Thursday, August 19, 2004

One of those days x3

Monday I either had food poisoning or the stomach flu, but I couldn't work and spent the day visiting the bathroom frequently.

Tuesday, I made it to work, but was a bit queasy till about noon. Work went as usual, then I went home.......
Jeff was waiting for me to help remove the dining room table and chairs to storage. Fred is being released from the hospital Wednesday, we need room for a hospital bed, tube feeding holder, oxygen machine, and wheelchair. The dining room furnishings have got to go. We had to take the door off the hinges to get the table out. The clouds are dark and we hope to get the stuff stored before the sky falls. Kristina arrived home just before we left, with her 2 kids in tow, and clutching her stomach. She was also complaining of stabbing pains in her back. We had her lay down and try to relax till we got back from storage. Rushing out the door, we headed down the road. The storage unit, incidently is across town, of course. Half-way there, Jeff gets a call from work. One of the bread trucks has been in an accident on the freeway. No one was hurt, but he is responsible for the accident report. He was able to call and get someone else to cover it. Back on he road to the unit, Kristina calls in tears and asks us to come home and take her to the doctor. We turn around, load the car seats, the kids and her in the Suburban and drop her off at the doctor. The kids are cranky and we entertained them the best we could on the way. Upon arrival at the storage unit, finally, we discover we have the wrong keys. Go back home, drop me and the kids off to be fed and put to bed. Jeff picked up a friend on his way back to the storage unit (for the 3rd time) He swung by and picked Kristina up on his way home. They gave her pain medication and a heat pack and told her to get some rest.

Wednesday, I had to leave work early. Kristina called from the doctor's office. She had to go back in because of the sharp pains. She first had dropped the kids off at the daycare, then ran out of gas in the Walmart parking lot. A kind stranger at a nearby sandwich shop shuttled her to the doctor's office at St. Alphonsus hospital near our house. I first went home to help Jeff receive the equipment and get instructions on how to use the electric bed, and oxygen unit. A nurse called and made arrangements to instruct us on how to use the feeding tube and equipment at 6. We drove to St. Lukes hospital (across town) to pick up Fred and Joy. Jeff and I discussed how to handle the timing situation as we drove home. Kristina needed to be picked up at another hospital. She had the keys to the van. We had to drop off Fred and Joy at the house in time for the nurse. The kids have to be picked up at daycare by 6:30. To pick up the kids, we have to have the carseats (locked in the stranded van). I ended up driving a separate car to get the kids and wait outside in the grass while Jeff picked up Kristina, dropped her off at the house, took the keys to the van, loaded the carseats in the car and came to the daycare for the kids. The doctor has determined the reason she is having so many pains down in her lower abdomen and back, is stress and the fact that the baby is very low. She is still only dilated to 2. Meantime, the nurse had called the house to reschedule because of an emergency. She showed up at 7:30. Same time we arrived with the cranky grandchildren. I helped Kristina feed and bathe the babies, while Jeff helped Joy get instructions from the nurse. Joy is hard of hearing and wanted to get the instructions right. Then, another problem... Fred's feeding tube is leaking. The nurse said the only thing we could to for the night was disconnect the automatic continuous tube, and force feed him every 2 hours. Joy can't hear an alarm, so someone had to get up and wake her up for the feedings. Kristina offered to take the 12 o'clock, Jeff got her up for the 2 o'clock, and I woke her for the 4 o'clock feeding.

Jeff and I discussed worst case scenarios. We decided we need to make arrangements in the event Kristina has the baby next week when I begin school, and if the kids get sick and the daycare can't keep them, we have to find a person to watch them during the day. We're working on that one.

Anyone have any spare Valium?


Wednesday, August 18, 2004

Update

It's been a while since I posted. It's unbelievable how much can happen in such a short ammount of time. So, here's the latest......

Jeff's parents are staying with us. Fred and Joy. They sold their house in Bend and are looking for a place here in Boise. Fred is 81 and had a stroke recently so he has to get around with a walker and assistance.

Kristina and the grandkids, Gavin and Alliyah are also living here too. Kristina is due in 2 weeks, September 8, with a boy she will name Aiden Jeffery.

I will be starting college, only 20 years after graduating high school, but hey, better late than never. My first day is August 23rd and I'm quite excited. I will be taking a dental assisting course and will graduate in May.

Jeff had his company car parked in a parking lot a couple weeks ago and some 20 year old guy lost control of his vehicle, jumped the curb and the bushes and crashed into the front of Jeff's car, shoving it 20 feet. Fortunately Jeff wasn't in it.

Shell and Vic, my sister and brother-inlaw, came to visit. We had a great time, except for the alcohol abuse. I dropped a wine bottle on my driveway, it bounced and cut my leg open resulting in 5 stitches to my shin.

Jeff and I spent the weekend in Atlanta, Idaho for Atlanta days. A fund raiser for a small mining town we frequent. They raised over $4,000 to put in a new helicopter pad for Life Flight to land in emergency pick-ups.

The following morning, at 2:30 a.m., Joy woke us up with severe abdominal cramps. We took her to emergency where she had to have surgery for a bowel that was twisted around some scar tissue. She is recovering nicely.

Fred had to be admitted to St. Lukes hospital for dehydration. Seems someone forgot to give him any water at the rehab center. He will be leaving that facility and coming home as soon as he is released from the hospital some time today.

We went on a river float trip down the Payette river. Lots of white water. Had a blast. We took our grandson Gavin, who squealed with delight through the rapids. He loved it.

Well, that's about it for now. I'll add more later in case I forgot anything.