Yesterday and Today

Around 8:00 p.m. last night the sky got really dark and the wind blew hard. I decided I'd shut down my computer in case we lost power again like Tuesday night: it was off from 8:45 p.m. until 12:10 a.m.Wednesday. We are fortunate that we have a lot of battery powered lights, as well as fans.

The rains did come - torrential rains with "rivers" running down the street. We lost a couple branches off our trees. There was wide spread damage, though, in the area due to the wind sheers.

Yesterday - Wednesday - Jennifer came to be with Jessie and they did quite a bit of table activities. Jon and I went out to breakfast, the post office, home, Wiegand's and Deneweth's. Since it was in the 90's outside, there wasn't many people at Wiegand's .... AND, we were the only customers at Deneweth's !!! Great for shopping, except it was really way too hot in the greenhouses. Those poor employees.

Today - Thursday - Rachel came and spent the day with Jessie. She brought Jessie a Hello Kitty bag filled with items for her. Jessie especially liked the Dory tumbler with straw. I took Doreen out to breakfast for her birthday then went to the post office. I did laundry, called several places for various things and did paper work on the computer. Around 3:00 I decided Jessie needed to get out of the house. I took the girls to Menchie's for ice cream. That was my lunch. Breakfast was a bowl of oatmeal.

Speaking of food ... I haven't reported my weight loss in a bit. I have now lost 30.6 pounds since May 1. I am pleased and working on the next 30.

A prayer request ... Please pray for Jon, as he is suffering tonight with great pain in all his joints. He called to see if he could get in to the specialist, but they have no openings. His next appointment there isn't until the end of August. He's going to go to our family doctor tomorrow. He's in bad shape. Thank you for your prayers for Jessie and now Jon. It is appreciated.

A Good Day For Jessie

Rachel was with Jessie while I had a 2 hour meeting at church in the morning, then another hour meeting in the afternoon with her Case Worker. They finished her Veggie Tales mosaics, did a picture mosaic and made a puzzle (picture). Doesn't she look good?

I really don't know how she feels because she has a high tolerance for pain. However, she seemed to have a great day with Rachel and I only gave her 2 pain pills today. One in the morning and one just a few minutes ago.

Every time she gets up to go to the bathroom, she knows that she has to walk around the tables several times. She's walking as if she didn't have surgery. She does cling to her daddy's heart pillow that I kept from his open heart surgery years ago. She holds it on her tummy. She talks about her daddy very day.

My friend, Andrea, came to borrow some of my books and brought Jessie (and me) a diet Coke from McDonald's (which brightened up Jessie's day for sure!) and a box of 4 puzzles.

Back To Routine - Sort Of

Jessie finally agreed to let me give her a shower this morning. She was a bit upset about getting water on her stomach. She did OK, though. Got her hair washed, too.

Rachel came for the day and that freed me up quite a bit. However, it was another nice day of visitors. Rox came around 11:00 and brought Jessie a balloon. Doreen came at 11:30 and brought another balloon (none are the same!). Jane came after lunch and brought a bag full of things for Jessie to do. Every time the doorbell rings, Jessie says, "Presents?" At least it isn't "ten presents"!

Company

Jessie seemed more tired today than before and took several tiny naps. Nod-offs, really. We didn't get ready for the day until after 10:00 a.m. Breakfast was almost noon. I did a few things on the computer and finished my book.

Diane and Randie brought Subway for our lunch and stayed for a couple hours. They also brought her a Dory puzzle. Diane helped her and they put it together. Chris came after her church's picnic and spent the afternoon and early evening. Around dinner time Debbie came and brought Jessie a hot fudge ice cream from McDonald's. It was soooo nice having people over to talk to. Jessie enjoyed everyone, too. Jon arrived home after having a much better day at work.

Thank you, Anonymous, for your prayers and comments. I told Jon about your projected mountain snow. That's just way too early, isn't it? Even for Montana? I remember when Bill and I were on a Missions Trip to Glenallen, Alaska (another life time ago in 1986) that there was mountain snow the last week of July/first of August. Right now we are still "enjoying" high 8o's and low 90's weather with very little rain, and humidity. Some parts of the State, and even a few miles from here, have gotten rain, but it disapates before getting to us.

Jessie's Ups And Downs

Today wasn't the best, but not as bad as it could have been. Jessie spent quite a bit of yelling and screaming at me for coughing or clearing my throat, which is common. Then, she was quieter at times than normal, too. I've kept up on her pain medicine, although she keeps telling me she's not in pain:

Me:  Jessie, are you in pain?

Jess:   No

Me:  Do you need pain medicine?

Jess:   YES!

Each time she went to the bathroom, we took a walk around tables and in the other room. She took a nap. I did all the laundry, read and made meals. I had Jessie fold the wash cloths. I figured she could do that. She didn't seem to mind.

Brenda came by and brought her some educational books to work in. It was nice to have company, both for Jessie and me. It's been pretty lonely around here. Just the 2 of us. 

Jon had a really bad day at work. He came home, got cleaned up, ate, and now he's in bed. Unfortunately, he has to do it again tomorrow.

Day After Surgery

It's a good thing I didn't plan on anything today as her Highness wanted me right by her on the couch. I had purchased a couple benches to go around the fire pit a month ago, and one worked really well next to the couch so things would be in her reach. (I figured that out in the afternoon!) She spent the day with her iPads, cards, beads and magazines. Trips to the bathroom also included walking around a bit. Did she take a nap? Of course not! Aunt Lois stopped by and brought her a McDonald's pop and she was very excited about that.

Jon went out this morning and brought back multi-colored flowers and a couple balloons. I think they cheered her up a bit, but not as much as the pop from Aunt Lois!

This evening was rougher than today, but that's normal. Night time is never good when you're sick. One of her incisions is oozing, so we have been putting triple antibiotic cream and a bandage on it. One incision is red. Please pray that nothing gets infected. That would not be good.

Your prayers, and the prayers of family and friends, have sustained us through her surgery. Taking care of Jessie today brought back too many memories of caring for both my mom, Bill, and even Jon when he had his surgeries. Care giving is a stressful job, no matter who it is for.

Thank you so much for your prayers and friendship!

Pictures And Details From Yesterday - July 7

All the Glory goes to God for a great pre op experience. From the moment we got there until she was wheeled down the hallway to the OR, everything went smooth. 

This picture is Jessie, unbelievably calm. The unit secretary who brought us back gave Jessie the bear. A nurse gave her a warm blanket. They were awesome with her. Another nurse, later gave her a bracelet. 

Jess was given 20 mg of Valium so we could get an IV in her. Twenty mg of Valium would have put anyone else out. Not Jess! 

They had a nurse put her IV in that is an "expert". She certainly was! This picture is of Jessie with the IV finally in but still able to say cheese, even after more sedation through the IV. 

It was now time to get her on the bed and I suggested she do it herself and lay on her tummy! She did! What another miracle!  She hollered and held on for dear life, but we didn't have to lift her!

Jon and I had just enough time to go to the cafeteria and have lunch and sit in the waiting room for about 20 minutes before the doctor came to talk to us. All went well and from the looks of the gallbladder, she would have been in pain for quite some time. She also said that she'd be in recovery for about an hour before we could go back! Not! About 20 minutes later they took both of us back to recovery where she was on her stomach (ow!) and hollering for me. 

From then on it went down hill fast. She was freaked out by finding herself on the bed and tried to get off. They brought in a very large recliner that laid back and was going to transport her to that chair on a back board when she "made a break for it" and ended up on the floor - naked. One of her incisions began to bleed. She was NOT going to sit in that chair. Finally, after about 20 minutes of trying to get her to get up, they exchanged the chair for a regular chair with arms. She got right up and sat in it. Why, or why, didn't I think to do that earlier? 

They had a room ready for her but we decided that home would be best, so we did come home around 5:00 p.m. Jon made her some scrambled eggs and toast. When we got her in bed, she did have a good night's sleep.