since my last blog.
I am writing this with mixed emotions now.
All that comes to mind is; I tried, I really did. My 42 birthday was in March and I realized all the things I have been missing out on. I can't do this anymore. I need to start thinking about ME for a change.
I see all our family and friends doing whatever they want whenever they want. I want that. I want to be able to sleep in one morning. To be able to come and go as I please. To just be me. I haven't seen me
Just a quick update as to what is going on in our lives...here goes.
Well, we now have an empty nest. So far, it hasn't been too bad. It is a bit of an adjustment getting used to the silence, but I think Lisa and I are starting to enjoy it. The kids are doing fine in their apartment in Minneapolis except for the boredom of being by themselves more. I keep telling them that it will pass with time once school gets going but what do I know, right? The big move went well and I have been do
With the snow finally all melted in N. Minnesota, I thought I would post a blog.
Our moving project has been put on hold. Our current house has few trouble areas for Lisa and we are in no hurry. It will happen when it happens. I'm sure we both will have some empty nest syndrome as soon as our daughter leaves.
Our daughter is done with high school in a few weeks, and her and Lisa have been busy planning every thing that goes with that. All the grad party plans are done. The only issu
I see that some others have updated so why not me.
Winter is still showing no signs of letting go in MN. It was -7 this morning. Lisa and I are both ready for spring to hit so we can get out of the house more often. It has been a long, cold winter.
Lisa is doing well. She is still going to PT three days a week with her PCA and enjoys it. She has adopted my old iPod and helps pass the time while working out. Her mood has been upbeat. Mobility wise, therapy is maintaining her curr
With the holidays fast approching, I thought I would drop a line in my blog. It's been a few months.
Lisa is doing well. Still going to therapy 3 days a week, but not improving much. She is maintaining a reasonable level of movement. Her dad is no longer taking her though. Lisa has a PCA that comes everyday from 8-4:30 while I am at work. It has been great for her to have someone to talk to. I come home after work and usually dinner is ready. Takes one thing of my list to do every d
Well, I leave for a much needed and well deserved vacation by myself for a weekend of golf and relaxation. I am looking forward to it. It's funny, it's not the playing golf or spending Q.T. with my friends. It's being able to sleep through the entire night without being woken up. Lisa usually has to go to the bathroom a couple times a night and I, of course, have to get up and help her. Not that it is that big a deal, but often I am a bear when it happens. I want to sleep. Leave me alone.
Just a quick update on what is going on in our world.
We, like everyone else, are trying to beat the heat. We live in Minnesota, for pete's sake, and it is still 95 degrees!! It is even too hot for the mosquitos to come out. The air conditioners are running constantely (air conditioner and Minnesota is an oxymoron) so the house is O.K.. At least comfortable.
Lisa is doing well. Physically fine and emotionally happy, almost giddy. I try to get her out of the house on some kind of
and it has been 8 months since my last blog. Wow!! Not really, I just haven't had anything to say. I still pop in from time to time and read other people's blogs. I try to keep up to date.
Things are progressing in our household. Lisa is doing very well. She is still getting OT and PT three days a week and loving it. There are little improvements, but I think she has hit her max. She is now two years post-stroke. I hate to say it, but I think we are where we are. And that's O.K.
After going 6 months without any kind of professional therapy and leaving it all on me to do some, Lisa started OT at a local college yesterday and will start at a PT center on Wednesday. She could use some, too. It's not like she has slipped that much, but some is better than none. Plus, it will give her new exercises to do than the same old tired ones I keep yelling at her to do. She already has "homework" from OT, writing with her left hand. I have been telling her to do since day 1, b
That's right. Lisa has an evaluation appointment next Wed. to go into a physical therapy program. She is very excited. It has been about 8 months since she has had any professional PT. She has lost a small amount of mobility, but nothing that is unmanagable. Her neurologist told us that this is how the game is played. You go for a while, gain what you can, get dropped after you plateau, and get picked up again later. Why don't doctors tell people this when a patient first starts? It was
It is the middle of August, but it feels as if summer is winding down. The nights are much cooler here in Minnesota now. All the trees just don't look as green. My daughter is actually excited for school to be starting up. I had to wear a jacket to play golf in last week. Fall is Lisa and my favorite time of the year. The color of all the leaves is amazing.
Things are well at the WfnShow household. Lisa is doing well. I am still battling for her to do more exercise at home, but she
next week.
Her mother has huge party planned for her at their house. They have a large yard and have hosted many a family party or graduation there. Lisa is looking forward to it. I kind of feel bad because I have nothing to do with any of the planning. I ask Lisa if there is something I need to do for it, but she keeps saying nope.
O.K., I'll let it go at that.
I asked what she wanted for her birthday. See, Lisa and I are of two separate minds when it comes to presents. For me
I find myself posting less and less, but I have enjoyed reading all the new blogs that have appeared. Many of them remind me of how I felt at that point in Lisa's recovery. Some good, some bad.
Enough about me, on to Lisa.
She had a slew of Dr. appointments this week, her six month check-up. As some of you know, Lisa also has Lupus (which we found out may have caused her to have her stroke). Lupus Dr. said everything looks good and her blood work numbers are the best they have bee
In the middle of last month, Lisa had a nice week-long hospital stay for a viral infection that she just could not shake. So, of course, it was trips down to the hospital every night after work. Man, I hate the hospital now. You know something is wrong when staff on different floors know you by first name. She is fine though. She did slide a little on the therapy side of things being in bed for a week, but we're working on that.
I haven't had much time to blog anything. Work has been
Golf season begins in Minnesota.
I have been waiting for forever it seems like for the snow to melt. I will be playing today and Sunday. Sure, I have to go to Wisconsin to do it. But, I don't care.
Oh, And this golf season I have become one of "those" people....I joined a private country club. It was such a great deal, I couldn't refuse.
BTW, Lisa's fine. There's nothing really to blog about until the 18th when Lisa came back home to Duluth.
Butch
To continue with the story...
Last March 27th, Easter Sunday, was the day Lisa left for the Mayo Clinic. A little backtracking though...
Her Drs had told myself and her family there was nothing else they could do. Lisa was still continuing to stroke and they had tried everything. We had three options: continue with the current path of treatment, stop all treatment and let the strokes happen but make her a comfortable as possible, or go to the Mayo Clinic and try experimental treatme
Saturday marked the one year anniversary of what I call Lisa's "Big One".
I had returned home from the hospital late that night, around nine o'clock. Lisa was very sleepy and her speech was slurring something awful. She didn't want me to leave. I had been going to the hospital twice a day, during lunch and after work, to see her. She had already had a few falls and walking was pretty much out of the question.
I was exhausted. Going to the hospital for three weeks every day and wor
This past Saturday marked the one year anniversary of when Lisa went into the hospital. I still remember the day vividely.
She had an early appointment for an MRI. We thought her Lupus had flared up so her Drs recommended one. I took the day day off and we were both in a great mood, laughing and looking forward to spending an entire day together. Her MRI would take about an hour. She told me to go get som breakfast in a cafe at the hospital and come back later. Little did I know then
Lisa and I actually met on Valentine's Day. Now, don't get any ideas of Cupid hiding in a tree, both of us walking different directions through a snow-covered park, two well placeed arrows, and BOOM!, Amore.
Nothing like that.
I picked her up in a bar. Yep, there is no other way to say it. No glamour or glitz. In a dirty, smoky, bar.
I was out with my best friend in that specific bar because it was quarter tap night (as you can tell we were quite young and I would never use th
I got a letter in the mail yesterday for a benefit golf tournement from a family I met while Lisa was in ICU. There were 4 families in the waiting room at that time and we all got pretty close. We all shared what our respective family members were going through. I haven't thought about them in a while.
Lisa had a stroke, Walt had a snowmobile accident, Chris had a self-inflicted gunshot wound, and Myra had something wrong with her pancreus (sp). All of them had their ups and downs. Wal
There hasn't been much happening. We all have cabin fever in our household.
Lisa and I went for a limo ride with some of her friends last Saturday. It don't see what the big deal is. O.K., it's a big car that holds 15 people. I get it. But, some people were all crazy over it. Like this is how the "other half" lives? $100 an hour and $6 Andre.
The company I work for is having its Holiday Party this weekend. We don't have it around that time because everyone is busy, and it's nic
I walked in the door from work yesterday and Lisa is waiting for me to get in. I can tell she has something on her mind. She proceedes to ask if she can go to lunch on Saturday. I say sure, where do you want to go, full well knowing the answer. Olive Garden. I hate Olive Garden. The building is way too small and there's always an hour wait, but she loves it. Of course.
"You're not going." she tells me. What? How the hell am I not going. Apparently, her friends called her yesterday an
of the Dark Side!!!
As some of you may know, I am a gamer. PS2, XBox, hand-helds, I love em. Gaming is how I unwind after a long day. Lately, I have been playing Star Wars:KOTOR for XBox. Sure, there are certain tasks that your character must perform to keep the game moving towards the final battle and the conclusion of the game. Each choice you make determines if you are on the Light Side of the Force or the Dark Side of the Force.
As I turned my game of last night and walked ups
I am always excited when the New Year comes. It brings with it the promise of the unexpected. Who knows what will happen? Trust me, my feeling is it can only go up.
Yep, 2005 will go down as easily the WORST year of my life. There is no comparison. I can't remember much of the first 6 months. Good!! The last 6 months were tough, but it ended on an upturn. This website and blog has helped with that.
Lisa is fairing well. She continues to get stronger and and stronger, and even
Another 3-5 inches of the white stuff for us today. No big deal for us. But, I did receive a nice "gift" this morning; I am sick. Yep, you guessed it. Fever, chills, ache, coughing, the whole nine yards. And where am I? Stuck at work because I gave 2 of my guys the day off today. I can not afford to be sick. There is no way I can lay on the couch for an entire day. We still have another Christmas this weekend and a funeral tomorrow. I have already told Lisa that we are going nowhere t
