PALS ROLL CALL NEW THREAD (PALS ONLY) [Wednesday or whenever]

[KevinM]

Fusia, I’m so sorry your travel days are winding down. But you live in a gorgeous part of the country, and be happy you don’t have a summer of 90+ degrees and “air that you can wear.” Of course, our winters are great!

Eric, very positive neuro report. Slow is good, especially with your brood growing wings and starting to leave the nest. A beautiful summer lies ahead.

Ed, such wonderful trips you took the first couple of years. We are watching our finances, since I’m hell bent on leaving my wife in good financial shape, so a long trip to Europe is not in the cards. We travelled so much in the U.S. for six years when we had the motorhome that at this point we feel more comfortable visiting our favorite places here in the states. Travel this summer is very expensive. K

 

[KevinM]

I really hate killing any living creature (certain insects excluded), but I had to kill another cottonmouth that was in our butterfly garden this morning. We are no strangers to this living in a wooded area near a wetland, but when a large adult one is 30 feet from our back door, and with our curious dog and cat, I can’t chance it.

We have many beneficial snakes like rat snakes, garter snakes, and black racers, which we love seeing around the property. I’ll usually leave cottonmouths alone if they are back in the woods a long way from the house, but this was too close. So bummed.

I guess if there is any positive from the episode it’s that my wife didn’t step on it while watering, and I still have the strength to swing an axe. Time for a beer...

 

[wmilo]

Eric, congratulations on two great celebrations; your sons' birthday and high school graduation!

Going through some decline. Can't use my lift chair for now because I've gotten "stuck" (CALS couldn't get me up) twice in the last week or so. Waiting on a Hoyer but it is taking a long time. Difficulty getting utensils to my mouth, having to use a straw because I can't lift the cup. You know - the usual.

Best,

 

[KevinM]

Jessie, are you okay?

 

[nona]

Ah, Kevin, you and your damn sixth sense. I'm not ok. I mean, I'm in a good place emotionally, but physically I'm drained. I have gone back on hospice, this time with Bayada and already I know I'm in better hands. We have a plan for the next few weeks. The UTIs and antibiotics took a lot out of me, or they just coincided with six months of decline. I'm very weak and suctioning constantly, especially with all of this crying and saying goodbye. My back and neck pain is brutal and some days I can't drive or type on my eyegaze. I have already crossed the line in the sand I drew a year ago. You haven't heard the last of me yet tho. I just had to write this quick note between visitors. I love you all.

 

[KevinM]

We love you too, Jessie.

 

[Fusia]

Jessie, you are such a warrior! I'm so sorry you're in such pain, but glad the new hospice is taking better care of you. I'm thinking of you…
Much love.

 

[blitzc]

Oh Jessie, I was planning to check in on you with the catheter surgery. I am super hopeful to help my exhaustion in transferring for toileting with surgery planned for July 19. They are doing feeding tube at the same time.

I sure hope the new hospice helps. Please know we all are praying for you and your care.

 

[lisa g]

Jessie, just reading your posts inspires me. You always seem on top of any obstacles. Happy to hear your having a better experience with the new hospice.

 

[EricInLA]

Jessie, I don't know which responsive emoji to use in response to your post. A whole range of emotions surface, and none of the offered ones captures it. So I'll just say that I'm thinking about you, and hoping that back/neck pain subsides.

Your beautiful smile inspires me. I root for your Celtics (even as a Laker fan) because it's a way to root for you. I hear you about the line in the sand you drew for yourself. But as Aaron Brooks said in Broadcast News (one of my favorite movies), they keep moving the little sucker, don't they? I hope you keep moving that line, but either way I love you and send to you the best California vibes I can gather up.

 

[Nikki J]

Jessie I hope the new hospice can make you truly comfortable. I am thinking of you and sending strength

 

[frankb]

Jessie, i wish you strength, comfort, and a significant release from pain. hang in there, tiger

 

[Statius@]

Sorry to hear of your trialsl, and wishing you the best. An ex-Angelino, I'll root for rhe Celtics too, and throw in the Red Sox for good measure.

Ed

 

[Wilson2009]

Jessie, you have been an inspiration to all of us. May this part of the journey be comfortable and peaceful. Stay Strong, my friend.

 

[swalker]

We arrived home yesterday afternoon from our 4 week trip to Yellowstone and the Tetons. I will eventually start a separate thread to share with you the adventures we had preparing for the trip and then during the trip. It will probably take me a week or two to recover from the trip, so be patient.

Here are just a few highlights:

I have slow progression. Somehow, my tiny little mind translated that into there being no perceptible progression since our trip in the fall of 2019. I was rudely reminded that progression has occurred by many little things.

The biggest of these was sleeping in a normal bed vs a hospital bed. That was much harder than I had anticipated. It was sure great to be in the hospital bed last night after we arrived home.

Another is that using the NIV is mandatory when I am in bed for more than just a few minutes.

The wheelchair beats my body up more than it used to (over the same trails). I did some longer rides (two 15 mile rides, a 14 mile ride, and numerous 10 mile rides). I really paid a price the next day after doing those longer rides.

The trip was very tiring, but also very rewarding. We saw many wonderful sights, though avoided the more crowded areas. We had relentlessly bad weather for about 10 days straight, followed by remarkably good weather (nights often below freezing, though).

We saw quite a bit of wildlife, but the opportunities to photograph it were very few. Finding wildlife near a place where we can pull the wheelchair van off is always a challenge. This year it was much more challenging because there were many more cars in the park than ever before (by a wide margin).

And finally, Lori, my wife, fell on a hike on our last full day before heading home. We were doing a simple trail along Lake Jackson and she caught her foot on a tree root. The initial xray showed no fractured collar bone, which was good. The next day, she was significantly worse. She drove home (2 days) in a lot of pain. When we got home, she was seen by a local doctor, who found that she had broken her first rib, which is apparently a pretty unusual break and has the potential to be very serious. She is taking it easy and recovering now.

Steve