Dad's Home...

He's home, the sun is shining, and he says he is very happy to be Home.  Willie was thrilled to see him, and required being in his lap for extended periods.  Dad's fine with that, and sneaking treats to him.

 The following are just random notes.  I'm posting it as more of a journal for me than anything. Please don't feel you are required to read on, though you are welcome to comment.

The new hip is working nicely, scar has healed well, and he has no pain from it.

He managed to get some orange chicken with rice and a small amount of a protein shake down after he got home. I fixed him corned beef hash with an egg last night, it was his request. It was good, but he struggled to swallow even a few bites. I've talked with his oncologist and the ENT surgeon, and this difficulty swallowing some things is part of what is at this stage. His coughing to clear his throat is about the same. It is frustrating to him that he can't eat many of his favorites without his choking. And we face the aspirating problem.

He is very weak and only manages very short distances with his walker. Then he sets in it and I push him where he wants to go. We have a wheel chair (left over from Mom) and a hoveround that he used to get back and forth to the mailbox(we live on a hill).  I'm not sure about him getting too dependent on mech things to do things for him, need to talk to PT & his doc about that, hopefully Monday. 

This morning he was up for a while, got him changed, his three E's in, meds and eye drops in, and gave his legs a massage, and got part of a banana protein shake down him. He wanted his favorite CD of Roy Orbison on the whole house stereo system, so we were rock'n the house, and he spent some time in his den on his computer. He's back in bed now, and comfortable.

I have a dear friend that has been occasionally going to see him with me. She talks to him like this is just a minor bump in the road. I know that she means well, but it isn't the reality, and he & I know it. 

He and I both know why he has been so adamant about getting home.

Monday, his home health caregiver will be here, as well as PT and a few others, that he enjoys interacting with. Hopefully they will cheer him up. 

 Lots of orders for his care came home with him.  He is on nocturnal oxygen, so they showed up not long after he got home and explained the equipment to me. I rearranged some things in his bedroom and that's all in place.  He is to use it when he naps, as well. That gets a little problematic as he is prone to just dozing off in his chair.  Last night was a process to get him ready for bed. Remove the 3 E's:  ears (hearing aides), eyes (glasses), eats (false teeth), put in his eye drops, turn on the big oxy machine, adjust it, put the nasal cannula on him, and the finger oxy tester thingy...  but we gott'er done and him tucked in for the night. Oh, and put the other things that he thought he might need on his night stand, including the big Donger (cowbell/handle)!

 (I told him he better damn well be dying if he rings that thing in the middle of the night. He laughed, and said "Aah I Love You, Sissy, Thank You for taking care of me."   "I Love You Dad, and you are most welcome.")

 

The Dad Report...

Sometimes you just have to push through, and keep plugging along.

Dad has had me fairly busy taking his favorite foods, the mail, newspapers, etc, up to him, daily. He won't eat the food at rehab, says it doesn't taste good to him.  I have been concerned about his not eating, or eating very little, as he has dropped 6 lbs (he didn't have to spare) since he got there.  The staff are very good about answering my constant questions on his care and status.
 

He has had loads of cards, balloons, phone calls, and visitors.  Still he is depressed, he just wants to be home, were he totally runs the show.  But he has needed to be strong enough to come home, a vicious circle. I've met with his social services lady several times, and finally the other day told her, "He's 93, he's lived a good long life, now do what ever arrangements it takes so I can take him home, soon".  He can do PT at home, he can have home help, I can make sure he eats, and he has Willie and friends to help keep his spirits up.
  

He had an interesting table mate in the dining room. Old P38 driver from a ranching family in Arizona, that went on to keep flying and ranching in N Calif. I have adopted him, he's 94. He has great stories of ranches, and cowmen we both knew. And his flying stories are just short of unbelievable. I have given him our info and told him when he's ready for a breakout I'll come get him.

They are releasing Dad to me to bring him home tomorrow, Sat. He has really missed his home routine.

Things never go quite the way we sometimes think they should... and to stick another spoke in the mix I have come down with a whooper of a cold.  I'll get over it, but Dad can't afford to get it.  Will do my best to see that that doesn't happen, but dammit! Then I hear from the staff that Dad says he wants to go home because my cooking is the best, and that I will take good care of him.  Bless his heart that's more than a bit of a stretch on the cooking...

Horses, Dogs & Bull...

Taking a second to catch my breath after another week of daily trips up to see Dad, (He's doing well, and hopefully will be home in another week) and watching events at our annual Red Bluff Bull & Gelding Sale. 

Lots of good working dogs this year. I sorta keep an eye out for what I like in a working dog, and after watching them in the trials, my favorite was Crazy 8 Twit (bred & consigned by Mason Winebarger of Post, Oregon).  Twit ended up being the Champion high point dog, and sold for $14,500. A tad beyond my budget.  

GS Farrah, topped the sale at $20,000 the second highest amount ever paid for a dog at the sale.

Champion Crazy 8 Twit

The geldings did well.  "Walter" was the top selling horse at $39,000.  Rumor has it that "Walter" is going to a ranch in Hawaii...

I didn't get to watch the bulls sale, but I understand they all did well, too.

 

Col Rick Machado sell'n right

Much to see at the trade show, and art show. North Valley Hat Co was there, Yay!  Met some lady vendors that were a real hoot.  Lots of shared laughter.

John Growney (Growney Bros Rodeo Co) with  Kathy Branco at the Branco Ranch Furniture booth

So many friends to catch up with that I sometimes only get to see once a year.

This'n that...

Dad is doing well, considering he thinks he should be home already. Willie has been up to visit him!  They had a visiting 4-H project baby goat at Dad's PT the other day. 

 

Dad liked the baby goat, so much so, that I said, "why don't you get a baby Nigerian dwarf goat?  The back yard is fenced with no climb, so it should be doable." Dad lit up and said, "Yep, I need to get a baby goat." Meanwhile, I have been taking the newspaper, milkshakes, and ribs from the locally famous 2 Buds BBQ up to him. Pretty sure the CNA's and RN's are tired of me showing up at all hours, and addressing his care issues with them.  But, I'm his advocate and don't take that responsibility lightly.

When I visited him yesterday, I asked if he had gotten to watch the inauguration of President Trump, he did and he was well pleased!  We got to calculating and Dad has been alive for the inauguration of 15 presidents!

We have had a lot of rain, Yay! and a lot of high winds, damn!  Lost the Ceanothus to the wind last night. 

 and the ceiling lights in the garage don't work when it rains, but the automatic doors do!?!  There are no leaks that I can find, but I'm sure not an electrician.

A dear ol cowboy friend of the Cowman's has given me the go ahead to post some of his N Calif. wildlife photos, so here ya go...

    

The Crazy Petunia and The Hipster Dad...

Willie catching a bit of sun this morning, January 11, 2017, next to The Crazy Purple Petunia. That dang plant has been blooming non stop since last summer. It's been frost bit, snowed on, had freezing rain fall on it, and it still keeps coming back with more blooms.

Much like Dad...

(note: my FB page and the blog are not tied together, I like it that way!  I can say what I want on the blog, FB not so much.)

"Dad fell at home early Sat morning, broke his right hip, after a brief stay at St E's, he was transported to Feather River Hospital. He had hip replacement surgery that afternoon, and did well. He is there til given the go ahead to transfer to rehab. A big thanks to all our wonderful family, friends, and neighbors who have stepped up to help in any way possible. And a Huge Thank You to orthopedic surgeon Dr DeFrancisci, and the surgery dept staff at Feather River Hospital, who have all gone way above and beyond the norm with their many kindnesses."

Dad is doing well, they have had him up and walking. He will be transferred up to rehab in Anderson, 20 miles N of home, sometime today. I will meet him up there, and try to sneak Willie in for a quick hug, it would do them both good. Dad is milking this more than a bit with all the cute young nurses hovering around him. 

Dad's girlfriend called and asked if she should send him flowers.  I said, "Nooo, flowers just wilt and then make you sad, send him a blowup dolly to keep him company!"  I heard a choked giggle and then the line went dead,  I guess she's working on that...