As we watched the storm approach Columbus, Bobbi was very anxious, well aware that additional snow would make it impossible to get her transferred into our house.
Fortunately, just an hour before the snow started (we watched on radar) we got an ambulette to take Bobbi to the house and got her inside. Then we all hunkered down to wait out the storm.
Also fortunately, we were not among those who lost electric power. Yesterday we started to dig our way out and freed up one vehicle (the minivan). Lew was able to pick up a few essential groceries.
Today the roads were a bit more passable. Lew got to the pharmacy, and Paul got out to get some other groceries. But people are getting overconfident... and the snow started again tonight. Predictions are for snow showers over the next several days. What will that mean? A few little dustings, or another storm?
More to come.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Monday, January 19, 2009
Columbus OH
I suppose we should apologize once again for our tardiness. Our excuse is that it has been a very busy two weeks (that's not a surprise, is it?).
First, the most important news. Bobbi had her surgery as scheduled on the morning of the 13th (it was still dark out, but we did manage to make it in time to wait around for an hour). The surgeon came out about 9 to report in glowing terms how well the surgery had gone, and Bobbi was back in recovery by 9 -- stoned out of her mind! Takes me back to 1969.
Since she woke up, Bobbi has made slow but steady progress. Tuesday she remained rather out-of-it, but by the next day was in sufficient contact to complain after her nerve block wore off. Pain was the major issue the next few days, but she was scheduled for release that Friday (the 16th). The house had been all prepared, with a hospital bed and various other assistive paraphenalia.
However, it had snowed heavily of the 13th and over some of the succeeding days, after which the temperatures plunged even below zero. This left a heavy blanket of snow on the ground. Now the house has no walkways -- only stepping stones, which become like ball bearings when a layer of ice or compacted snow is over them (and there was). The lawn is old, and with exposed tree roots the rest of the yard is quite uneven, endangering one's ankles even in the summer. So the family put its collective feet down and insisted she could not get from a vehicle into the house without a gurney. The hospital grumbled, but eventually got to work and transferred Bobbi to a rehab center.
Since the transfer Bobbi has continued to improve over the weekend and was even walking around a bit today -- but people still haven't solved the problem of getting her into the house without a gurney.
So the pets and Lew will spend another night in the house without Bobbi, while Paul stays with her as a private duty nurse. And it remains to be seen what they do when it comes time to discharge her.
Keep tuned.
First, the most important news. Bobbi had her surgery as scheduled on the morning of the 13th (it was still dark out, but we did manage to make it in time to wait around for an hour). The surgeon came out about 9 to report in glowing terms how well the surgery had gone, and Bobbi was back in recovery by 9 -- stoned out of her mind! Takes me back to 1969.
Since she woke up, Bobbi has made slow but steady progress. Tuesday she remained rather out-of-it, but by the next day was in sufficient contact to complain after her nerve block wore off. Pain was the major issue the next few days, but she was scheduled for release that Friday (the 16th). The house had been all prepared, with a hospital bed and various other assistive paraphenalia.
However, it had snowed heavily of the 13th and over some of the succeeding days, after which the temperatures plunged even below zero. This left a heavy blanket of snow on the ground. Now the house has no walkways -- only stepping stones, which become like ball bearings when a layer of ice or compacted snow is over them (and there was). The lawn is old, and with exposed tree roots the rest of the yard is quite uneven, endangering one's ankles even in the summer. So the family put its collective feet down and insisted she could not get from a vehicle into the house without a gurney. The hospital grumbled, but eventually got to work and transferred Bobbi to a rehab center.
Since the transfer Bobbi has continued to improve over the weekend and was even walking around a bit today -- but people still haven't solved the problem of getting her into the house without a gurney.
So the pets and Lew will spend another night in the house without Bobbi, while Paul stays with her as a private duty nurse. And it remains to be seen what they do when it comes time to discharge her.
Keep tuned.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Columbus OH
New Year's greetings to you all!
But as you can see from the heading for this post, we still are stuck in Columbus. No visiting this winter -- and we miss you all terribly -- especially the grandchildren. (OK. We also will miss the warm weather, the sunny skies, and the irresponsibility of the Gulf coast.)
The countdown continues, with Bobbi scheduled to go under the knife next Tuesday -- then invalidism for a prolonged but indefinate period. We will forced to some rather extreme adaptions: Bobbi will require a hospital bed for some time, and because of the narrow doorways and right angle turns, the only practical place to put it will be in the living room. Not that this is unprecedented -- we did the same thing 14 years ago when she fractured her ankle.
She also will be on total bed rest for a while, then in a removable turtle-shell body cast for a while, then no weight bearing for some more time, then slow rehab to increase weight bearing. The surgeon said to figure on 6 mo off from work -- what do poor or even middle-class people do?
Paul has arranged his affairs so he can act as nurse for Bobbi, just as he did for her mother. This will be a tremendous help because Lew is limited to lifting no more than 15# -- Paul can go up to 50#! And both have to sleep sometime.
Without grandma, holidays were quite different this year. The three children did Thanksgiving their own way. Bobbi and Lew took carryout to our priest-friend who was in a nursing home recuperating from his foot surgery. But the siblings did try to get together for an "old-fashioned" Christmas at Rhonda's house. They did plan a menu like grandma always used (actually great-grandma Georgia May's), but deviated here and there -- primarily in having less of everything. And there was no gift-opening. Everyone's house already was crammed to the rafters with the contents of grandma's house and her two cousins'. So the sibs agreed to give the money to charities in each other's names, and share the names of the recipients at the dinner. It worked out well enough, but there still was a pall over the festivities. New Year's was even less notable -- we pretty much avoided exposing ourselves to the streets because everyone stayed home, slept in, and did nothing.
Throughout the holidays we did sit around writing and addressing Christmas cards, in no particular order -- and we still are not finished. So please don't be offended if you are one of the later recipients; after all, in past years we have been sending out Christmas cards in April and May. We're not snubbing anyone, we're just disorganized. Maybe Bobbi will be able to catch up during her convalescence.
Stay tuned.
But as you can see from the heading for this post, we still are stuck in Columbus. No visiting this winter -- and we miss you all terribly -- especially the grandchildren. (OK. We also will miss the warm weather, the sunny skies, and the irresponsibility of the Gulf coast.)
The countdown continues, with Bobbi scheduled to go under the knife next Tuesday -- then invalidism for a prolonged but indefinate period. We will forced to some rather extreme adaptions: Bobbi will require a hospital bed for some time, and because of the narrow doorways and right angle turns, the only practical place to put it will be in the living room. Not that this is unprecedented -- we did the same thing 14 years ago when she fractured her ankle.
She also will be on total bed rest for a while, then in a removable turtle-shell body cast for a while, then no weight bearing for some more time, then slow rehab to increase weight bearing. The surgeon said to figure on 6 mo off from work -- what do poor or even middle-class people do?
Paul has arranged his affairs so he can act as nurse for Bobbi, just as he did for her mother. This will be a tremendous help because Lew is limited to lifting no more than 15# -- Paul can go up to 50#! And both have to sleep sometime.
Without grandma, holidays were quite different this year. The three children did Thanksgiving their own way. Bobbi and Lew took carryout to our priest-friend who was in a nursing home recuperating from his foot surgery. But the siblings did try to get together for an "old-fashioned" Christmas at Rhonda's house. They did plan a menu like grandma always used (actually great-grandma Georgia May's), but deviated here and there -- primarily in having less of everything. And there was no gift-opening. Everyone's house already was crammed to the rafters with the contents of grandma's house and her two cousins'. So the sibs agreed to give the money to charities in each other's names, and share the names of the recipients at the dinner. It worked out well enough, but there still was a pall over the festivities. New Year's was even less notable -- we pretty much avoided exposing ourselves to the streets because everyone stayed home, slept in, and did nothing.
Throughout the holidays we did sit around writing and addressing Christmas cards, in no particular order -- and we still are not finished. So please don't be offended if you are one of the later recipients; after all, in past years we have been sending out Christmas cards in April and May. We're not snubbing anyone, we're just disorganized. Maybe Bobbi will be able to catch up during her convalescence.
Stay tuned.
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