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JaNUaRy started out as a year with high hopes and expectations. Life was good considering we had gone through about six weeks with no medical problems, I had a great job which was paying very well and there was the promise of 12 brand new months and a clean slate.
Two weeks into the new year and month we had medical emergency no. 1. I had tried calling Joe for approximately 45 minutes and couldn't reach him. At first, I thought he might have stepped outside to feed the dogs. Then I thought maybe he's stepped outside to check the mail. Then it was that he must be in the bathroom and can't get to the phone. I knew he shouldn't and really couldn't go anywhere since it was very, very cold and snowy and he should be home. Finally, I called the Sheriff's Department, told them where to find a house key and they sent a deputy over to do a "well check". When the Deputy found Joe, he was unconscious on the kitchen floor and was rushed to the hospital. Apparently his blood sugar had dropped too low and he was going into a diabetic coma. Luckily he survived with no apparently problems and got to go home.
http://jocarweaver.blogspot.com/2011/04/yes-its-true.html.
January 20th brought the end of my job out in the oilfield. 27 people, including myself, were laid off due to "budgetary problems". I immediately filed for unemployment benefits and began searching for a new job. The rest of the month was having lunch with friends, job interviews and taking Joe to doctor appointments. We were also able to make our first trip of the year to Utah for a belated Christmas celebration with the kids.
http://jocarweaver.blogspot.com/2011/04/january-2011-trip-to-kids.html and also share in the celebration of Travis and Lindsea's wedding in Utah. FB said: "
What a great day it was! Loved spending time with my sweet hubby, lunch with friends, Skyped Travis and Lindsea's wedding reception in Georgia, phone calls from caring friends checking on us and a quiet evening at home and clean sheets on the bed. Ahhhh."
fEBrUAry - More job searching in the coldest of winter weather!, Joe had a fistula gram operation
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hemodialysis, I started working part-time for an insurance agency where I was free to job search and take Joe to doctor appointments. We made our first trip to Utah to share in Derek's third birthday
http://jocarweaver.blogspot.com/2011/04/dereks-3rd-birthday-party.html. More doctor appointments and dialysis. 2/1/11 FB said: "
I can't believe that I went job hunting in -30+ degree weather today. It was butt cold and face cold and hands cold, etc.! I think I'll put it off going out again tomorrow and just search from home. Bright spot of the day was having Derek visit with Grandma Carol on the "compooter" this afternoon. 2/19/11 FB - What a great day! Spent time w/my sweetie, spent time w/ a good friend, phone conversations w/family, went grocery shopping all by myself, went to a lecture about the Buffalo Soldiers at the Interpretive Center, ate me some Chinese food all amongst snowflakes throughout the day. Ahh, life is so good. 2/25/11 FB - My fortune cookie today said "Sometimes the object of the journey is not the end, but the journey itself". I find that to be true. Live each day as though it is your own personal journey or adventure because we can't obsess about the future. That's why my heart aches 4 Joe because he doesn't seem to think life will get betr bcause of so much negativity from people @ dialysis. I want a permanent smile back on his face. 2/26/11 FB - No trip to Denver this weekend after all. Joe's kidney evaluation appointment was rescheduled to the following Monday due to a technical error with his insurance company. I was already salivating at the thought of eating at Sweet Tomatoes and bringing me back some Church's and Popeye's chicken.
MARcH - Resumes, interviews, doctor appointments, part-time work and then a trip to Denver. The purpose of the Denver trip was a kidney transplant evaluation for Joe. It was a wonderful diversion for us. A trip to a big city - eating out in some old favorite restaurants, spending the night in a motel and just getting away from all the regularness of our lives. The outcome of the trip was continued monitoring of Joe's kidneys and fluids around his heart and lungs.
Been sitting here in the hospital waiting room for a couple of hrs. Joe was having surgery to have his dialysis port work better so it was nothing big, this time. 3/14/11 FB: Sitting in Denver @ the hospital waiting on the next dr. to come in for Joe's transplant evaluation. What a great place with wonderful people. The weather is beautiful here 2day. What a rush driving in the "going to work" traffic this morning!!! After some add'l tests done for Joe in Casper, results will be sent back to Denver so panel can decide if Joe is to be put on transplant list. Hopefully will know something in the next two weeks. It's all according to the doctors and Heavenly Father now. The staff was incredibly wonderful to us and wow, what a hospital!
The following weekend we went down to Cheyenne for an appointment with an eye specialist to see if anything could be done to improve Joe's eyesight. That was a fun trip which ended with us almost being snowed in because of a blizzard. Power was even cut at the motel and Joe and I had to huddle together in our bed until the power was restored. 3/18/11 FB:
We're home...again. This time from Cheyenne. What a trip!. Got to the hotel last night and started having a mini blizzard. Went to eat and when we got back we couldn't find our hotel. The electricity had gone out to all the hotels in that area so it was total darkness. Great when temperature drops and you've no heat in your room for 2 hrs. eye specialist says most likely nothing can be done for Joe's eyes which is sad. However, he's being referred to one other specialist that may be able to do one other procedure in one eye so we'll have to wait and see what happens. 3/28/11 FB: Busy week upon us - dialysis, work @ temporary job, full-time job interview, dialysis, temporary job, "aggressive dialysis", temporary job, echo cardiogram, eye specialist (Joe losing more eyesight and the "aggressive" and extra dialysis and echo cardiogram are at the request of the Colorado transplant team). 3/31/11 FB:
Joe went for his 3rd "aggressive" dialysis in a row today and then for his echo cardiogram, so he's kinda wiped out. The results are being sent to Denver to the transplant team and hopefully this will be his last test and the results are good so he can be put on the kidney transplant list. (Note: Eventually Joe was denied being placed on the transplant list because of fluid around heart and lungs and too many other health complications).
APRil - The greatest thing that happened in April was that Joe FINALLY got out of the house! He started working as a volunteer at the local Senior Citizen's Center
http://jocarweaver.blogspot.com/2011/04/back-in-saddle-again.html. I was so happy for him! And then there were more doctor appointments, job interviews and a sleep study for Joe. 4/1/11 FB:
A blessed day. Joe went to eye specialist and had surgery done on his right eye with expectation that it will help him see better. No hope for left eye though. 4/23/11 FB: Not a good day in dialysis for Joe. I think they drained him of everything. Poor guy had to be helped into car and house so he wouldn't fall over, not hungry, nauseous, headache and I've tucked him into bed. Called the center to see if anything unusual took place - they said no. 4/27/11 FB: Joe is back in the hospital tomorrow - out patient for ANOTHER surgery on his arm where they are trying to do his dialysis. Hopefully third time will be the charm. All went wonderfully well with Joe today...Joe did not have to have surgery on his arm (fistula). After numbing the area and shooting in some dye, apparently it did a self heal on itself. See prayers really do get answered! :)
MAY - We weren't able to make it back to Georgia this year for the family reunion. With all of Joe's medical problems, I didn't feel it would be a wise decision and having lost a job had put a strain on our finances. We did make our 3rd trip to Utah during the month and were thrilled to attend a performance of "Riverdance" in Casper. A sad moment of the month though was the death of a dear friend who had been on my visiting teaching list since we'd moved to Casper. Her death was unexpected and heart-breaking for me. 5/14/11 FB: What can I say about today? It was a sad day. It began with cold, sad weather and then receiving a call that saddened my heart. Found out that a friend of mine is now in hospice and not expected to live much longer. I was told, while conscious, that she asked for me and when I got the message and went to see her, she is no longer conscious. How do you tell a friend goodbye and that you want her to know that you loved her when she is already slipping away? How do you tell her that you will miss her smile, her laugh and her infectious personality? What an honor to know that she counted me among someone that she cared about. Lesson learned here...tell your friends, your family you love them whenever possible. We never know when that opportunity may no longer be an option.
JunE - June had us dust the snow off the car and head out for our first daycation of the year. Joe also had to start bi-weekly physical therapy because of increased severe problems with balance and therapy. All year long he'd been experiencing increased eye problems, memory and balance coordination. His condition was described as "Parkinsonian like symptoms". June also found me finally finding a full-time job working at a local RV dealership. And, the kids came over from Utah for a great weekend visit with us!
jULy - We had company - Ally and Ryan came and spent July 4th weekend with us. The month was spent doing daycations in Nebraska and in Wyoming. We had the usual doctor and therapy visits and celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary and my 59th birthday. 7/25/11 FB: Hello hospital. It's been almost 7 months since we last visited. Poor Joe got whipped at dialysis today. Could hardly get him into the house but 45 mins later I did. Then things didn't improve so I called a friend to help me get him back into the car many minutes later. Dr. advised bringing him here to get more fluids. So here we sit, while one sits and one lies on that little skinny bed with an iv drip. We should go home, let me rephrase that we better go home tonight. Not starting this stuff again!!!
Got some 80 birthday wishes on Facebook alone today, plus phone calls and a surprise birthday party at the office.
aUGUst - More fun daycations, including going into Montana, but not a so great one when Joe had to be transported to the ER in Laramie because he kept passing out. 8/13/11 FB: We're home after our daycation to the mountains. Unfortunately we had to make a detour to an ER. In short, while some 40 miles away from a hospital, Joe got sick and we hightailed it out of the mountains. Had to call 911, deputy and ambulance met us outside of Laramie to get Joe and headed for ER. After a short stay, we got to leave - YAY! He had extremely high blood sugar and blood pressure as well as fell down and almost had seizure - don't know why, but he's much better now and we are home. Thankful toand we are home. Thankful to be here and grateful that all things fell into place to get him medical attention. Prayers are answered! 8/18/11 FB:
It's official...Joe has a cracked rib from a fall over the weekend. Unfortunately nothing can be done other than rest, meds and ace bandage. There will be no daycation this weekend for us. 8/28/11 FB:
Update on Joe...his rib is doing better. Blood sugar still extremely high. Dialysis didn't go well two days last week, but he did sleep through the night for the first time in a long time last night.
My Aunt Erma died. She was the wife of my Uncle Dave and was such a gentle, quiet lady whom I was always exited to see when they came to visit. She will be missed.
SeptEMBer - I quit my job with the dealership. I felt under so much pressure in my new job and medically Joe was declining again. He was having problems walking, seeing, lots of cognitive problems, having lots of falls and it was like I was caring for a large two year old. Joe had an appointment with a neurosurgeon who pronounced that Joe had been having a series of strokes and was most likely afflicted with vascular dementia. 9/3/11 FB:
Well we're off on an extended daycation to North and South Dakota in just a bit where it's now 46 degrees where we'll be spending the night. Here's hoping for a fun and medically uneventful time with my sweetie. 9/4/11 FB:
We're home - 860 miles later. Arrived to find dogs had gotten out of the yard and were returned by some nice person. Can mark visiting North Dakota off my list and don't plan on visiting again. Lunch in Rapid City, South Dakota before going to hang out with George, Thomas, Franklin and Abe at Mt. Rushmore. What a great trip, but so glad to be home. 9/6/11 FB:
things are changing for Joe :(. He got lost last night in the bedroom and couldn't find the bed even with the light on. I had to help him get there and crawl in. Then this morning, he forgot how to put on his shoes. Went to dr. for some tests today. 9/15/11 FB:
Weaver update...I've quit my job after 90 days. Too stressful for me most every day. Will work until time to fly to Georgia. Joe will be seeing a neurologist soon to hopefully determine cause(s) for memory loss problems he's been having. Taking each day one at a time cuz I sure can't think too much beyond that. So looking forward to spending time away from all this when we spend some time down south in about 20 days! 9/22/11 FB:
Joe's appointment with the eye doctor went wonderfully. His eyesight doesn't appear to have changed. Apparently his dialysis is just messing with his eyes from time to time. Doesn't mean it won't get worse. But he is still very, very unsteady and that's the reason for the balance therapy. 9/28/11 FB: M
y morning has started out with hearing Joe call my name. Got up and found him in the bathtub. Apparently he was drying off outside the tub, lost his balance and fell back into the tub. I finally got him out of the tub, but couldn't manage to maneuver him off the floor and he was too weak. So, I had to call 911 and ask them to please send help with no lights or sirens and six burly dudes showed up and got his little nekkid body off the floor. 9/29/11 FB:
So today...Joe thinks the bus forgot to pick him up @ the house. He goes and climbs in the bed, the bus shows up - no Joe. Door's open, house key on ground and walking stick halfway in and out. Driver knocks and yells - no Joe. She calls supervisor who comes and knocks and yells - no Joe. 20 mins. later they call police who find Joe just waking up. I get call from neighbor later that police have been at my home, I call house - no Joe answers, call where he was supposed to have been - no Joe. I leave work, hurry home and find him asleep again after everyone has left.
OCToBER - We finally made it home to Georgia the first week in October!!! Joe had to be transported to the hospital in Tifton though when he had an apparent seizure. He was also scheduled for a lumbar puncture (spinal tap) because it was determined that he had water on the brain. I was back working at the insurance agency - with no benefits though. 10/23/11 FB:
Well the kids just left and took Blaze with them too. After 4 yrs. of caring for the granddog, it's unbelievably hard to see her ride away in the truck. What a wonderful weekend spent with kids. One of the best visits in quite awhile. It still hurts my mama heart when I see my son and his family leave. :( 10/18/11 FB: Today was the day Joe went to the neurologist. In a nutshell...Joe does not have Alzheimer's; he has had several strokes and seizures and will be having a lumbar puncture (spinal tap) next week to drain fluid from his brain which may have been causing some of his mental/memory/balance problems. A shunt may have to be implanted if fluid returns. He may al...so have vascular dementia, but we won't know for sure until possibly after the procedure next week. Prayers and positive thoughts are welcome. It is such a relief to know that someone has finally validated what I've been seeing and what Joe and I have been living with - especially in the last three months. 10/29/11 FB:
Update on Joe. Went to pick him up from dialysis yesterday and we left an hour later. Just before he was supposed to leave, his blood pressure dropped dramatically, his fingernails and lips turned blue and skin was very cold. He was put on oxygen which helped and he was able to leave after dr. made arrangements for oxygen over the weekend at home. He's going in for a chest x-ray first thing Monday morning to see if that might help explain what happened.
NOVEMBER - Joe wound up in the ER and then in ICU with hydrocephalus for a week. He had totally lost touch with reality and kept falling. I was asked to bring his living will to the hospital and DNR was being discussed because the situation with Joe was very dire this time. 11/3/11 FB:
At hospital w/joe. i woke up hearing him keeping calling"dad, dad,dad". I went 2 check on him thinking he was dreaming, found him on floor totally scrambled. blood sugars ok, eyes glazed, slurred words and no oxygen in nose. wound up calling EMT's who said blood pressure very high which is total opposite of his normal. Joe is now in ICU with drs. trying to find out what is going on. He may have hypertensive encephalopathy which I understand it is that high blood pressure is causing swelling on the brain. It was a strange day yesterday with two falls last night and then this trip to the hospital. He has no idea where he is and speaks with some foreign gibberish when he does speak.
FB
Update on Joe...He has had an echo cardiogram done, a ventilation-perfusion scan (VQ) which is to look for evidence of a blood clot in the lungs. Waiting on those results. Will have a lumbar puncture (spinal tap) sometime today to relieve the brain of fluid. They are also inserting a PICC line which is a long, slender, small, flexible tube that is inserted into a vein in the upper arm and insert.
11/4/11 FB:
Joe got moved out of ICU. Shortly afterwards his blood pressure started going up again and they've just taken him in for a dialysis session hoping that it brings it down. Joe is doing much better today and may even be moved out of ICU. (Later) Still hooked up to blood pressure meds and won't have dialysis today as it would throw his bp out of whack. Dr. said Joe does have enlarged vessels in his brain which is causing the swelling and hopefully spinal tap will help/take care of problem when it's done soon. He has absolutely no memory of what has happened to him in the last couple of days which is probably very good.
ll/7/11 FB:
Better day today. Joe was taken to dialysis in the hospital very early this morning for 4 hours and was doing fine until he became nauseated in the afternoon. He's much better now and speaking and thinking much more clearly. They've removed the catheter much to his delight and started him on his "delicious pineapple flavored" gallon of prep for his colonoscopy for sometime tomorrow to determine cause of bleeding that started a couple of days ago. He just can't seem to get a break. But, I am encouraged with his mental and cognitive progress. I truly believe in the power of the priesthood and in the power of prayer from our many friends and family members.
11/8/11 FB:
Daily Joe update...had colonoscopy done today. They discovered polyps and are doing biopsy. He's doing so good today - conversation and humor! I told the nurse to take away his phone for tonight though as he called me every hour last night/early morning. :) Makes getting a good nights sleep a little hard. If all goes well, he may be coming home tomorrow afternoon after a session of dialysis.
11/10/11 FB:
Joe's home and doing wonderfully and miraculously great. I truly do see and feel the power of the knowledge of the medical personnel who attended him, as well as the priesthood blessing he received, the many, many prayers and good thoughts sent by awesome people known and unknown and most especially for the blessings and love of my Heavenly Father.
Joe became enrolled in an adult daycare setting because he cannot be left alone. Thanksgiving was a very low key day spent at home together with our own turkey dinner. I was asked to come back to work at the RV dealership on a part-time basis until the first of the year. I went since the pay was so much better, the pace of work had slowed down and I felt I could handle it better this time. I stayed until the last week of December when they let me go again. We had more company from back east - Travis and Lindsea came and spent the night with us. The visit was too short!
decEMBer - The month started out with a company Christmas dinner at a nice restaurant. Great prime rib and it turned into a really snowy, snowy evening! Joe was fitted with a tracking bracelet by the Emergency Management Office in case he would wander off anytime. It'll go well with his Lifeline necklace in case he needs medical assistance and I wasn't around.
Joe's behavior and mood had begun to change drastically. He became very moody and disoriented and in his confused stupor, he told the dialysis social worker a number of things he shouldn't have. One night we had an unexpected visit by two police officers to check on our welfare and then a visit from the state Department of Family Services social worker the next week. I discovered the reason for his dramatic change - his anti-depression medical had been discontinued during his hospital stay and upon his return home - cold turkey and it shouldn't have been. Once he was back on those meds, things returned to a better place.
Trina's mom died...12/16/11 FB: In fond memory of my Wyoming mom, Mother Mary, who passed away yesterday. She was one beautiful and loving person. One of my greatest blessings when I moved to Wyoming was working with and getting to know Trina and then having the opportunity to meet and know her mother. Mother Mary's hugs and kisses were the best and she loved and accepted me as one of her other kids. I will miss her deeply. A week later 12/23/11 another friend - Jim Munger died. Jim had briefly been my supervisor in the oilfield until he'd become ill a month before Joe's heart attack. I spent time with his wife while he was in the hospital and she spent time with me when Joe was in the hospital. This went back and forth until they moved last October.
We ended our year with a trip to Utah to spend Christmas with the kids. Thank goodness the trip was totally uneventful!
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