So called home from work an hour early due to a Caregiver family emergency. I am really concerned for her but was so thankful that nothing was wrong with Bruce. I will do a rosary for that tonight. Do we ever get over that rush of relief when we find out it is not our Survivor? and then the guilt that someone else has a problem and we didn't think of her first?

Anyway, nothing done here. Complete bed change since someone chose not to go to the BR before bed, on laundry load number three for the day, 2 1/2 hours shoveling ice to get out and storms due Saturday and next Tuesday. So hopefully Jen, the day caregiver, will be able to take him swimming tomorrow-can only think of her excuses and my poor Bruce stuck in another day, regressing another day and I am unable to help him.

Anyway now that Puntsatawney Phil has given us some good news, thought I would share some of the things Bruce and I are doing to avoid cabin fever for him. I can get out, even if just to shovel more. But he is left alone for more hours, trying not to add to my work, which means adding to my work since his BR and meal schedules are off.

However, I bring up dried laundry loads and he is expected to fold all of it. He is transferring with spot only, no assistance; wearing AFO at least four hours a day even tho he is not ambulating; baking (with supervision and help); helping with dinner and dinner prep for when I am at work, washing all the dishes-all meals, cleaning his BR-yes it can be done from a WC; monthly greeting cards-birthdays, anniversaries; bills including balancing the checkbook, stamping and inserting into envelopes; pulling coupons (he can not cut them out, but rips the pages out); daily errand list and bank deposits when we can get out.

All in all, progress of a sort. Not what I would have thought of 23 months ago. All I wanted was for him to walk independently and get back into writing and some work-not that he would be paid, but something that I thought was important to him.

Funny how this stroke recovery works. Docs tell us "Oh, he is the same man". But no, he is not. We have been together 25 years, I know this man. And all those things I thought were a priority and important to him proved not to be. He helps me get through driving problems in the snow and ice, advises what to do outside in clearing snow and ice and making things safe for us and the caregivers, is concerned about the weight on the deck (which he built and which I have been clearing at his suggestion). I have realized that his home and our welfare are his greatest concerns. When Jen called on Tuesday to say she would be late, he says to me, "well just go. I'll be fine". His concern was my work and not whether or not Jen could even get here at all to take care of him.

Am rethinking this stroke recovery thing. Trying to just get through this tough winter without injuring myself and keeping my home intact and with small damage and thinking about our future and where it will lead.

Will certainly encourage the pool-he asks to go and loves doing his therapy independently; he's excited about this backward walking that Philldog is encouraging, have the portable ramp for the deck, hoping he will get out more in the Spring (if it ever gets here); his boss wants to build him a raised flower/vegetable bed, the new scooter and maybe increasing my hours at work to improve the income. We shall see.