It's been a whirlwind.
Steve and I went to Myrtle Beach the day before Bill's surgery, arriving in the late evening. We wanted to get to bed early, so that we could get to the hospital on time the net morning.
Surgery went well. The day after surgery, the Masonic Clowns came to see Bill in full performance make-up and dress. They were a true hit, in the hallways, elevators, cafeteria, and with Bill.
He sat up in bed, talked with his old friends and family, and ate some applesauce and pudding. He took great pleasure in Steve being with him. Alex was there with McKinley, her boyfriend, and a good time was had by all.
The next morning (Saturday), we got a call from the hospital that Bill was throwing up, feverish, and had an infection. We went to the hospital early, and found him intubated, his eyes glazed, and with poor responses. The nurses told us that he had pneumonia from aspirating vomit. It was a bad day, which started many more.
They had moved him into ICU, and when we got to the hospital, we had to gown, glove, and mask before we could go into his cubicle. Steve began to ask some tough questions of the nurses, and found out that Bill also had MRSA. This is a (usually) hospital-caused infection which is very resistant to antibiotics and penicillin. It is highly contagious, which made the precautions necessary.
He was in a much worse state, and could not talk for all the tubes in his mouth and nose. He tried to communicate, and Steve finally got a pad and pen for him to write with. He kept putting one letter over the other, and no one could make anything of what he wrote. I finally leaned over him closely, and watched the letters as he formed them. He was writing 'Kitty', which is the name of his older sister, and is a Sister of Saint Joseph of Rochester, New York. I asked him if he wanted us to call Aunt Kitty, and he nodded 'Yes'.
I went into the next room, which is a conference room, and called the Convent where Aunt Kitty lives, and told her of Bill's condition, and his wish that she come. She said that she would.
Steve made all the reservations, and he and I went to the air port to pick her up the next evening.
It was so good to see her, and we took her straight to the hospital to see Bill. He was glad to see her, though he was very low. She was concerned when she saw his condition, of course. We didn't stay long, as she was tired from her trip. She's 84, and has slowed down a bit, though she is still vigorous.
The next few days were a blur of activity, with Steve taking us ladies back and forth to the hospital. I got in just a little thrift store shopping, but did not buy much.
I drove back home on Friday, though Lilly Houser, my cousin, was staying with our house, and feeding the animals for us. She also cleaned. And BOY, did she clean!
Everything looked so nice when I got home around 10:00 Friday night. She is a really clean-living woman, and she's a little hyper, and her efforts showed.
She stayed the night with me, and we got a little gossip in before we went to bed. I didn't sleep well, as I was still 'keyed up' from my travel.
She had begun a massive overhaul of my sewing room upstairs, which was so badly needed. I could hardly recognize the place. Since then, she and I have re-arranged my 'sewing circle' of machines, and thrown away seven sewing machines and four sewing machine cabinets. I sent a SUV load of clothes to a local thrift store, and we've thrown away about four bags of stuff that was un-salvageable.
She and her grandson, Nick, had folded my fabric and put it on shelves till we can get better shelving put up on the walls in the corner where my machines used to be.
She is a whirlwind.
We had lunch at the Down Home yesterday, and Lynn Duncan came in. She is the wife of John
Duncan, our Congressman. She and I have known each other for many years, and it was good to see her. We sat together, and during our conversation, she asked me if I knew of someone that might clean for her in their Bean Station home. I recommended Lily to her, and she showed some interest. She told me she would call me if she made a decision. It would be good for both of them.
Bill has showed no improvement, and it looks like I will be going back to the beach some time soon. Steve has been staying there, working from 'home', and trying to be of some help to his mother.
When I go back, I'm supposed to take Margaret Peck with me. She's such a big help.
I'm tired of writing, and I've got to get off here and get my day going. More later.
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