A week at home .....

Back by popular demand...! I guess you still want to know how the old bugger's doing now he's been released and running me ragged!! Seemed to have more time on my hands whilst he was in hospital!! :)

Well - remarkably well with some ups and downs - but certainly not as entertaining - now that he has his marbles back! Fatigue is huge and headaches come on thick and fast - trying to juggle ('limit') the pain relief is tricky....
woke up with chest pain one night causing a bit of a scare - a) coronary? b) embolism? (again), c) muscular? or d) wind? - after brief assessment (yes, lesser would have crumbled) - resisted 911 thinking it was likely to be either c or d ... thankfully it seemed to be one or the other or both and no further repercussions...

Week spent first trying to book rehab appointments - it might have helped had they 'faxed' (i know) the right patients 'rehab referral form' - wasn't until i found myself at Kinko (don't start me) looking at his discharge form thinking whose this Mr Shores when i realised we had someone else's treatment plan - looked as if it could work for Doug however. I'm sure people sue for less...

The rest of the week spent actually trying to find appointments for the next few coming weeks - eventually (i think finally due to pity) we scrabbled a few appointments together... most important (and seemingly most elusive) was for Speech therapy - and, not to "get rid of that ridiculous accent" as Flea pointed out, but for his higher cognitive reasoning... a happy hour was spent juggling and arranging shapes and colours as instructed.... happy memories of nursery school games came flooding back but the intense concentration near wiped poor Doug out...might have helped if i'd remembered to take his pain killers along - oops..

Then came Physio, Occupational and Vocational therapy all in a row... surprisingly not as exhausting as that lone speech therapy appointment - although they wiped me out just watching... well at least i can get Doug out walking with me and the mutts but it'll be a while before i convince him to come along to yoga...

I'm having to learn how to cook again although pleased to see the message didn't get through that Doug was now home and a few 'meals on wheels' miraculously appeared on the doorstep :) And i'm eternally indebted to Kimberly for sending in the super squad fairies who miraculously left our musty old house sparkling...

We should be in LA this week visiting Jack (i did consider a later flight but DOug wasn't playing ball) - anyway, we've had a few warm and sunny days but just as the barrage of appointments are over for one week and i'm thinking of a drive up to Skagit Valley and the tulip fields, then winter sets back in ...bloody freezing...
PS Southwest airlines - brilliant, Alaska - awful - i'd like to request no one flies with them ever again...

and just got the statement for his 25 day stay at Harborview Hosp $355,560.47 (and that doesn't include the bill for initial emergency treatment at University of Washington hosp)... fascinating break down of costs that i'm not convinced are too accurate - after telling me they "don't do physio in ITU" they still charge $1000 - hmm - mysterious!! still, they did a splendid job of saving his life - and for that we are eternally grateful ...

and yes, we're taking visitors and calls - so feel free.... oh and making visits...Doug managed the excitement of watching the Golf Open last weekend with Matt - whilst i escaped for a little retail therapy....anyone free for babysitting?