved along with his sense of well-being since he has been a resident. Timbercrest is ready to admit him as a permanent resident, but we will not take that step until it is sure that Mom can join him at Timbercrest.

We are all hopeful that we are getting closer to finding a permanent, shared home for Mom and Dad. The support and positive thoughts sent that direction are very much appreciated!

Family Fun Time (with video!)

It's been a long time since we posted an update: sorry for the delay. Karen, Linda and Judy are all back to work and don't see Mom and Dad very often. Plus, their situations have stabilized somewhat so there are fewer changes to report. However, this makes for a L-O-N-G entry this time.
by Linda, Judy, Karen

DOREEN’S FIRST FIELD TRIPS – OCT. 10 & 12
Last weekend was homecoming weekend for Manchester College and much of the family was able to gather in North Manchester. Karen, Clay and Cameron drove in from Kansas. Amanda and Aaron flew in from New York. Linda and Lee drove in from Elgin and picked up Parker in Chicago on their way. Judy and Dick drove in from Lafayette. Daniel is living in North Manchester as a student at the college. (Unfortunately, Kelsey, living in New Jersey, was not able to take time off from her new job and Stephen and Cosmo were not able to join us from California.)

For the first time since her brain hemorrhage, Mom got to go on a field trip! On Friday afternoon Karen and Clay took her from Ft. Wayne to North Manchester and she was able to see Carl’s apartment at Timbercrest Retirement Community for the first time. She enjoyed being there and immediately (within a few minutes) asked to sit in her recliner that had been brought from home, falling asleep within minutes (or so we thought: see video at end of post). Dad, Mom, Karen, and Clay had supper in a Timbercrest dining room, and then joined the rest of the family at a concert at Manchester College. The MC choir and band were joined by alumni. The choir included Daniel—a current choir member, Amanda—a 2003 alum, and Judy—a 1975 alum. It was a fun experience and Dad loved being able to show off his "date" to the many, many friends who greeted Mom.

She enjoyed the concert, but got restless pretty quickly. She is dealing with a sort of “restless body syndrome.” She often “rocks” back and forth in the wheelchair and/or asks to be walked around. By the end of the evening, she was tired, but felt good about the visit and wished she didn’t have to go back to the rehab center. On the way back to Covington Manor with Clay and Judy, she asked Judy to work on a crossword puzzle with her. She said that would help her relax, but she wanted to be left with a challenging clue so she would have something to think about as she went to sleep! For the entire 40 minute drive, Judy would read a clue and indicate how many letters were in the answer. It was amazing how many times mom would know the answer almost immediately. (She would often beat me to the answer: Clay)

On Sunday, Judy and Karen picked up Mom early so that she could be in North Manchester in time for church. She sat in her wheelchair in the back because she needed to move her chair back and forth or be walked around, but she appreciated the sermon and was again greeted by a long line of friendly and supportive people. After leaving church we went to Timbercrest for lunch. 13 family members and the five members of the Borgmann family (Kurt is pastor at the Manchester church and the son of Egon, an exchange student who lived with the Myers family in the 1950s) shared lunch, fellowship, and stories in Dad’s apartment and the lounge on Dad’s wing. Mom could sit in her recliner, watch TV, laugh at grandchildren, or sleep. We just “hung out,” and it felt good. Mom did very well and hopes to be with her family more often, but it was very difficult for her to go back to Covington to be alone again.

MOM’S “CONDITION”
Mom is having some challenges keeping her spirits up. She says she gets lonely at Covington. She also has begun to realize that she will not be able to do all the things she used to do. She told Karen, “I miss my life – I really loved my life!” It will come as no surprise to anyone who knows her that she feels like she needs to plan something. And she misses Elgin. While we are sad that she feels sad, this is a step forward. Even a few weeks ago, she was not truly aware enough of the situation to be sad. This is a great indication that her brain is healing!

On Friday afternoon (Oct. 10), Karen, Clay, and Judy attended a Care Plan meeting at Covington Manor for Mom. Some helpful information was shared, but the meeting was also rather frustrating for us, because the information we receive can be inconsistent. While her swallow study came back with the “all clear,” she is still having some trouble with occasional gagging. She is eating a regular diet but is quite tired of the limited selection (especially because she does not eat red meat and often ends up with a micro-waved and rubbery piece of chicken).

As those of you who facilitate Carl’s visits with her know, she often asks for fast food as a treat. She will then eat with gusto and enthusiasm – quite entertaining to watch. She will now and then announce she is done in the middle of her meal and then suddenly attack her meal again with verve. They have no good explanation for any of this.

During the Care Plan meeting, the staff reported what they called “impulsive” actions in her behavior. While she is doing very well with moving herself in the wheelchair with her feet, she does not steer accurately nor look carefully to be sure she will not run over something or someone. Earlier in the week, when she had been left by herself in the bathroom, she got impatient and decided to stand up on her own. Unfortunately, she fell and hit her head. Another report was that some aspects of her behavior are inconsistent—she is sometimes eager for working during therapy and other times wants to slack off. These concerns seem to hinge on her inability to consider consequences of her actions. As a result of the damage to her brain, she exists so much in the moment.

Concerns that the family has are: 1) this rather “negative” assessment of Mom’s behavior, 2) the lack of understanding of brain injury this seems to show, and 3) inconsistency and a seeming lack of coordination in the treatment at Covington Manor. In addition to the situations we described above, at the Care Plan meeting, the staff said that the PEG tube was no longer being used for feeding. However, that evening, a nurse came in the room with a bag of the “food” for administering overnight. We questioned her, and she looked at the chart and said that there was no order to stop the feeding. Apparently she was being fed through the PEG tube every night. We brought this inconsistency to the attention of the administration. Since then they have suspended the feeding and we have declined any further use of the tube. We wonder why and how often there is miscommunication.

THE FUTURE?
Considering our concerns, we are anxious to move Mom into a situation that is more supportive and with which we feel more confident about the level of care. Therefore, on Friday, Oct. 10, Karen met with administrators at Timbercrest to make the formal request of moving Mom there. She will need skilled nursing care and rehabilitation, so it will not work to have Mom and Dad in the same room yet, but it will be great to have them in the same community. We were told that there are some openings in the healthcare unit there and that they would evaluate the situation to determine whether Mom can make the move. The Director of Nursing visited Covington Manor on Thursday to review and evaluate Mom’s condition and needs. The administrative staff will meet on Monday to discuss what she found.

We should hear by the beginning of this week whether Mom may move to Timbercrest. It would be wonderful for Mom and Dad. He would be able to walk down the hallway to visit her! We are counting on everyone to send your thoughts, prayers, suggestions, and support in that direction.


The video is of Carl reading mom a letter he had received from Howard Royer. Near the end, even though it appears that she is sleeping, she asks in a shallow voice: "Who wrote that?" Listen all the way to the end!)

Weekly Update

September 20, 2008
by Judy

On Saturday Judy, Daniel, and Carl visited Doreen. They discovered that Doreen had a new hairdo. Doreen said that she had her hair cut a couple of weeks ago, but Carl said Saturday was the first time he saw the style. Which one was accurate? Only her hairdresser knows for sure…

Doreen's intestinal challenges continued, but the elevated temperature was gone. She did have several tests on Wednesday. The nurses said that the only thing that was found was a urinary tract infection (UTI). They explained that UTIs in the elderly can have lots of other impacts, many of which Doreen showed. In addition, one nurse explained that the move away from the tube-feeding also could result in some of the intestinal discomfort. So hopefully things will improve as Doreen's body adjusts!

Because some of the therapy sessions were cancelled during the week due to Doreen's exhaustion and discomfort, she had some sessions on Saturday. Some happened before the family arrived Saturday, and the report was that she had worked hard. Later in the afternoon, the family watched as she rode a bike. It is a machine that can measure how much work is being done by each leg. The challenge is for the rider to make the bars on the display even. Doreen rode for 20 minutes. The substitute therapist was surprised that it looked like the left leg was stronger than the right. She thought that Doreen had a stroke that had affected the left side. Judy explained that the event was a brain hemorrhage rather than a stroke, and that Doreen had alternated between the right side and the left side being stronger from one time to another.

Then Doreen sat in her wheelchair, put her hands on her knees, leaned forward, and tried to lift a leg to move the foot in and out a few inches. It was hard work, and she tried to use her hand to help now and then, but there is definite progress occurring!

The discussion with the therapist seemed to lead Doreen to need to talk again about what had happened to her. So she and Judy discussed the brain hemorrhage again. We have all learned a lot about the issues, but this stretches the understanding of all of us!

Saturday's food request was Wendy's, so Daniel and Judy brought in food, and the four ate together in Doreen's room. She ate well, but not much, because she was dealing with some stomach cramps and didn't want to overdo it. At supper, Carl sat with her and helped her eat. The appetite stimulant has been discontinued, though, because the problem doesn't seem to be appetite any more. Unfortunately, some gagging has reoccurred, but hopefully that is just temporary.

(FYI: the Myers-Bowman family will be traveling to N. Manchester for MC Homecoming festivities on October 10-12. We'd love the opportunity to see friends during the day on Saturday. We're hoping to get there in time to hear Daniel and the A Capella Choir on Friday night. We'll also be spending time with mom in Ft. Wayne and trying to visit my new grand niece!- Clay)

Weekly Update

Sept. 17 Update
by Judy

None of us has been to see Dad or Mom in person for a few days, but we have gotten some reports to post here. The reports come from staff at Covington Manor and from Dad by phone.

First, an exciting advancement occurred on Monday. Mom was taken to St. Joseph hospital for a swallow study. That involves sensors and X-rays to make sure things are going where they are supposed to go when she swallows. The study gave her a high grade—she is swallowing fine. So…she no longer needs thickening in everything she drinks! She can have regular thin tea, regular milk, water, and all other sorts of ordinary drinks. Hurray! She has been very patient with nectar-thick liquids, but she was really ready to move on!

A call from Covington Manor this morning indicated that Mom is eating well as long as she gets help. They stopped feeding her through the feeding tube last week, because she had been saying that she wasn’t hungry at mealtime. Apparently, that decision was a good one. She is eating better. One nurse said she fed Mom all weekend and that she ate virtually her entire meals as long as she had assistance with her meals. The Center wants to monitor Mom’s weight for another week and make sure she is stabilized before they remove the tube, but we may be getting close to the time that we can get rid of that thing!

Dad’s report from today was that Mom was weak and had extra problems with tremors and weakness in her arms, so more tests were done to identify the source of the problems. We will pass the results on when we know them.

Dad is doing well at Timbercrest, but he really would rather be in the same place as Mom. He has enjoyed movies and other programs, and he reports that it is a very supportive and family-oriented place. He has help with his medications and his eyedrops and gets lots of attention. If only we could find a place for both Mom and Dad to be under the same roof! Both of them have expressed that they have been lonely. The visits help, but we all want more for them. Thanks for the cards and messages. That all helps!

Weekend Update

Saturday, Sept. 6
By Doreen (as told to Judy)

Doreen asked Judy to contact Clay to update the blog. (Note that she has not seen the blog much, but she knows about it and wants to keep it updated. We are looking forward to the day that she can write her own updates!) Judy asked what she thought should be reported on the blog, and below is what Doreen listed:

She walked about 100 feet using the walker on Friday. She also took about 60 steps through the parallel bars with minimal support. She wanted to tell you all that the therapist said that she was making exercises look easy that other people in her situation find really difficult.

She has used the T-Stim (an electronic stimulation tool to stimulate particular muscles with electrodes) a couple of times to improve her swallowing. She thought it was helping.
She is eating well, but she is getting a little tired of some of the food!

Judy’s report:
Mom is clearly getting stronger. The transfers from bed to wheelchair and back are smoother all the time. She requires only minimal lifting and assistance (depending on how tired she is at the moment). We took some walks in the hall, and she “walked” the wheelchair part of the time, but she does have to work extra-hard to get her left leg to do an equal amount of pushing.

On Saturday, Mom’s eyes were closed much of the time again, and she seemed quite tired. It may be that she needed to catch up from, working hard over the course of the week, or maybe she had not slept well the night before. She did express some frustration with being isolated from everyone, because she doesn’t have a phone. She does have a phone in the room, but she can’t reach it easily and would have difficulty with dialing and holding the receiver to her ear. Judy called some family members on her cell phone and let Doreen talk for a while. It helps for her to feel connected. The cards help with that, too.

Again, thank you for your continuing support. It makes a difference for all of us as we struggle through the uncertainty of the future.

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Weekend Update

Tuesday, September 2, 2008
by Clay

Karen, Cameron, and I returned late last night from a long weekend in Indiana. Our primary activity was to drop Daniel off at Manchester College for the start of his first year. We also spent lots of time with Carl and Doreen. Karen and her sisters are working on getting a much more thorough update, but I thought I'd give you a few observations, for a change.

The photo to the right really tells the whole story. It was taken after a walk outside with Carl and Daniel. Realizing that the sun was very bright, the only sunglasses available were ones that I use for running and biking. Doesn't Doreen look spiffy? At the time I took the photo, she was very tired from the walk: foot rests were forgotten and she needed to either pull herself along or lift her legs. I'm sure her abs and quads were sore the next day. She said that she really enjoyed being outside for a change and appreciated being able to just sit comfortably.

The other highlight (two really) was Doreen's appetite. I'm sure Karen will have a much more detailed account, but on Saturday, we brought in food from Taco Bell and ate with Doreen in a conference room. She exhibited a tremendous zeal in eating her chicken taco salad, chips, and cinnamon crisps. On Sunday, the family ordered Chinese food and ate together in a room adjoining the one from the previous day. The photo here is Daniel helping mom with balancing her food on the spork (a nearly useless utensil when eating a salad).



Talk about zeal!!! Doreen seemed to attack the noodles and other food with abandon (exhibiting little of her former decorum). According to Karen, her sisters, and Carl, they've not seen Doreen eat so much food since the hemorrhage.

Karen and I won't be returning to Indiana until Manchester's homecoming on October 11th. As Doreen continues her progress, your cards and visits will help fill in the gaps and keep Doreen focused and engaged in her recovery. Thanks for all the kind words and thoughts.

Monday Update

August 25, 2008
By Judy

Today was another moving day, but this one was a move to a lot more independence! First, Doreen and Judy made the trip in her Honda. Nurse Sally wheeled her to the car and helped her into the passenger seat. Everyone said goodbyes. The seat belts were fastened, and Doreen held a small jar of flowers in her hands during the whole trip (almost half an hour).

After arriving at Covington Manor, a nurse from Covington Manor transferred her to a wheelchair again, and Doreen entered the rehab center. This center feels much less like a hospital and more like a place to work and socialize. The therapy room was full of people working hard on large and small muscles. When Judy left at lunchtime, residents were seated (many in wheelchairs) around square tables, waiting for their meals to be served.

The meals come on trays, but the staff serves the food to the residents like in a restaurant. Doreen’s concern was whether someone would help her eat. The lunch attendant assured her she would get help. It appears, though, that the participants are expected to do as much as they can for themselves. Apparently Doreen was expected to transport herself to and from meals. That is great exercise, but she may need to have a little more supervision at this point. At supper she had spilled some tea on herself. When she got back to her room, she fell from her wheelchair as she tried to change her pants. She didn’t get hurt, but the procedures will be a little more supervised for a while!

Doreen is in a semi-private room, but she does not have a roommate at this point. Visitors are welcome, but it would be good to coordinate and make sure that there are not too many visitors at once. And some of the visit may consist of watching therapy sessions, because much of her day will be spent in that way. Meals are at 8, 12, and 6.

Over the next couple of days, Carl’s younger brother Dick and wife Barbara will be visiting, so that will another fun distraction and also a reminder about the motivations for the work. Next weekend many families will be together for Labor Day and wishing Daniel a good send-off to Manchester College.

Sunday Update

August 24, 2008
By Judy and Linda

My, my, my! What a whirlwind of emotion and activity this weekend. Mom's sudden improvements meant finding a new "home" after the acute care hospital that she no longer needs. She is more alert and conversant than we have seen her in a lo-o-ong time. Several skilled nursing facilities were toured so we could make an informed choice about moving Mom to more extensive rehabilitation and therapy services. We settled on the rehabilitation unit at Covington Manor at 5700 Wilke Road off west Jefferson in Ft. Wayne. It was difficult to decide from many wonderful options. We realized we could search and search for the perfect match forever. We opted to make a decision that was as good as possible in the time we had and relied on input from many sources before choosing a very respected facility for the next stage of Doreen's therapy. Covington came highly recommended and feels like a good next step. Judy will move her in (by transporting her in her car!—another first) on Monday morning.

We are excited to hear what the next accomplishments will be for Mom. At Covington Manor, they will not let her get away with asking to go back to bed. They do therapy 7 days a week, they expect residents to eat together in the dining room, and Mom will not be able to just ask to go back to bed without a lot of prodding and encouragement to keep working. They even have a Wii that is used for therapy!

We thought at first that this would be a step toward a more complete rehab facility, but this program is called Homeward Bound, and the expectation is that residents will go to their home setting after therapy here. So we hope this is the final address change before a final home that will bring Mom and Dad to the same address!

Dad has been enjoying Timbercrest. He has attended choir practice, has made a number of new friends and connected with many old ones, and is learning to negotiate the rhythms and routines of the Timbercrest community. There have been a few bumps in the road, but we hope to smooth those out.

One more thing we have done is to engage the services of a geriatric care specialist who will advocate for us and help to coordinate all the myriad services and agencies we still need to negotiate. Now that we all need to return to work and school, this specialist will also be able to be present when we can’t and can be a local person in case of emergencies. We wish we would have had this help earlier!

Let us know if you need more information about finding the new facility. And thanks to Jim Garber for helping to manage all your generous offers of help to carry Dad to see Mom!

Thursday Update

August 21
by Karen

We have had quite a flurry of phone calls over the last several days and lots of information has flowed between the professionals in Fort Wayne and the 3 Myers daughters! Last week (Aug. 13) we were told that the Progressive Hospital staff expected Mom to need about 3 more weeks of care in their facility before she would be ready to move to the next step in her journey. Yesterday (Aug. 20), when they called to update me about Mom's progress, they indicated that she had made remarkable progress over the last week and is ready to move to another facility now. Wow! We felt a bit of whiplash with that news. We are not ready yet! Where will she go?! How do we know what is best for her?!

We are currently investigating the options available for Mom's care. We have been advised that she needs to go to a skilled nursing facility for awhile in order to build her strength and stamina to the level needed for her to return to a rehabilitation hospital. (Of course, we are having to pay CLOSE attention to the Medicare rules and regulations now that Mom has been in care for 84 days!)

Linda and Judy will both head to North Manchester and Fort Wayne this weekend to visit the potential next homes for Mom. The choice needs to be made as soon as possible, because Mom needs to move by Monday or Tuesday next week at the latest.

Stay tuned for the next episode of Search for (Doreen's) Tomorrow...

P.S. I apologize for all of the exclamation points. I guess that communicates some of the intensity of the emotions we are feeling right now.

Saturday Update

August 16, 2008

On Friday, Carl had traveled to Progressive Hospital with good friends Dorotha and Joe Fry Mason. One of the positive aspects of the trip was that the doctor who had given such a gloomy prognosis several days before made a point to talk to Carl and say that he felt Doreen was doing very well and was making good progress. Carl wasn’t sure how much weight to put on that statement, but he appreciated the effort.

Judy and Dick traveled to North Manchester on Saturday to see Carl and to take him to see Doreen. They spent some time in the apartment to help get things arranged in a helpful and useful way and also did some shopping to get some helpful aids. After 3 ½ days in the apartment, Carl had an idea of some things that worked well and some other things that felt more awkward. It is challenging for someone who has not lived alone for decades to figure out how to manage schedules and spaces. Staff members at Timbercrest and all the family members have worked to find ways to accomplish that goal. And now that Carl has a phone, he feels that he can have contact with the people who are important to him. Contact a Myers family member if you would like his number. (And he has an answering machine, too.)

The trip to Ft. Wayne brought some new and welcome surprises. First, Doreen was behind the nurses’ station in a wheelchair when the family arrived. They said she had been singing for them. Apparently, she was singing Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, Jesus Loves Me, Amazing Grace, and some other selections. Although therapists do not come to the hospital on the weekends, this adventure served a therapeutic function. Singing exercises the vocal cords, and those muscles are closely related to muscles that control swallowing.

Another surprise was that Doreen had eaten two bowls of soup overnight. She couldn’t tell the family what kind of soup it was, though, because she didn’t remember eating it, but the accomplishment was clearly documented by the nurses. They also told the family that Doreen is now at the “one-person assist” level when getting in and out of bed and when using the bedside facilities. They said that she could almost do that alone if her balance was better. So she is getting stronger and we are moving ahead!

The family helped Doreen with supper, and the eating was not as good, although one nurse challenged her to eat two more bites after she thought she was full. This was a step up from the old challenge to eat one more bite. Actually, Doreen ate three more—of apples with peanut butter. And the wit was still sharp. When Judy asked the question she used to ask her children—“Do you want me to cut your sandwich into triangles or rectangles?” Doreen answered “Hexagons.” No, Judy did not do that.

One of the things that Judy and Dick had brought along was in response to an earlier request. She had asked if they could bring a copy of a video of Aaron and Amanda (Judy and Dick’s children) singing “The Prayer.” They had done that as a duet at Amanda’s senior recital at Manchester in 2003. After Doreen watched the DVD on a laptop computer, she said, “I will use the same statement my father used [after his great-grandchildren gave a Christmas program for the family]—It’s as close as you can get to heaven without being there.” Family means so much to Doreen, and so do friends. Thank you for being there for her and for Carl.

Tuesday Update

August 12, 2008
by Judy

Today is primarily an update on Carl. This is the day when he became a Timbercrest resident. He is now living in B-7 of the community. He had medical exams and packed all the things that he had with him at the Bucher Bed & Breakfast (thanks for all the wonderful hospitality there!) and unpacked them in his new apartment. He found the Rose Garden dining room and began to learn the procedures there, met the nursing support staff, and even emptied his wastebaskets (after a few hours of being there). He has had greetings and visitors, and has already had an invitation to deliver a message at a worship service. This will be a wonderful home for him! We hope Doreen will join him soon.

Now that the Myers daughters are gone from N. Manchester for the next days, it will be important for others to help Carl visit Doreen. We are very grateful that Jim Garber offered to coordinate the schedule of those people who are willing to make that trip from Timbercrest to Progressive Hospital in Ft. Wayne. As we have said, the visits should generally be short. Now that Carl is in his new residential setting, he will need to notify the food service if he will miss a meal, and it is asked that he notify them 24 hours in advance. So a trip in the middle of the morning or afternoon would be fine. Three or four visits a week would be great. Please let Jim Garber or us know if you are willing to help with these trips.

Tomorrow’s update will provide more information on Doreen.

Sunday & Monday Update

August 10 and 11, 2008
by Judy

On Sunday, Carl and Judy attended the Manchester church and then enjoyed being taken to dinner by a friend before going to the hospital. When they arrived, they found that Doreen was being fed the full 75 cc's an hour through the stomach tube. She was tolerating the process well. Her interest in food had not continued to grow, though. She was back to eating a few bites a meal, and she was not talking about cravings. This easily could have been because she was getting fed constantly through the PEG tube, so her stomach was full. Judy asked if the feeding through the tube could be stopped during meals, but the nurses said that the orders were for continuous feeding, and they could not change that. But they did say that they would pass our request on to the doctor, and some hinted that they agreed with our request.

Doreen was going back to wearing more normal clothes and fewer hospital gowns, so Carl and Judy went shopping for some more simple lounging clothes. They also looked for something that would meet the need of the latest request from Doreen--chocolate-covered, peanut-butter-filled pretzels. She insisted that she had found them the day before and that we just need to get them out of the cabinet. Actually, she had found them in May and brought them along on her trip to Indiana. The rest of us enjoyed that fact, and we finished eating those snacks a while ago. (Little did we know that we would get "caught.") But we looked for something simlar.

On Monday, Carl and Judy arrived in the morning shortly before the physical therapist. He worked on rolling back and forth, seeing if Doreen could do that on her own. He said she did much better than before, but that kind of motion is problemmatic for her. It causes her to feel some dizziness and vertigo. But she did not vomit, and she has not done so for a few days. That is getting better!

The doctor was also doing rounds when the family arrived, so Judy talked with him about the idea of stopping the feedings during mealtime to encourage appetite and the eating of regular food. His first response was that he would not do that, because she needed the feeding. He said he had done this many times, and that he knew better than we did. Judy said that he knew the medicine better than the family did, but that she knew Doreen better, and the she had seen interest in food in the past few days for the first time in weeks, and she wanted to take advantage of that. The doctor said that he would do whatever we wanted, but made it clear he thought it was wrong. Judy then asked how long he anticipated Doreen would be in Progressive, and he said she would be there for 25 days. She asked what kind of placement he thought she would be ready for when she left, and he said that she would need skilled nursing care for the rest of her life and suggested that she would not get much better than she is now. He said that she has severe brain damage. Unfortunately, Carl had walked up during this conversation and heard the doctor's statement.

These statements contradicted what we have heard from almost every other professional we have come in contact with. Yes, there was clearly brain trauma, and there will likely be lasting brain damage of some kind. But everyone has said that it will take a long time to find out what kind of damage has been done, and recovery is a very slow process. There is always hope, and hope is one of the most powerful medicines Doreen can receive at this time. Judy was not willing to accept the doctor's prognosis, but Carl was devastated by it and started to second-guess his decision to move into Timbercrest.

Judy talked to Carl afterward and pointed out that she felt those were very irresponsible statements. Some of the staff talked to Judy and Carl to check out how those statements had been received and also to point out that they were seeing real progress and didn't agree with the doctor, either. Kurt Borgmann came to visit, and he also talked about the long recovery and progress with his father after his auto accident and brain injury in March. He has seen amazing but slow and steady progress in his father and reminded us that progress is still be in our future. Later, the hospital administrator and head nurse had a conference with Carl and repeated many of the same reassuring comments. As frustrated and angry as we were with the doctor's comments, the responses and support from the rest of the staff were affirming and hopeful.

All three therapists--physical, occupational, and speech--came while Carl and Judy were there. Although Doreen had her eyes closed again for much of the day, she did very well in all of her therapies. She continues to amaze everyone with her memory. As Judy was filling out forms, Doreen was able to provide phone numbers, e-mail addresses, and zip codes from memory, impressing the speech therapist. During her speech therapy, she was building her speech and swallowing muscles by yawning, puckering, and smiling in succession. She had done that for a while when she called for Carl. He wasn't in the room at that moment, but Judy went to get him. When he came in, she used her index finger to beckon him. He asked what she wanted as he stood next to her, and she said, "I don't want all this puckering to be for nothing" He gave her a kiss, saying the first one was her idea, but then gave her another, saying it was his idea. Doreen did have a couple of food requests again--bagels, and lettuce spread with peanut butter.

Tuesday is the day for Carl to have a physical exam and to move into Timbercrest Retirement Community. It will probably not be possible to fit in a visit to Ft. Wayne. Wednesday, Judy needs to be at work in Lafayette. So we are counting on the loving hands of the Manchester community in Timbercrest and beyond to support and nurture Carl and Doreen and provide them with opportunities for contact. We will share information here in this forum by Tuesday evening or Wednesday about how the support will be coordinated. We rejoice in the way we have been enveloped in this caring community. Once again, thank you!

Saturday Update

Saturday, August 9, 2008

 

Carl was not feeling well today, so Judy went to Ft. Wayne alone and let him rest and recover some level of strength. Other than that, this was a great day! Doreen was alert and very conversant. She complained of a little discomfort now and then in her stomach—especially when coughing and sneezing, but that makes sense after a surgical procedure. We referred to the stomach tube as an umbilical cord, and it serves much of the same function. But, as Doreen said, “they probably wouldn’t want to take stem cells from this one.”

 

The hospital personnel started the tube feeding overnight. They are giving her something very similar to baby formula. They pour it in a bag that that infulses the formula through a tube that looks like an IV tube, but it connects to her stomach tube (also called PEG tube). She was getting 30 cc’s an hour at first, but because she was tolerating it well, it was bumped up to 45 cc’s.

 

The best news of the day is that something seems to have stimulated Doreen’s appetite. Judy didn’t get the full story regarding the oatmeal that was requested yesterday, but Doreen did say that she got oatmeal either for supper or for breakfast. Judy tried to help Doreen eat her lunch, but she didn’t want much. Then she started talking about Chinese food. She seemed really hungry for that. The nurses checked with the kitchen, and they didn’t have anything like that available. Judy and Carl had been to a nearby Chinese restaurant the night before, though, so Judy suggested she make a run to get carry-out. Doreen then said that we should make a list. She came up with 5 dishes that we should get. Judy asked how many people we were feeding, and Doreen said she wasn’t sure. It ended up that Judy got 3 dishes, and Doreen wanted chopsticks, too. The bedside table was set up so that both of them could eat together, and Doreen probably had a half cup of food. She fed herself some of it with chopsticks (although she needed a little help)! When she was done, she said that she just didn’t want any more, but she also said it was very good. Some of the leftover food was put in the refrigerator for other meals or snacks. The daughter of another patient a few doors down had had the same experience with her mother, a woman who was not eating but who ended up eating 2/3rds of her daughter’s Italian carry-out meal. This trend doesn’t say much for the hospital food, but it provides a great strategy!

 

Doreen watched several events of the Olympics. Before Judy arrived, she was watching some of the equestrian events and was telling the hospital staff about how her father used to show Tennessee Walking Horses. She also watched some swimming, women’s saber fencing, and basketball. When she wasn’t watching TV or sleeping, she talked about needing a motorized wheelchair to attend the National Older Adult Conference; unfortunately, that conference occurs in two weeks, and she will clearly not be able to attend. Her response to hearing that she won’t be able to go was some frustration and also some puzzlement about the timing of everything. When Judy explained that Doreen really needed to work on sitting up to be able to do all the things she wants to do in a wheelchair, she said, “then I will work really hard on those exercises.”

 

After the dinner in the room, Doreen seemed to be exhausted. She fell deeply asleep. But after two days of her talking about food in a positive light, we are all encouraged and hope to see more steady changes. Once we stoke that engine again, though, we better watch out!

 

One final note—we heard from Timbercrest that Carl may move in on Tuesday after his doctor’s appointment. It will be great for him to be in a place of his own where he doesn’t feel that he is in someone else’s way—even though we have been welcomed with very open arms and treated like family. The hospitality has been genuine and humbling. We feel we have made new friends and have gained new family members. But it has always felt temporary. This move will allow Carl to begin to feel that he is home. And we look forward to continuing the strong new (and on-going) relationships as we move to another stage!

Wednesday-Friday Update

Wednesday-Friday, August 6-8, 2008

 

On Wednesday, Judy needed to be in Lafayette, and Carl spent the day with friends in North Manchester. On Thursday, Carl was able to visit the hospital with Dorotha and Joe Fry Mason. The reports are that the therapy went very well both days.

 

Today (Friday) was the day for putting in a stomach tube to assist Doreen’s eating. Although we expected the procedure to be done at 10:30 a.m., we were told on Tuesday that the time was changed to 8:30. So we left North Manchester at 6:30 to get to the hospital by 7:30 to accompany Doreen. When we arrived, we found out that there were glitches in the plan, because Doreen apparently pulled out her PCC line overnight (although she was sure a nurse had done it—there was no record of that). Because the line was out, she did not get her IV nutrition most of the night. Because the IV nutrition is basically sugar water, it raises her blood-sugar level, which means she needs insulin. Because she did not get the IV nutrition beginning at 1:30 or so, she had gotten insulin she didn’t need, and her blood-sugar level was now too low. This is one of the benefits of the stomach tube—she should be able to get back to normal blood-sugar regulation!

 

After the hospital gave Doreen an injection of dextrose, we headed to another hospital (Parkview) to get the procedure done. When we got there, we ended up waiting a long time, until the doctor came to do the procedure at the time we were originally were told—10:30. But before they did the procedure, they found out the blood-sugar level was very low again, so they needed to give more dextrose. The procedure went very well, but it took a long time for Doreen to wake up. When she finally started to come back to the present, her blood-sugar had dropped again. But an advantage of that was that she did something she hadn’t done for weeks—talk about food! She talked about oatmeal and hash browns. (The hospital ordered oatmeal for her supper. We will ask tomorrow if she actually ate it.)

 

After talking with different doctors and trying other things, more dextrose was given, and Doreen really started to wake up, so after 6 ½ hours we got back to Progressive, even thought we expected the procedure and transport to take 45 minutes. Now we will see if the procedure will help with eating. She will still be able to take food by mouth, but they will provide a steady input of nutrition through the tube. If she takes enough by mouth, they can stop using the tube.

 

Carl and Judy will be able to visit daily for a few days now and will send updates as we see the progress.

 

Tuesday Update

Tuesday, August 5

 

Today Judy, Dick, and Carl continued to deal with some of the business issues with Carl’s prescriptions and preparing for the move to Timbercrest. Then we traveled to Ft. Wayne.

 

It was a fairly quiet day after a very noisy night. Storms moved through North Manchester around midnight, so the Bucher clan and Judy and Dick moved to the basement of the Bucher’s home for a while. The basement is where Carl has been sleeping, but he missed the party and didn’t even realize we had come down. But the storm passed without damage.

 

Apparently, Doreen had another bout of nausea during physical therapy in the morning, but no other problems with it during the rest of the day. Occupational therapy went very well and included an audience part of the time—the Buchers and two of their grandsons. Unfortunately, speech therapy did not go as well. After starting well with lip and vocal cord exercises, Doreen fell asleep and was not able to wake for the end of the therapy session. She had worked hard in the other sessions, so maybe it was just too much to expect another. Her eating was similar to the past several days—about 10-15 bites per meal. All of the therapists commented on improvements they had seen in the last several days, in spite of the struggles. Slow and steady progress….

 

The final plans were set for the surgery to insert a feeding tube. It will be done on Friday at 10:30 in Parkview Hospital. Doreen will be treated as an outpatient, getting the treatment and moving right back to Progressive. Hopefully, the tube will help to free her from the IV feedings, keep her blood sugar more balanced, and allow her to build more strength to complete her recovery.

 

We will now be moving into a new stage of routines and different levels of support from the family. Judy, Linda, and Karen need to get back to work and other family responsibilities. Judy will be able to be present during the surgery on Friday, but there will be days when none of the daughters will be available. We appreciate the caring from the larger community who have been visiting Doreen and supporting Carl. We hope Carl will be able to move into Timbercrest by next week, but there are still a few tasks to complete before then. We are deeply grateful to Darlene and Gordon Bucher for housing all of us during all of this time, and also for being a support system for Carl when the rest of the family is not available over the next several days.

 

Many of you have offered to transport Carl to Ft. Wayne to visit Doreen. Your generosity is welcome and humbling. We do have some requests regarding how the visiting should be handled, however. First, it is not necessary for Carl to visit every day. The visits can be emotionally exhausting, and growth and improvements are not as obvious with very frequent visits. Also, we ask that Carl not be left at the hospital alone. It would be best for those who are willing to transport him to take him for short time and remain with him during that time. It would be fine to take him along on other errands and activities during the trip. We all need to be reminded that there is another world outside of the hospital! If you are interested in helping with some of these trips, please coordinate those trips through a family member at this point. Later, we hope to have a small group of friends at Timbercrest who can serve in this role. And we sincerely hope it will not be too much longer before Doreen and Carl can be in the same location!

 

Look for the next post on Friday night after the surgery, unless something dramatic happens between then and how. Thanks for all of your continuing care and support!

Sunday & Monday Update

August 3 & 4

by Judy and Dick

(Judy and Dick thought they could bypass me and submit a post without getting their picture attached. They forgot that I'm the administrator of this blog! - Clay)

On Sunday, Judy and Carl went to church in Manchester, Karen and the boys drove back to Kansas, and Linda and Lee brought a truckload of furniture from Illinois. The apartment at Timbercrest looks great with chairs, a bed, end tables, and pictures on the walls (among many other things), and Lee and Linda did a great job of moving it into the truck and then into the apartment by themselves and arranging it as if it looks like it was always there. The Kansas group made it home in great time, and the church experience was very satisfying and included visits with many friends.

After church, Carl and Judy headed to Progressive to see Doreen. She was drowsy when they arrived, but seemed to perk up when the rest of the family arrived. The goal was for her to be awake when her brother Jay and his wife Peg arrived. They arrived right on the dot at 1:30, the appointed time. Actually, Doreen was anticipating the visit anxiously. During the night, she had squirmed out of bed, ended up on the floor, and pulled out her PCC line in the process. She thought she was going to her computer so she could catch up on the details of the visit. (She told us that she understood there was a lot of informaiton on the computer about Jay coming.) So we are still dealing with some confusion between dreams and reality, but she really was excited to see her brother!

Jay came with his cell phone and connected Doreen with her cousin Dot and her childhood and college friend who is also a Dot. He also came bearing gifts--a can of mandarine oranges. He has been reading the blog!

We had a great visit, and Doreen stayed aleart and witty during most of the time. She and Jay are not likely to stay away from teasing very long. As Carl, Jay, Peg, and Judy went to supper, Jay expressed how pleased he was to see how well Doreen was doing. It was a good day!

On Monday, Judy had an appointment in Lafayette, but Carl went with the Buchers to see his future apartment. He was pleased to see his furniture and to see how well things fit. They also worked on trying to get a physical exam set up for Carl so that he could be approved to move in. They didn't make much progress. When Judy and Dick arrived, she and Carl worked on some other issues with prescriptions, and the three of them stopped by Timbercrest to see the apartment and to get a copy of the form that needs to be completed. Then they went to Progressive to find Doreen fairly drowsy.

Monday had seen some good sessions with OT and PT and a more modest session with speech therapy. Lee and Linda visited when they dropped off the moving truck in Ft. Wayne. Doreen had eaten well--maybe 15 bites a meal and much of her tea. By the time the family arrived, she was pretty tired. Supper was not as successful. The family shared photos of the apartment with her, though, and she seemed interested, but had a hard time picturing it from the photos. A little later, she seemed to be thinking and quiet. Judy asked what she was thinking about, and she said she was thinking about what she wanted to do with the apartment. So she seems to be getting used to the idea of the move.

We also were told this evening that the decision has been made to do the stomach tube for feeding. We will find out tomorrow when that will be done. It feels discouraging, but there could be some positives. It may mean that she will not need the insulin shots that are necessary when she is given the dextrose through IV. And it may help her get her stomach in shape for more food. And it will mean she is not tied to an IV. So we continue with the slow and steady progress--keeping in mind that, though it be slow, it is steady.

Friday and Saturday Update

August 1 & 2
by Karen and Daniel

Friday was another sleepy day for Doreen. They gave her a sleeping pill once again last night; therefore, she could barely wake up throughout the day. Only one therapist came to try to work with her. An occupational therapist woke her up by sitting her on the side of the bed. She then worked with her balance and led her through some arm exercises. Mom/G'ma had a hard time staying awake, but she persevered as well as she could. She showed her sense of humor throughout the session by teasing Daniel -- and anyone else in the room. She did wake up some in the afternoon. She held conversations with us for awhile, but was still rather foggy most of the time. The CEO worked with Mom/G'ma during meals again. She continued to get Mom/G'ma to eat more bites than we probably would have been able to get in her.

Parker came to visit again late in the afternoon. He stayed with Dad/G'pa while we went to Camp Mack to pick up Cameron from his week there. They had a nice dinner together and ran a few errands before heading back to North Manchester for the night. Judy also returned to North Manchester Friday night.

Saturday's visit was made by 5 members of the Myers clan - Dad/G'pa, Judy, Cameron and the two of us. When we arrived, we received the unwelcome news that Mom/G'ma had vomited when taking some medication this morning. (The medicine is a liquid that tastes very bitter. It is intended to stimulate her appetite!?) The good news is that she was awake most of the day! She had her eyes open and rested only periodically for short times here and there. It was great to be with her throughout the day and feel as though the real Doreen was with us. She asked lots of questions of the boys about their camp experiences. She asked Daniel to show her some things on the computer. She talked to us about what has happened over the last two months and about what is coming in the future. She was very playful with the occupational therapist when he visited. She had two more episodes of vomiting, but they were not overwhelming. She was able to control them and they did not get in the way of continuing with whatever activity she was in at the time. She also ate again today without complaining. She didn't consume much, but she ate what she could. All in all, this was a great day!

We got to speak with the doctor on Saturday morning. We asked that he discontinue the sleeping medications and the stimulants to see what Mom/G'ma can work out on her own. (It was frustrating to feel that she was always fighting the effects of one of the drugs - either fighting to stay awake through the effects of a sleeping pill that lasted too long or trying to relax and sleep despite the effects of the stimulant.) He agreed; therefore, we'll monitor how she does without these interventive medications over the next few days.

A note about Dad/G'pa -- He paid the deposit on a room at Timbercrest on Friday. Linda and Lee will bring a truckload of furniture and household items to North Manchester on Sunday. Dad/G'pa will move in to the one bedroom apartment (B7) as soon as he can get the required physician's exam completed. We will try to get that done ASAP so he can begin to have a place to call his own and move on into the next phase on his life.

Wednesday and Thursday Update

July 30 & 31
by Karen and Daniel

We have encountered a very tired Doreen for the last two days. It seems that she has her days and nights switched right now - she is awake at night and then needs to sleep most of the day. This makes it difficult to meet the goals she is trying to reach of eating and regaining strength and skills through therapy. We are concerned about the use of medications to try to address this problem. We have asked that they consider taking her off of the stimulant and sleep aids to see if she can straighten this out on her own. We will see if our request is heeded by the physician.

On Wednesday, she was able to wake up enough to participate in physical, occupational and speech therapy sessions, but at reduced levels from the previous two days. On Thursday, however, she could barely stay awake enough to sit on the side of the bed, to move to a chair and to "ride" the bike pedals during physical therapy late morning. The speech therapist arrived around 2:00 for his session, but we couldn't get Mom/G'ma to wake up at all. We could tell that she was trying to rouse herself, but that she couldn't break through the fog of sleep. Luckily, the occupational therapist was not scheduled for today, because we feel confident that he would not have been successful in his efforts either.

The good news is that she ate better, especially on Thursday. The hospital's CEO has taken a personal interest in helping Mom/G'ma eat. She wants to do everything she can to help Mom/G'ma avoid the feeding tube - that decision will be made next Tuesday. Therefore, she came to Mom/G'ma's room for both lunch and supper on Wednesday to feed her herself. She got Mom/G'ma to eat about 8 bites at lunch and then 10-12 bites at supper. This also gave her the opportunity to talk to Mom/G'ma about what foods sound good to her and to try to learn what will help her eat more. Mom/G'ma told her that the food served at meals is too heavy. She would like something lighter to help her begin to eat again. By suppertime on Thursday, the CEO had arranged for Mom/G'ma to have a fruit plate with sliced apples, bananas, mandarin oranges, pineapple, plums and cottage cheese. When Mom/G'ma saw this, she smiled and she ate about 20-25% of her meal! We feel very lucky to have so much care and concern shown by the staff of Progressive - from the cusodial and secretarial staff, to the nurses and therapists, and even the top administrators.

Visitors always seem to help Mom/G'ma perk up. She opened her eyes and smiled to greet Katy McFadden on Wednesday afternoon. On Thursday, she became more interactive and alert when her grandson Parker showed up at the hospital unexpectedly. She also perks up for the "visits" she has through the continued flow of cards and greetings sent by all of you. These contacts continue to be the best way to help Mom/G'ma remember why she needs to work hard throughout this recovery period -- there are so many people who love her and need her in their lives. Thanks for keeping those encouraging thoughts coming our way! (It is also EXTREMELY helpful for Dad! He feels very blessed and humbled to have the support and prayers of so many loving friends and family members.)