Keep on keeping on

 Far Guy had his infusion and shortly after that his doctor's appointment.  His lungs still sound junky, he is suppose to keep on keeping on with what he has been doing since he came out of the hospital.  Two appointments in one day tired him out.  The Doctor said " Influenza A is really hitting people hard this year ...even young healthy people are taking a long time to recover.  It may take weeks or maybe even a month or two to get back to normal."

This was a puzzle Jen and I worked on back in February sometime.  Lots of pastel colors and it was a nothing is exactly the same from the picture on the puzzle box. However they did include a special envelope with the correct picture that we never looked at...nice of them. 

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Impatient patient

Far Guy is getting a tad impatient with himself.   He is taking his meds, eating well, drinking fluids and resting.  Things are just not moving fast enough for him.

I have to remind him that he is elderly now...that went over like a lead balloon. 

He has two appointments today...one for his Infusion and then a Doctors appointment for the follow up after his hospitalization. I hope they both go well. 

  

My climbing roses before they froze out after a brutal Minnesota winter. 

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Progress is slow

 Far Guy is much better than he was.  However I have witnessed respiratory distress many times with him, he can be fine one minute and struggling the next.  He says he is weak as a newborn kitten.   I remind him that he is stronger than he was a few days ago.  

I am finally getting some rest, I do not listen to his breathing constantly...I am not waking up every time he coughs or takes a deep breath.

So there is progress just a tad slow.

Flowers last summer.

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Napping

 Far Guy spends a fair amount of time napping, he was sleep deprived in the hospital.  I join him every other nap or so.   I am hoping that he turns the corner soon....and gets on the upward swing. 

I am making a few cards...watercolor...quiet things to do while Far Guy is napping.  Of course I do have just a few crochet projects. 

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Flowers last summer

Home again

 Far Guy is home and yes he had his weekly infusion right after he was released from the hospital.  It is good to have him home.  He needs time to recover, it has been two weeks of sickness for him and he will not feel better in a day or three...possibly weeks. 

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Feeling Better

 Far Guy is feeling and looking so much better.  I will keep my fingers and toes crossed that he has turned the corner and will be able to come home in a few days.  The Doctors have made arrangements for him to have his weekly infusion as soon as he is released from the hospital. 

Thank you for your prayers !

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Sepsis

Well now the diagnosis is sepsis and pneumonia.  They are bombarding him with broad spectrum antibiotics and steroids.  He is breathing okay as long as he doesn't move. Once he moves from the chair to the hospital bed his oxygen saturation level drops.  He has a long way to go to get better. 

Your prayers are appreciated. 

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Repeat

 Far Guy had a fairly good weekend; he rested, ate good food, took all his meds and breathing treatments.  We thought he had turned the corner and was getting better.

Monday morning he struggled to breathe.

The ambulance got him to the hospital, he was put on the bi-pap machine which forces air into your lungs.  He got two IV's, steroids, antibiotics and the usual blood work with many pokes (8) for one sample, x rays and a cat scan.

Pneumonia is the diagnosis and he is in the hospital.  People were stacked up like cordwood in the ER hallways on gurneys when he finally got a room.  I am not so sure about the Doctors there...I was not convinced that he should have been released last week when he was. They don't seem to understand about Alpha One either and the need for the infusions every week that protect his lungs from damage.  (If you are on Medicare you cannot receive the Infusion when you are in the hospital.) So he missed last weeks infusion...and his Dr could not assure us that he would be out for the one this Thursday either. 

Far Guy was breathing easier last night when I left.  

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He's Home

 I picked up Far Guy at the hospital yesterday when they finally released him mid afternoon.  He is weak and will have to slowly build his stamina up again.  It all takes time.  Recovering from Influenza A and Pneumonia doesn't happen overnight.  I think they may have released him a bit early...but Jen and I have four eyes on him.   He is very discouraged...patience is not one of his endearing qualities. 

One day at a time.  If that doesn't work try an hour or if you have to minute by minute.

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Feeling Better

I am finally feeling a bit better, not like a spring chicken yet, but better. I had a very quiet week, with daily naps, or maybe they were daily sleeps as they lasted for four or five hours. What can I say, I am a good napper. I am still struggling with being adequately hydrated and eating. I am just not hungry, I usually waver between nausea and being full of water. Sometimes I force myself to eat, and lets just say that it ends up in the puke bucket. I have become a good puker..I was never one before.

Far Guy says I am wasting away...I seriously doubt that..if I have to go shopping for all new clothes I will become concerned.

The final diagnosis is Pneumonia, my Whooping Cough test came back negative. What ever it was it knocked me on my butt, and will take sometime to get over. I am still going to take it easy for a few more days.

I am looking forward to going to the grocery store this week...I have not seen anyone but Far Guy and Chance for the past ten days. They did take me for a drive one day, but we didn't see anyone. I did not want to expose anyone to this crud. We are back down in the deep freeze again, it was 18 below zero again last night. You would think it would be too cold for germs to survive.

Far Guy has disinfected much of the house, he even steamed cleaned some of the tile! I found out that he can run this household fairly well without my input.. or maybe despite my input. He has not ventured toward the laundry, except to carry clothes away for me..I am still the only person in charge of laundry:)