I'm back on the board after several months of getting settled in new location, computer updates knocking out all my saved passwords, and not being able to get a link to reset them.   I had to re-register in order to get back on here, so for those of you who knew me as srademacher, I'm now SarahR.    :)    It's taken some time to get Gary used to the new location and the different setup in bathroom, and I still have days where it's easier for me to shower him on a patio chair on the back patio using the garden hose.   Getting into a tight bathroom and lifting his affected leg into a bathtub is not an easy task.  We had the doors widened, we added grab bars where we could, and still it doesn't work well for either of us.   I will eventually have to break down and spend a fortune to change out the tub to a roll-in shower in order to save my back.   Getting him comfortable with anything different than his normal routine has been a real challenge, and oftentimes exhausting for both of us.   

We still have Kelly coming to help with Gary on Mondays and Fridays and have had another caregiver, Carmen who comes on Wednesdays and stays overnight.  Both are driving from our old neighborhood in Scottsdale, so I'm paying for some drive time and getting less hours of hands-on help as a result.  The commute for them is about 50 min. to an hour each way, but both are very attached to Gary and wanted the job.   At some point, I will have to search for local hospice help, as conditions have changed recently to the point I am not sure I can keep this up, both physically and financially.

Gary has been dealing with more depression lately, and I know I will likely have to increase his antidepressant dose, but have been stalling it off because he already sleeps too many hours a day, and with a higher dosage, comes more sleep time for him, which keeps me confined to home when I don't have a caregiver here.    He seems to have more and more dreams (nightmares) where he wakes up crying for our youngest son, Dan, who we lost last year in June.   He also is very upset about hearing that his brothers cancer surgery did not go as hoped, and the cancer is too far advanced to the point they can try chemo but it's not really effective for the type of cancer he has, but might buy him a little more time.   He has always admired and respected his oldest brother and was very close to him.   

Not much else has changed here.   We did get a new puppy a few weeks ago and he is adjusting very well.   We were lucky that the previous owner had him housebroken before we got him.  He is a 7-month old schnoodle (schnauzer/poodle mix), and  a very sweet little boy.  We got him neutered on Thursday of this week, and aside from running into things with that silly collar on his head, he is doing well.  We go back in a week to get his stitches out, and then start training him to sit and stay as we plan to take him out with us whenever we go out, and I've already ordered a "companion dog" tag for him.  

I hope our friends in the TX area are all doing well.   It breaks our hearts to see the devastation in the area.   

Sarah