July 30th update

Jack talking on the phone today.

Dear Family and Friends, 

Just a quick note to update you on Jack.  After the last trip to the ER, we've been home settling in.   Our friend Rick came over and helped me drain Jack's stomach on Monday - although there wasn't much fluid to drain.  less than an inch in a 500ml bottle.  We started thinking that there was something wrong with the bottle - that it had lost it's vacuum, but no.  That was all the fluid Jack had.   Thankfully we were able to get the dressing on right this time.  I think it helped that Jack was on the couch with the drain side out, whereas when I had tried to do it before it was far away from me as he lay on the bed.  Plus extra hands helped hold it in place.  

Jack hasn't been sleeping well at night.  Usually getting up and going downstairs to make himself a cup of tea or bowl of cereal.  Monday night I was exhausted  and although I woke up to give Jack pain medicine, found myself back in never, never land fairly quick.  I would wake up to see him sitting in  the chair or heading to the bathroom.  This was sort of our ritual for the last couple nights.   I might add that between the meds and the brain radiation that wasn't all that long ago Jack has had a bit of confusion at times.  Other times he's still sharp as a tack and has the funniest one liners ever.    

Anyway, very early on Tuesday morning Jack thought he needed to go somewhere.  So after wandering around the house for a bit... he decided it was Bo-time.  He decided to drive himself to get a coffee and egg sandwich in Jefferson (about 20 minutes away).    When he came back home, with coffee in hand and no walking stick, he slipped on the gravel and fell.  Although he only suffered a couple bruises and scratches, we realized this could be a lot worse and we were all very fortunate.   

Luckily the home health nurse came on Tuesday and checked him out, in addition to doing her regular monitoring.  Today, the PT nurse came by to assess Jack's strengths and weaknesses and tomorrow the Occupational Therapy nurse comes to assess what Jack's needs are here in the home.

We have such great friends here in Todd.  Linda has watched the store for the last week at least and is training others, since Elise will be away at a friends wedding this weekend.  Plus, someone is here in the house with Jack all the time.  If I need to run out for whatever reason,  we have wonderful people who will sit with Jack and visit or let him sleep, feed him or just about whatever he wants.  

We head to Duke on Friday to see Dr. Hanks and get a chest and lower abdomen x-rays.   

I have included some recent pictures of Jack below.

Peace, Love and Hope
Helen

“You will face your greatest opposition when you are closest to your biggest miracle.” 
― Shannon L. Alder

Jack playing and singing on July19th

I asked for a bell for jack and the next day Martha and Tom made one
and had it to us first thing in the morning!