Friday, August 5, 2022

6:11 PM

Hello, thank you for joining us!

  Today was very much like the days in ICU at the Royal Columbian Hosp. a week after Larry's surgery. Including the cough, his responses were similar. His voice today was not as clear as his whispers yesterday. The congestion from his lungs sits just below his throat, so he 'rattles' when he tries to say something, which cannot be understood. For the first time, he is expressing overall frustration. He grits his teeth & opens his eyes wide with his forehead raised. If my hand is in his, he applies strength as if in an arm wrestle. I know his back is really bothering him. Of course it does, after no movement for 5 weeks. He slept much more today than I thought he would. I was hoping for some of the same as yesterday's 3 hour 'honeymoon', sitting in a chair ( before the horrible suffocating episode). The great news is that he did not need to be intubated again. They are closely monitoring his breathing. Bells & whistles will go off if something's not right. Great nurse again today. In the 14 days that Larry has been at Surrey Memorial he has had 13 different nurses strictly assigned to caring for him during the day. Not sure about the night shift. Today's nurse was another gem.

  After such a highly stressful episode for Larry yesterday, following the euphoric 'honeymoon', while he was alert & sitting in a chair, I am pleased to say that I slept through the night. I woke a few times, but went right back to sleep. I spoke with Larry's brother & our son Jason later in the evening, who reported that Larry was resting fairly well and did not need much help with his coughing. (Did I mention the 3 hr. honeymoon? That's what I visualized and enjoyed reliving through the night.)

 I am so grateful for the generosity of a tremendous number of people, in so many ways. I tell Larry how well I am doing because I am being looked after by so many caring people. The 1/2 hr. trips to & from hospital are the only visits I have with others through the day, unless family are at hospital when I'm there. It's just enough for me. I need & appreciate the quiet of our home each night.

   There's that familiar saying "It takes a village to raise a child!" Well I am a grateful 'child' who is being well cared for by a world village. Among the many gifts I am receiving, are prayers & good wishes from not only people who have known Larry & me, but from others who have found out about us. Yesterday I received a beautiful greeting from someone in Zimbabwe & another from Mexico. Besides those throughout Canada & the U.S. we have received blessings from N. Ireland, Germany, Zambia, Cuba, the Caribbean & Mallorca! So "Thank you Larry for uniting us with a world village of loving, generous people!"

   Thank you, thank you, thank you! God bless you! xoxo