Wednesday, September 29, 2004
AND NOW WE BEGIN THE RECOVERY....
March 30th was Palm Sunday in 1980. Dr. Smith came in early so I told Becky to go on to the service Chaplain Farr was in charge of. The doctor talked to me in length about Warren’s progress and said things were looking better but he was low on platelets and blood. He had lost quite a bit in surgery and it was time to give that a boost. A couple of Specialists…Davis and Riley had volunteered to give Warren what he needed.
They took Warren down to surgery for de-breeding of his stump again at 1:00pm and to give him the blood and platelets. While he was gone, Becky and I went to the Snack Bar for coffee and a sandwich when friends from home came wandering in looking for us. We had a nice long visit and then headed back to ICU to be there when they brought Warren back.
Every time he went down and came back he gave a hearty “thumbs up” to all as he passed by. The medics enjoyed his encouragement to them….when a hard task was at hand, he rallied them on…. “it doesn’t hurt…go ahead with what you have to do…good job, kids….thanks.” They actually looked forward to being assigned to us and we knew them all on a first name basis. The cleaning lady and I had visited at length…she was a German war bride and loved to crochet. It was a nice interlude for me to chat with her.
Monday morning they took the respirator out and told Warren not to talk for an hour to rest his throat. It had been in for a week and they hoped to keep it out. He was getting rid of some of the electrical lines and machines that were surrounding his bed. I needed to go home to pay monthly bills and get some other clothes. Mom was taking care of our dog, Jakie, and Becky needed to get home as well. She had been gone all this time and needed to get back to the children and her job.
When Warren was resting, we took our leave and headed home. It was strange to be out of the confines of the hospital and travel over familiar road. For almost 10-years we had driven the 85-miles for medical visits and shopping at the Commissary. Now it seemed to have a different “look” about it….one that looked like the way home. I dropped Becky off and came home to wash clothes, re-pack and get things in order. Mom and Jakie came right away and we all had a hugging party. Jake just jumped and barked he was so glad to see me. I had a lot to get done and not much time so we visited while I worked.
I fell into bed quite late and knew I would have to get up early to be at the hospital before they took Warren back to surgery. When it was time to leave, here came Becky….insisting to go back with me…she had made arrangements and didn’t want me to be there alone. Although I welcomed her company I felt bad that she was leaving her family again….she was determined so we kissed mom goodbye and headed back to Leonard Wood.
They had already taken him to surgery and he was back in ICU. He had a different anesthetic this time and it was not agreeing with him at all. He slept quite a bit but he was not “himself”…it was like he had a different personality. Major Vanatta told me it would wear off and they made a note not to use it again. They had hoped to use something different since he was having so much of the one kind they were using. Later that afternoon they got him up in a chair and gave him solid food for the first time. He had been drinking canned liquid enriched formula of some kind when he was able to have something in his mouth. Now solid food tasted very good to him. He was feeling more like himself as the day wore on.
By the next day he sat in a chair from 10:00am to 1:00pm and fed himself. A therapist was assigned to him and he began some exercise while in bed. They gave him an orthopedic bed and taught him to pull up with the help of overhead “pulls”….they brought in a TV set and being a guy…….that pretty well took care of his “creature comforts.” He was in a good bed, learning to use his body again and had a remote in his hand…..life was looking terrifically great to him……..and we couldn’t have been happier for his progress.
The calls, mail and visits kept coming. Becky and I got word out to all those who rallied to our cause; that he was much better and showing positive signs. Our little town had something to feel really, really good about….as did our extended family. The good news went out in all directions….the ones we told, told others and they in turn kept the network going to the far corners of the land. We could feel their joy in our spirit and believe me……..our own spirits were feeling pretty good, too.
Warren just fought the biggest battle of his life……..and came out on higher ground with God’s help. We still had a very long way to go………
Until tomorrow,
Essentially Esther
They took Warren down to surgery for de-breeding of his stump again at 1:00pm and to give him the blood and platelets. While he was gone, Becky and I went to the Snack Bar for coffee and a sandwich when friends from home came wandering in looking for us. We had a nice long visit and then headed back to ICU to be there when they brought Warren back.
Every time he went down and came back he gave a hearty “thumbs up” to all as he passed by. The medics enjoyed his encouragement to them….when a hard task was at hand, he rallied them on…. “it doesn’t hurt…go ahead with what you have to do…good job, kids….thanks.” They actually looked forward to being assigned to us and we knew them all on a first name basis. The cleaning lady and I had visited at length…she was a German war bride and loved to crochet. It was a nice interlude for me to chat with her.
Monday morning they took the respirator out and told Warren not to talk for an hour to rest his throat. It had been in for a week and they hoped to keep it out. He was getting rid of some of the electrical lines and machines that were surrounding his bed. I needed to go home to pay monthly bills and get some other clothes. Mom was taking care of our dog, Jakie, and Becky needed to get home as well. She had been gone all this time and needed to get back to the children and her job.
When Warren was resting, we took our leave and headed home. It was strange to be out of the confines of the hospital and travel over familiar road. For almost 10-years we had driven the 85-miles for medical visits and shopping at the Commissary. Now it seemed to have a different “look” about it….one that looked like the way home. I dropped Becky off and came home to wash clothes, re-pack and get things in order. Mom and Jakie came right away and we all had a hugging party. Jake just jumped and barked he was so glad to see me. I had a lot to get done and not much time so we visited while I worked.
I fell into bed quite late and knew I would have to get up early to be at the hospital before they took Warren back to surgery. When it was time to leave, here came Becky….insisting to go back with me…she had made arrangements and didn’t want me to be there alone. Although I welcomed her company I felt bad that she was leaving her family again….she was determined so we kissed mom goodbye and headed back to Leonard Wood.
They had already taken him to surgery and he was back in ICU. He had a different anesthetic this time and it was not agreeing with him at all. He slept quite a bit but he was not “himself”…it was like he had a different personality. Major Vanatta told me it would wear off and they made a note not to use it again. They had hoped to use something different since he was having so much of the one kind they were using. Later that afternoon they got him up in a chair and gave him solid food for the first time. He had been drinking canned liquid enriched formula of some kind when he was able to have something in his mouth. Now solid food tasted very good to him. He was feeling more like himself as the day wore on.
By the next day he sat in a chair from 10:00am to 1:00pm and fed himself. A therapist was assigned to him and he began some exercise while in bed. They gave him an orthopedic bed and taught him to pull up with the help of overhead “pulls”….they brought in a TV set and being a guy…….that pretty well took care of his “creature comforts.” He was in a good bed, learning to use his body again and had a remote in his hand…..life was looking terrifically great to him……..and we couldn’t have been happier for his progress.
The calls, mail and visits kept coming. Becky and I got word out to all those who rallied to our cause; that he was much better and showing positive signs. Our little town had something to feel really, really good about….as did our extended family. The good news went out in all directions….the ones we told, told others and they in turn kept the network going to the far corners of the land. We could feel their joy in our spirit and believe me……..our own spirits were feeling pretty good, too.
Warren just fought the biggest battle of his life……..and came out on higher ground with God’s help. We still had a very long way to go………
Until tomorrow,
Essentially Esther
