Category: Health in 2021

I’ve not a lot to write about this week, but here are a couple of items.

I was told I need to have a Certificate of Marriage to accomplish changes with the Social Security System. I don’t think we ever had an official certificate. There is a page so titled in the white leather-bound Memories of Our Wedding book, shown here:
The ceremony was in a Baptist Church with both Catholic and Baptist officials. The writing is all the same (and very nice). My mother, the one witness, signed her own name. It seems odd, but it is what it is. I’ve no idea who did the rest of it.
Apparently, the SS folks now want an official document. This may be a Panic20/21 thing. Prior face-to-face visits – I’ve been told – did not require one. Anyway, Nancy’s longest-time friend, Dot S., went to the DeKalb County courthouse and came away with the required official paper; now in the mail. She knew where, what, and who – I hadn’t a clue. Thanks, Dot.

NEXT ITEM – – – – – – – –
Early this coming week I will deliver a letter to 3 of our local health people – all with the Hospital. The 3rd person on the list has been our eye-care specialist for about 20 years. He is also President of the Board of Commissioners of the hospital. {& I haven’t sent him an e-mail about Nancy, yet!}
– – – – – here is the letter – – – – –
Julie Petersen, CEO
Dr. Kevin Martin, CMO
Dr. Bob Davis, B of C

I currently have two issues with the health/medical system.

The first has to do with visit-triggered auto-surveys such as the one attached to this letter. [Only JP gets this.]
Note the visit date of discharge: 3/12/21
This is a 2nd copy of the survey; the original was returned.
I suspect there will be another survey because Nancy was discharged a second time from KVH on March 27th. She was transported to Memorial in Yakima. There she died.

A copy of her obituary is attached.

The other issue: Both Nancy and I have long had the “Donor – red heart” symbol on our driver’s license. When Nancy died early Tuesday morning (about 6:30) the fact of her death was entered into the donation registration list administered by LifeCenter Northwest.
Within hours, that prompted a phone call to me, at home.
I was questioned – probing disquisition – for about an hour about my wife’s medical history, social activities, sexual habits, and more than I can now remember. It is an understatement to say this was disturbing. I suggest you obtain a copy of the questions and ask yourself if you would like to be answering these within a few hours of a death of a spouse or family member.

There has to be a better way. I have suggestions, but you don’t need me to figure this out.

When I die there is no one to respond to the questions that I answered regarding Nancy. Therefore, I removed my name from the organ donor list.

Respectfully,
John
– – – – – – – – END OF LETTER – – – – – –

Lastly, for today . . .
By the end of May I hope to have many of the official actions, that follow a death, taken care of. I’m advised there will be more for a year or so. I am alternating among those things, normal house and yard duties, and getting rid of enough “stuff” that Nancy’s clothes, related items, and possessions can be examined for dispersal (term?).
I will invited a few friends to help with this. Perhaps on the last weekend of May. Six weeks ought to give me time to clear the rubble.

That’s it, from the Naneum Fan
John

Nancy’s life ended Tuesday.

We were preparing for a move to the Rehab in Ellensburg during mid-day.
I was called about 6:30 am. with the news of her death because of pulmonary aspiration (blood in her lungs).
This was unexpected because her episode of bleeding late Friday had been suppressed by 3 am Saturday.
Her body did not cooperate.

This has been a sad and busy day.
I will write more later in the week.

John

A very busy week

Nancy is very ill but the episode last week was brought under control and stabilized. The unanswerable question is how long this can last.
Lots of folks are working to improve the current situation. There is not a cure, so we go day by day.

Saturday and Sunday were just Nancy and me at home, with a couple of phone calls to old friends. We were active – meals, pills, and potty, plus animal chores.
The hospital bed, partially working, was helping but . . .
The head and shoulders part was wood-beam supported, so that part could not be easily changed. See previous post for photo. We managed.

Monday
The non-working bed parts parts were switched out for new. Thus, in addition to the time Friday, Monday also included another 2 hour session (with more equipment). Nancy was home for this episode, moving to the recliner where she could watch the setup, and talk with Dylan as he worked.
Delivered at the same time was an Oxygen Concentrator.
This is about the size and weight of a larger Badger, 37 pounds, not meant to be portable. The company claims it is quiet, and sells a higher priced one that may be. This is not.
These things take most of the Nitrogen out of room air – leaving the Oxygen and minor gases. The concentrated Oxygen is sent to the patients nose via a long clear tube, called a cannula. The face piece can be either a small mask or the 2-pronged insert.
Nancy tried the mask Monday night. At about 4 AM – potty time – she decided “enough of that” and the rest of sleep time did not have supplemental Oxygen. The alternative will be tried Tuesday.

NEXT nurse & Physical Therapist
Medical care at home is covered via Medicare, here:
Home health care
Click outside the pop-up window to see the page.

I assume this is paid for via the insurance cost deducted from the Social Security payment, that began for us in 2009. I don’t know the cost then, but in 2021 it is $148.50 per month for each of us.

Nurse Dani took the lead for Nancy, arriving this morning, doing a health check, and explaining the Kittitas Valley “Home Health Care” program. Following her assessment and report – she expected 2 hours of office work to follow the home visit – then the Physical Therapist, Seth, was authorized to begin. He came in the afternoon.

A digression: Our mail route has three addresses within a few miles of each other with 1’s and 4’s and 0’s. The carrier must have trouble with numbers – we often find other’s mail in the big blue box. Seth called from a neighbor’s to say he was early, but in front of our house.
By looking out the window I assured him he was not at our house.

Wednesday/Thursday
Both nurse and physical therapist returned. Somehow the blood drawn was not what the lab was expecting. Someone called here looking for Nurse Dani, who was long gone. I told the person to call the doctor or nurse at Cle Elum.
Seth got Nancy doing a few exercises. I guess he talks more authoritatively than do I. She does them a few times a day, and I got her moving and stretching her right arm (that with the recent break & cast).

Friday
When she left the hospital last Friday the discharge included an appointment in Cle Elum for 1 pm this Friday the 19th. The morning was busy with food, pills, and chores. For an unknown reason, just before leaving Nancy insisted she should wear the cast and sling. Not able to change her mind, that’s how we went. The first question Chelsea asked was “Why the cast and sling?” I told her it was a mental glitch, not physical.
After that we had a 40 minute discussion. Not much was new or resolved. The hospital doctor wanted it to happen, so it did.
Back home a message was on the recorder about Nancy’s 2nd dose of vaccine. {I got mine Thursday, am.) Again, the hospital wanted this to happen at home for her, but exactly when was hard to pin down. I returned the call and 20 minutes later Ellensburg Fire & Rescue Deputy Chief Rich Elliott appeared at our door. He stuck around about 15 minutes – there was no immediate reaction for Nancy. Six hours later, still nothing. Me? 36 hours and counting – nothing.

While I prepared supper, she watched much of a video of the Moody Blues live at the Royal Albert Hall. In a non-busy moment I may watch that. Then we came upon Joe Biden stumbling up the steps leading to Air Force One. We have missed most of the first two months of the new administration. Maybe that’s a good thing.

My old cheap flip phone quit synchronizing or connecting with my Bluetooth enabled Crosstrek. Nancy’s similar phone worked, so it is the phone, not the car. We needed another problem?

Nancy is now sleeping with Oxygen from the concentrator.

Check back next Saturday (I hope)
for news from the Naneum Fan

Best to all.
John & Nancy