On the fast track…

I dropped by for my evening visit with Ron and walked in to the sound of laughter as he visited with Bobby McGee from the County Administrator’s office. It flowed pretty thick for a while as they traded anecdotes and discussed politics and county business. I just missed Evelyn and Larry Nance, who were out the door just before I arrived. Looks like his social calendar is full.

Ron is getting around in style…he’s moved from the wheelchair to walker and now is using a cane. And he’s down to fighting weight – nearly back to where he was when we got married. Oh – and if you drop by, don’t bring goodies…the nurses will confiscate. He’s off sweets for a while until they get his diet stabilized.

And back to work…

Last night Ester Robinson, the CVSO secretary, dropped by Lodi Memorial West and she and Ron spent more than thirty minutes cleaning up some details on the department budget. He’s supposed to sign off on the paperwork later this week. He is definitely improving when he focuses on a county budget.

Today rehab begins for real. Every day he is expected to stretch a little more – push himself a little harder. He’s up and dressed by 7:30am, then off to breakfast. Then a round of meetings with therapists and workouts. No more lying around in bed…in fact he’s supposed to be in a chair or on his feet pretty much all day until after dinner. After two months of virtually no activity, we expect him to be exhausted every day initially.

If you have time….his “workday” is over by 4pm usually, so drop in or give him a call.
Lodi Memorial Hospital West
800 S. Lower Sacramento Road, Lodi
334-3411

Back in San Joaquin County!!!

Ron is now resting at Lodi Memorial West – the rehab arm of Lodi Hospital. It’s at the corner of Vine and Lower Sacramento on the west side of Lodi. True to form his trip down from Folsom was not uneventful. The drivers went right by the hospital and were out to Armstrong Road before they turned around…so he almost got home. Give him a day to get used to the routine, then give him a call or drop by. I suspect he’ll be busy with physical therapy and as soon as I get a schedule and know when the good times to visit are, I’ll post them. The best part is the journey to visit him has been cut to a four mile, 8 minute drive (for me at least). If he holds to the schedule hospital staff told me, he’ll be at home by the end of the month (although continuing with outpatient rehab and other services).

Neck brace off…

Today was a BIG day. The neck brace came off and the trac tube came out. Insurance paperwork is moving along and we are all set to move Ron from Folsom down to Lodi. In talking with Lodi Memorial West (located on Lower Sacramento Road in Lodi), I learned that their goal is to have him home within two or three weeks of arrival there! We’ll have to have in-home nursing initially, but eventually we’ll be back to normal. Stay tuned – the next big update will be about his move back to the valley.

San Joaquin County here I come…

Another positive move should happen this week, as Ron prepares to come back into his home county. We don’t have an exact date or place – those we should know by Tuesday I hope – but the Kindred doctors say Ron is functioning at too high a level to remain there. The discharge nurse and I will be checking out facilities, working with the insurance company. This will be a week of good news and more good news…will post as it occurs.

Let’s see…he went to UC Davis Med Center on May 10…left there on June 5…and will be out of Kindred by Friday, July 6. Just under four weeks in Sacramento (three of them in a coma), just under three weeks at Kindred in Folsom (and they predicted at least a month). If he keeps this pace up he will be home in time for our thirty-fifth anniversary in early September!!!

Out of ICU!

Last night Ron was moved from ICU (the intensive care unit) to a regular hospital room. After more than a month he is finally in a small room by himself…much quieter and he is able to rest. He told me he has set a goal of being back in the office by October 1…November 1 at the very latest. Rehab staff works with him daily and has given him exercises he can do in bed and he is pushing himself as hard as he can.

Thanks to those who drop in to visit…he really looks forward to hearing from the outside world.

Shave and a haircut – and lunch!

We all know Ron has the most beautiful wavy grey hair. Unfortunately it was getting long (kind of reminded me of Moses), so last night I gave him a haircut. He looks more professional now…got a shave this morning too. But best of all, he was able to sit up and “eat” lunch! Clear beef broth and apple juice…and we got okayed for a half cup of soda too. We had to go slow and carefully so he didn’t choke…but I’ve never seen him savor a meal more. The nurses say he is improving much more rapidly than they had hoped.

I know he cheers up with visitors…so if you’re in the area of Folsom, drop by and say hi to him.

Fair week…

Sunday Pearl and Lexi and I loaded the goats into the van and caravanned to the San Joaquin County Fairgrounds for our annual week as a 4H family…sitting in the lamb barn, weathering the heat with other families, cheering our kids (actually everyone’s kids) for their efforts in raising a market animal. Lexi’s written her buyer letters with a follow-up last week. Today she washed and sheared her goat (Freto) and practiced showmanship. She’s ready to show and do her best. All this for the first time without Ron present. In years past he’s sacrificed Fathers Day sleeping in to get up at five am and load and haul girls and critters. This year he hears about each day’s progress in his hospital bed in Folsom.

Ron’s therapy continues. He is sitting longer each day and told me he was able to stand (with support) on Friday. Staff is allowing him to consume small amounts of water by sucking on a sponge…we are all pushing for the moment he is allowed to start eating again. The ventilator is gone as of last week…he has been breathing completely on his own since. The little plug for his trac that allowed him to begin speaking last week is rarely used this week. General weakness and occassional disorientation are the continuing problems. Both are solvable, but it will take time.

Our plans for auction day (this Saturday, June 23) are for Carol to be with Ron on the cellphone listening as Lexi sells her goat. Then I’ll call everytime I see a potential pig and let him help me bid. (Ron had a soft spot for kids whose animals didn’t get bids – he was always there to start the bidding and would keep going until he was priced out of his range. Usually. Sometimes he just kept going. On the practical side, he loves pork sausage and bacon…so it wasn’t completely altruistic.)

Family traditions are what keep us strong through tough times. We’re making sure even though Ron is absent, he still helps continue this tradition.

Talking…

Last night I walked into Ron’s room and asked how he was – and he said, “I’m fine.” Momentary shock – I hadn’t heard his voice in more than a month. The nurses put some kind of device into his trac tube and he was able to speak again! In my excitement I made calls to the girls and Ester (by the way, Ester Robinson is the CVSO office secretary) and had him speak to them. The girls were estatic…and Ester too, I would assume, although she is always poised and professional. He was complaining wanting real food and drink…although he can’t begin eating until the therapist okays it (has to be able to swallow and not chock on food/drinks). Another step on the long road home.

Avoid the airshow crowds with this back way in…

There is a big airshow at Mather Field right off Hiway 50 the weekend of June 9-10. To avoid the traffice, here’s a backway in. Basically get off at Grantline Road south of Elk Grove. This is probably shorter in the long run than taking freeways most days…although about the same in terms of time on the road.