Every day presents a new challenge for Teresa and her recovery. Under no circumstances do we take anything for granted these days.
With that said, everything is a go for her discharge from the Colorado Acute Long Term Hospital on Dec. 13. Teresa is still a paraplegic, but she has shown good improvement and we're hoping and praying that in this next month she will continue to do so.
The plan is for her to come home. If that happens, it will be the first time she has set foot in our house in 14 months. If she is home for Christmas, it will be the first time she will be able to celebrate at home with family in three years. Two years ago she had complications from her back fusion and they had to go back in for surgery two days before Christmas. Last year she was just beginning her stay at Colorado Acute. Just a week after Christmas, she had her bowel diverticulum surgery that really sent her in a health tailspin.
As could be expected, Teresa will be coming home to a different house that she left or has lived in for about 18 years. This house was obviously not built (late 1950s) for the disabled. The doorways are small and the bathroom is not much more than the size of a big closet.
She'll be in a wheelchair. The hope is that she graduates to a walker and then be able to walk on her own. It's like a doctor told me one day, "Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst." If Teresa never gets on her feet on her own, we have to deal with it.
Because of that, there's a ton of work to be done to get her ready to come home. The idea is to make it as comfortable as possible so she can begin a new life. She deserves it.
In all that, we have decided to make some other changes as well. I have been working as a news copy editor at the Wyoming Tribune Eagle since March 2010. I gave my notice last week and will finish out my job there on Sunday.
I had decided a while back that once Teresa was able to come home, I would too, in a sense. Although I never left Laramie, it often seemed like it commuting to Cheyenne every day (and coming home after midnight) and then spending my days off in Denver. Under no circumstances would I continue to do that with Teresa home. Although I will work, I need to be at just 5 minutes away instead of 45 minutes (or more in bad weather or stranded in Cheyenne). I couldn't handle it.
It's a scary situation quiting a job with benefits before getting another one, especially these days. I have some possible opportunities in the works, but nothing concrete in comparison financially.
The other night I had talked to Teresa on the telephone and a few minutes later she texted me back asking me if something was bothering me. She said I sounded depressed.
I admitted that I had been thinking about things (life) and I had guessed that I was just anxious. Of course, I didn't have to explain anxious to my wife. I would imagine that every minute of her life now is that way for her.
But she asked me anyway why I was anxious.
Let's see, I said. "There's money (getting another job), getting the house ready in time (physically and financially) and of course, you coming home and your health. That should probably do it for a while."
As could be expected, Teresa was able to knock some sense back into me like she always does.
"Quit worrying," she texted. "We will be able to eat. We will not lose our house. No one will sleep on the floor except Sam (our dog). Now comes the fun part. We will be a family again and have Xmas together. I get to take care of you. No worries. Have an Ativan."
No Ativan for me. My wife makes me feel better. And sleep. I can't wait for both to come home.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Monday, October 31, 2011
Ghost kids in Teresa's hospital
In Teresa's hospital in Denver there is talk about the facility being a little haunted. Haunted in the sense that there have been sightings of ghost children, particularly of a little girl on the sixth floor.
The sixth floor is currently being renovated into a short-term nursing home. At one time, it was a pediatric ward.
The rumor is a little girl died in the elevator. Evidently, she still hangs around, constantly roaming the halls.
At some point somebody got a picture of her, which resembled mostly a shadow. But several people have verified that they have seen her.
Teresa, meanwhile, believes she has seen a shadow figure of a little boy playing at the foot of her bed. She's even talked to him, asking what his name is and what he is doing. The boy has never answered, but he has apparently shut the bathroom door, the main door and shaken the blinds on the window when the window was closed. Teresa said she is going to call him Bobby the next time he appears.
At other times, he has apparently scared some of the nurses to the point where they are afraid to go in certain rooms. There have also been various reports of doors slamming and elevator doors opening with no one there.
About three weeks ago, Teresa was puttering around in her electric wheelchair and by mistake she went up to the sixth floor. It was in the elevator where she had an accident and the door smashed her leg, cutting it and actually breaking her fibula bone.
Teresa believes the ghost girl tried to help her by getting a construction worker's attention and he helped get Teresa back down to the fourth floor for some help.
Although one could also suggest that the girl ghost was trying to hurt Teresa by shutting the door on her, she thinks that the girl is a friendly ghost.
With it being Halloween, the ghost kids might do a little trick-or-treating tonight. It's a good thing we have plenty of candy.
The sixth floor is currently being renovated into a short-term nursing home. At one time, it was a pediatric ward.
The rumor is a little girl died in the elevator. Evidently, she still hangs around, constantly roaming the halls.
At some point somebody got a picture of her, which resembled mostly a shadow. But several people have verified that they have seen her.
Teresa, meanwhile, believes she has seen a shadow figure of a little boy playing at the foot of her bed. She's even talked to him, asking what his name is and what he is doing. The boy has never answered, but he has apparently shut the bathroom door, the main door and shaken the blinds on the window when the window was closed. Teresa said she is going to call him Bobby the next time he appears.
At other times, he has apparently scared some of the nurses to the point where they are afraid to go in certain rooms. There have also been various reports of doors slamming and elevator doors opening with no one there.
About three weeks ago, Teresa was puttering around in her electric wheelchair and by mistake she went up to the sixth floor. It was in the elevator where she had an accident and the door smashed her leg, cutting it and actually breaking her fibula bone.
Teresa believes the ghost girl tried to help her by getting a construction worker's attention and he helped get Teresa back down to the fourth floor for some help.
Although one could also suggest that the girl ghost was trying to hurt Teresa by shutting the door on her, she thinks that the girl is a friendly ghost.
With it being Halloween, the ghost kids might do a little trick-or-treating tonight. It's a good thing we have plenty of candy.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Nichole Rider, an inspiration
My wife Teresa and I had the pleasure of meeting and visiting with former Cowgirl basketball player Nichole Rider Tuesday in Teresa's hospital room in Denver.
Nichole is truly an inspiration. During her senior year with the Cowgirls in the mid 1990s, Nichole was in an automobile accident that left her partially paralyzed. She went from a 50 percent chance of not making it through the night to where she is today. Again, truly an inspiration.
Although they had never met each other until Tuesday, Teresa and Nichole have a lot in common. Both played for the Cowgirls and both have gone through life and death medical issues that no one can really understand unless you go through it.
As it turned out, we visited for 5 1/2 hours and if not for the lateness, I think we could have talked all night. We both enjoyed her visit tremendously and I know Teresa benefited from it emotionally as well.
In early August Nichole was featured on the UW athletics website on their "Where Are They Now? segment.
Nichole Rider, Where Are They Now?
You can also read about Nichole's sailing adventures, with this link on her sailing from the site cleverpig.
Nichole is truly an inspiration. During her senior year with the Cowgirls in the mid 1990s, Nichole was in an automobile accident that left her partially paralyzed. She went from a 50 percent chance of not making it through the night to where she is today. Again, truly an inspiration.
Although they had never met each other until Tuesday, Teresa and Nichole have a lot in common. Both played for the Cowgirls and both have gone through life and death medical issues that no one can really understand unless you go through it.
As it turned out, we visited for 5 1/2 hours and if not for the lateness, I think we could have talked all night. We both enjoyed her visit tremendously and I know Teresa benefited from it emotionally as well.
In early August Nichole was featured on the UW athletics website on their "Where Are They Now? segment.
Nichole Rider, Where Are They Now?
You can also read about Nichole's sailing adventures, with this link on her sailing from the site cleverpig.
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