Monday, May 23, 2016

Cruising Through May in our New Normal

Usually there is an area of concern to feel stressed about, but that has become my normal. Slow healing wound on his shin, fast heart rate, low oxygen saturation, skin tears, weakness, sleeps too much, dry, burning eyes, odd behavior, skin changes, but these things come and go, sometimes quickly, so I just wait them out. As a kid, my Mom would not take us to the doctor until after 3 days of symptoms. If I called the clinic about everything, I would be a nuisance. Those early months after the transplant when we still lived in Ann Arbor and had appointments every week, there were times when I couldn't believe that he wasn't admitted. So there have been many nursing skills acquired over the past 6 years, and this is the 7th spring I've seen spring arrive in AA.
This year with appointments farther apart, I have been able to enjoy spring gardening in BG and here at Gilead Lake. I am more than halfway through a big mulching project. 90+ bags! Today we went out on the lake for over an hour. The steps were quite a challenge for Ron today. I so admire him for wanting to go. He has been very sleepy the last two days, so I have been out in the yard more. We have over a week more here, then back to BG for appointments. I am learning to get more help with some things. My sister's husband continues to mow our yard, and a yard service delivered the mulch and unloaded it next to the areas to be covered. They also weed-whacked our steep hill down to the lake. More than half is groundcover and perennial flowers. Always something in bloom.
Things are still on track to discontinue ECP treatments in early June and have Ron's central line removed. If his shin is healed by then and there are no new skin tears, he will be able to take a shower without any body parts wrapped in Saranwrap. I know that hasn't been the case for at least 4 years.