Beaumont Hospital again, but planned this time.

Tracy is doing so much better!  Sorry I haven’t blogged but, and I am not complaining, but being back home is so much more difficult than being at U of M.

In my last blog I forgot to mention that Diana Bono came to Heartland and cut Tracy’s hair, it was such a big thing for Tracy.  I can’t believe I forgot to write about it as it made Tracy so happy. 

Tracy thinks she can get up and go anytime that she wants to, but she is neither confident enough nor strong enough yet.  This requires that I be with during the day to make sure that she doesn’t try to get up and walk on her own and fall. 

She is still on the feeding tube but and is eating mechanical soft foods too.  She doesn’t eat much because of the feeding tube, even though they encourage her to eat more.  It’s kind of a catch 22 situation.  If they would reduce the feeding tube, she would be hungrier, but they say they need to keep her calories up. 

We have been at Troy Beaumont for the past week receiving her 3^rd of 4 Rituxan treatments and her 4^th of 6 IVIG treatments.  The nurses here have been wonderful, so many of them took care of Trace back in November during our stay and are getting to meet the real Tracy Bowden.  Tracy has had many visitors during our stay here that I am sorry I can’t remember all of them, but thanks for making her days more enjoyable.  Later today, Saturday April 21, 2012, we are headed back to Heartland for another stay to get more rehabilitation. 

We will be back at Troy Beaumont as an outpatient for Trace’s final Rituxan treatment on Monday.

Tracy was also cleared to travel by car with me.  So we are planning to go to church soon and out for dinner this Tuesday to celebrate Drew’s 17^th birthday!

Tracy loves to have visitors, however the schedule at Heartland doesn’t make it easy.  So if you are planning on visiting please give me a call to make sure it works and if you know far enough in advance I will try to schedule another visitor around your visit so that I can either go to work or run some errands.  I could use some visitors Tuesday morning to free me up for a meeting in Pontiac.

The lack of a set schedule is what is making being back home more difficult.  I am with Tracy from basically from 8AM to 9PM and then home with Drew.  We usually stay up until around 10 or so talking and watching TV. 

It is so good to be home with him, these past 5 months have been so difficult for him, especially this past week, so it is really good to be home with him.  He has learned so much about his friends during this time as they have prayed for him and walked alongside him throughout this journey.

God Bless and “Never Give Up… Never Ever Give Up!”

Rob

What a week!

Sorry there haven't been any updates this week, it has been the busiest week for me. 

We arrived late Friday afternoon at Heartland of Oakland in Troy.  Saturday was Tracy's first day of therapy and it went really well.  Tracy also told that she wanted to go church, since we are so close to Woodside.  I told her it would be a while before we could go back to our church, but that they have church services here at Heartland.  So Easter Sunday we went to church together for the first time since October.

It really is nice being able to sleep in our own bed, but it's also very trying.  the day with Tracy starts just after 8AM and doesn't end until after 8:30PM.  Tracy is very demanding of time, she gets confused and thinks she should be able to get up and do thing that need to be done around the house, however she isn't at home, so she can't even if we're at home.  It is very difficult for her as she is so independent and currently can't do anything by herself.  Don't get me wrong she is doing wonderfully, it's just that we still have a long journey ahead of us. 

Monday, Tracy had a great day of therapy.  She got up and out of her wheelchair and walked with the aid of a walker and her therapists.  We also made a trip to the doctors office, via ambulance, to set up her treatments at Beaumont in Troy.

On Tuesday Tracy's parents showed up, which made her so happy.  It was another busy day footer her though, as sheer dies approximately 3 hours of therapy every day. She probably walked 125 feet on Tuesday!

Wednesday was another great day, as she walked at least the same distance again, probably further!

Thursday didn't start so well for me as I woke up shortly after midnight with the stomach flu.  I was so glad get parents where here and could be there with her.  They said that her therapy had gone very well again and that she missed me, so much that she insisted on calling me, which she did.

Friday came and I still didn't feel 100%, so I slept in while get parents spent the morning with her until Drew showed up and then they headed back home.  I was feeling better in the afternoon and took care of some work issues while Tracy's friends Debbie, Lisa and Sarah spent the afternoon with her.  I finally made it to Tracy about 4:30 and Drew and I ate dinner with her.  As the night went on I began to realize that I still wasn't 100%.

We left Tracy about 8:30pm and went home and watched the Red Wings win.

That brings me to today, Tracy says this is her worst day in two years, if she only knew how good it is compared to a month ago. 

Drew is with Tracy while I prepare to sleep next door on a couch, still not feeling very run down.

God Bless and "Never Give Up... Never Ever Give Up!"

Rob

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Back Home in Troy

I tried to send a blog yesterday but it didn't work.  We are back in Troy!  Tracy is at Heartland Health Care and currently having a therapy treatment!

God Bless and "Never Give Up... Never Ever Give Up!"

Rob

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Back Home in Troy

I tried to post a blog yesterday but I guess it didn't work.  But we are at Heartland Health Care in Troy!  Praise God!!!

God Bless and "Never Give Up... Never Ever Give Up!"

Rob

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Prayers are needed for me

4 months to the day here at U of M and Tracy is doing miraculously better.  Still confused at times but wonderfully better.

We are being told that we have to make a decision on Wednesday, as to which rehabilitation center we wish to use.  Insurance coverage is the concern, as no one can tell us how we will be covered if we stay here in Ann Arbor or where we will be accepted.  So please pray for patience and clarity for me in choosing the correct facility.

Thanks, God Bless and "Never Give Up...Never Ever Give Up!"

Rob

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Patience

Sorry it has been a while, but it has been a bit crazy.  Tracy is doing awesome.

Thursday was truly an amazing day!  I had a meeting for work in Saline at 9AM, so I stopped by to see Tracy before I left, but she was asleep, so I got early start for the meeting. 

Just I was walking into the meeting, I got a text from Drew.  It read “Got a 32 on my ACT”.  I was so excited; I had tears in my eyes.  I was immediately asked if I was alright, I said that I just gotten my son’s ACT score and was so excited, considering all that we have been going through.  God is so good.

After the meeting I met a new friend, Matt Morelli, for lunch at Angelo’s, so it turned into brunch.

When I got back to Tracy’s room around 1PM they were getting ready to start the first dose of the 3^rd IVIG treatment.  I was hoping it would go well, so that I could run home for an hour or two to let Drew know how happy I was for him.  But, the dose didn’t go so well.  It was a higher concentrated dosage and what should have taken about 3 ½ hours took 9.  I was crushed; I so desperately wanted to surprise Drew by going home.  But the celebration would have to wait till Friday.

The whole discharge situation has been clarified.  I now call it a transfer, as that is basically what will happen.  Tracy needs to be moved to a rehabilitation center to continue to improve.  She needs daily physical therapy and currently only receives it here 2-3 days a week for ½ an hour to an hour a day.  In a rehabilitation center it would be more time each day and five times a week.  The concern now is where do we transfer her too.  It all depends on how her treatments are handled and by whom.

Friday was dose #2 of IVIG; it went much better but still took longer than it should have by about 3 hours.

Friday was also the arrival of Drew and start of his spring break.  So to get the break off to a good start and celebrate his ACT score we went out for a steak dinner.  We had a great time and returned back to the hospital to find awake and then stayed until she fell asleep.

Saturday was dose #3 and this time the lowered the concentration and the treatment went without a hiccup.  Tracy is awake the majority of the day and desperately wants to get out of bed to do things.  She gets confused as to where she is and thinks she needs to make Drew and I lunches and dinners, do the laundry and even dust the house!  These are all good things, however it is becomes very trying, as we cannot convince her at times that she is in the hospital and not a home.  We actually got into an argument Saturday evening.  I thought my patience was being tried previously with all we have gone through, but trying to reason with Trace is going to take patience to a whole new level for me. 

We also had Mike and Lou Ann Morton stop by in the afternoon.  It was nice to have company and Tracy enjoyed the visit.

Sunday has been another good day dose #4 is in the books and also went of with out a hitch, the lower concentration is working.  Drew and I came over this morning about 9AM and they had already started Tracy’s treatment.  Drew headed down to the cafeteria to do some homework while I stayed with Tracy.  About 11:30 we went to Angelo’s for breakfast and had another wonderful meal.  We returned to find everything going really well with Tracy other than the confusion of being in the hospital and wanting to get out of bed.

I am not sure how much longer Tracy is for room 5131, nor Drew and I for the Med Inn.  But I believe things will be changing in the next week for all of us.

Thanks again to everyone for your prayers, visits, emails, texts, and donations of rooms in the Med Inn and cash and gift certificates, dinners in Troy and cleaning of our house.

God Bless and “Never Give Up… Never Ever Give Up!”  

Rob