‘—movin kinda slow
Remember the old TV show Petticoat Junction? One line in the theme music was ‘Here’s Uncle Joe, he’s a movin’ kinda slow at the Junction’. That’s how I’ve felt for some months now.
Since April 26, 2008 to be precise. My husband of fifty years suffered a serious stroke that day. His left side was left paralyzed, he’s unable, as of yet, to walk on his own or do anything with his left hand. After a month in two different hospitals, he was transferred to a rehab facility. I cannot say enough good things about Quillen Rehabilitation Hospital in Johnson City, TN. The compassionate and competent care he received from the staff there helped him regain some movement in leg and arm which he continues to build on.
After five weeks they (or our insurance company) decided he was well enough to come home and that I could care for him. For about six weeks I was able to do so with some help from an agency while I waited for a decision from the VA on financial aid. A fall a couple of days after he came home bruised his back and ribs, pain pills made him sick, and medications caused a dangerous rise in blood potassium levels and bowel problems.
We struggled on, then I tripped and fell heavily. After a week I could hardly walk from pain in leg and hip, he developed a serious urinary tract infection with resulting mental confusion. One day he began vomiting blood and had to be hospitalized again. Antibiotics cleared up the infection, but no explanation has been found for the vomiting blood. He is now in a nursing home, where he will receive physical and occupational therapy. With more rest, my leg and hip are now much less painful.
We don’t know what the future holds. We can only trust God to restore more function to Nick’s left arm and leg so that he will be able to get around on his own and enjoy as active a life as possible.