… in my recliner using my laptop — having checked out of the Kittitas Valley Rehabilitation Center yesterday right before noon, after my physical therapy. John drove me to CWU campus where we participated in a scholarship luncheon with my normal Friday group. Then home – first time since I left at 3:00 A.M. with chest pains, the day after Thanksgiving.
I was hopeful John would continue the blog because my writing nowhere touches his, but he insisted I needed to pick up now that I’m home with access to my computer (wow.. have not touched it so almost forgot how to start a Word document). John says he will do a couple more general things before he quits but the day-to-day ones I can do. We have an appointment with the heart surgeon on March 9th. We will report on that and likely stop then.
Back to my first day home. The 4 Brittanys were so happy to see me. Meghan was the most responsive and sensitive first as I sat on the potty, my first stop in the house. Then I walked to my recliner and got to pet Annie (youngest) and her dad, Dan. Oh, Shay also came to say hi before I got back to the recliner.
It was a busy afternoon and I finally got to nap from about 4:00 to 5:20, and shortly after John and I went to a home where our music group was having a potluck and play time. We had to practice Irish music for an appearance the Saturday before St. Patrick’s day. After bringing in the Mexican enchilada dish to share, John went on to the pharmacy to pick up the many meds I will have to take – no more nurses to hand them out.
My first night was longer than any recently because it was quiet and comfortable. My only challenge is now I need John’s assistance to stand from the low & soft recliner. All the chairs I have learned to get out of at Physical Therapy are higher and have a sturdier push-up from seat. It’s okay – I’ll get there soon. I’m continuing out-patient therapy at the facility in town 3 days a week.
I’m so happy to be able to report I survived and am home again and regaining strength each day. I could not have done it without the obvious help of doctors, surgeons, nurses, assistants, care providers, all the thoughts and prayers and contact from all of you, my friends and relatives. Thank you all so much. My most intensive support, love and concern, came from John, my sweetie. It was rough on him to take care of the animals (3 horses & 4 dogs), and still make one or two trips to be with me in Yakima for all those many weeks. I wasn’t transferred to the Rehab center here until Jan 20th, and I could not get out of bed on my own for many weeks. Then once there he visited for two meals each day. At least the drive was closer. He also has honchoed all the paperwork with CWU for retirement and cleaned out my office of the many boxes with materials back over all my teaching years (starting 1966 at Georgia State University in Atlanta).
So, I have written more than you will likely be willing to read, and there are many thank you messages to be done (I’ll get to some of those later) but, for now, I want to express a general Thank You! to those who got the word out to others, sent cards, presents, visited and so on.
I had contacts from all over the world. It was very special.
Nancy