April 8,9,10 Ruth

Unusually busy week for us. I came in at 11am on a Tuesday, spoke with Wedad and Jay briefly and got Bill into the shower. We had an appointment at 1pm at Khaled's Coumadin clinic. Bill's razor needs to replaced desparately, it barely works and takes way longer to shave Bill than it should. I got Bill into the shower and scrubbed him down really good and asked him to wash his backside well due to infection. After the shower, Bill got dressed and used the creams for his fungal infection. I left the room to go speak with Wedad and lost track of time.

Bill and I ended up being 10 minutes late to the appointment. Mary the Coumadin lady was also running late. Within 20 minutes Bill was in a huff, and asking the receptionist when we would be seen. I kept reminding him that we were late to our appointment and she would be with us momentarily. When Mary finally got to us, Bill started saying, "why do I have to come here at sit for an hour and half?" Mary began to argue about the fact that we were late, at that Bill flipped out and started saying to Mary at the top of his lungs "OK SHUT UP SHUT UP." Mary told Bill not to speak to her like that and he kept screaming. Mary suggested we go to the Lab next time, which might not be a bad idea. We left the office and I told Bill he couldn't talk to anyone like that. I asked him what was really bothering him, because I had never seen such a violent reaction like that before. He told me that he didn't know what was bothering him, but after 5 minutes he said he really didn't want to move. We talked all the way home about the move and he told me stories about being a glider pilot and having to move in the Army.

Once Bill and I got home. I got Jean ready for John, Wedad made lunch for both of them and Jean ate her salad after she was dressed. John showed up at 3:15pm, worked out with Jean for an hour. I had scheduled an appointment with TJ Clausen to meet at a condo at 5pm, so as soon as John left we flew out of the house.

The first place was a "nothing house", we saw 2 at the Biltmore that were tiny and over priced. Seeing the additional properties really gave Jean a positive perspective about the first one that we viewed with the family. She decided she wanted to see the first one again, so I set up a time to see it with TJ at pm on Thursday. After the showings we had dinner at Red Lobster and had to wait a bit, Bill was perfectly jovial and didn't complain once. He was walking fine and was in a very good mood throughout dinner. We went home, got ready for bed lights out by 10pm.

Wednesday morning I called Cookie to confirm lunch and she suggested the Cheesecake Factory at 12:30pm. When Bill and Jean woke up, Bill complained that he didn't feel right, he said he couldn't talk, but he sounded normal to me. I told him, if we need to cancel let me know and he said no, I'm okay. We had breakfast and then started showers, Bill took his shower and looked good, walked fine. He was happy to being seeing Cis. At the Cheesecake factory, Bill got out of the car (valet), and began walking with his walker. He was walking fine and then began to take baby steps. I had him sit right inside the doorway and got the wheelchair. Lunch went fine, Bill sat across from Cis and talked. Jean sat between Bill and I and was talking to Cookie about the new house. Jean and Cookie were going on and on about paint samples, flooring, pictures and furniture. I was probably more than Bill could tolerate. After lunch we got in the car and went out to Queen Creek to get Jean's hair done. I explained it prior blogs how QC came into play. Anyways, I got Jean into the salon with Liz got her seated and then went out to get Bill.

As Bill and I were walking from the car to the doorway, Bill started to take those baby steps and then his legs just kind of gave out. I called for help, while I was holding Bill up as best I could. The salon owner and another man held Bill by the underarms and helped him sit down. Once Bill was seated and had some water, I called Farooqui, no answer. Called Khaled and left a message with his nurse to call me back. Then I called Jennifer and told her what had happened, she was upset and could think of a logical conclusion about why this would be happening now.
Nurse Debbie called me back within 15 minutes and told me that Bill needed to go to the ER. Debbie suggested Scottsdale Osborn, Dr. Doss (Khaled's partner) was doing rounds at Osborn. After the phone call, Liz was almost done. I took Bill to the potty and he stayed in the BR for a good 15 minutes. I walked out of the bathroom, to check on Jean and then realized that I had locked Bill in the bathroom. The salon owner once again helped me out to unlock the door. We then left, Liz helped walk us out and offered to go to the ER with me. I have to write-- I was so moved by the kindness of strangers. So often when I go out people are so rude and never helpful in any circumstance. This family run salon moved me, they went out of their way to be kind to us.

We went to the ER, it took us 35 minutes to get from QC to Scottsdale at 5pm. Got to the ER, parked in the front. Left Jean in the car got Bill checked in. A nurse screamed at me to move the car, I told her I will in a minute. Bill went back right away for an EKG, I went out to get Jean and she told me " I don't have to go to the bathroom anymore, I wet my pants." I sat Jean on the walker, Bill had the chair. We left the car, went to the bathroom. I left Jean on the toilet and ran out to move the car, ran back to Jean. In between all this madness I lost the car keys. After about 2hours Dan Fern called me about the training, I explained to him the situation and told him I may need someone tonight to sit with Jean, should Bill need to stay in the hospital, but I also needed to verify with Joan first. At that point I called Joan and told her what had happened. Turns out everyone was still in town and they were at the hospital within a half hour. When Skip, Joan and Chris showed up, Jean got really argumentative and couldn't be reasoned with. So she and I strolled over to the cafeteria for some coffee and chocolate. Skip met us down at the cafeteria and we talked for a bit about Bill's condition. I told Skip about the doctor's office incident, the condo search, the girls leaving etc and suggested that this may just too much change for Bill to handle. This all might be stress, manifesting itself. Jean and I made a pact, that there would be no more talk about moving, decorating etc. if she wants to tear up magazines for ideas. Then she needs to do that in the kitchen, we will make the kitchen table her war room. She agrees, and she doesn't understand what the big deal is, he doesn't do anything but watch TV, what difference does it make where he does it? Her idea is to plan a mini vacation here in Phoenix, we will get everything moved DURING the vacation and Bill will just come home to the TV and his chair. There is no need to discuss it or worry him.

Bill finally was released from the hospital, we got home at 11pm. The next day Dan Fern was supposed to be at the house at 11am, he called at 11:30 to tell me Carol the woman Joan and Chris met wasn't there yet and he was unable to get in touch with her. He told me he was coming over with a woman named Karen (not the wife). I showed Karen around, while Jennifer spoke to Dan in the kitchen. Karen was in a bit of a hurry she was working with another client and had only 15 minutes to learn the ropes. Dan told Jennifer that I was to continue working, Jennifer came to verify and I told her yes that is true. At that she ran downstairs, got her paperwork, handed it to me and left. She is very upset, all of them are.

Karen and Dan left shortly after, Dan told me Karen would be back in the am, someone else would take over my shift tonight. I told him that I had a Farooqui appointment at 1:30 and needed someone soon, I thought Karen was staying he told me he would work on it. It was already 12:40 at that point so I called Chris and told her there was too much commotion going on and that I didn't think I could make it to Farooqui's today. I rescheduled for Monday afternoon. Chris said that was fine.

At 2pm a woman named Sylvia showed up, she was going to stay over night and then Karen would be here in the am. Sylvia and I showered Jean and got her ready for John. As John was working out with Jean- I showed Sylvia around. When John left Melisssa showed up, made some notes for new caregivers. Jean and I left to meet TJ. There was some discussion between Melissa and Chris about Lovenox etc. Sylvia didn't go into detail.

TJ met us at 83st- Jean raved about the house. "Why didn't I notice this before, oh I love that on and on. She really took a liking to the place that she had dubbed before a "nothing house." TJ drove us past another place that we couldn't see that day and then took us over to Briarwood Place behind the Hyatt and Flemings. TJ made a big mistake showing us this one. I am sorry SKIP, JOAN AND CHRIS... but this place your mother fell in love with and she has declared it hers. I also think it is absolutely gorgeous and a fantastic house, the perfect size and completely finished.

After we saw THE HOUSE, we made an appointment to see one more on Monday at 10am.

Then Jean and I went grocery shopping. I wasn't sure how I would maneuver a cart and Jean in a wheelchair, so I asked the front desk for a person to help. They suggested Jean use a motorized wheelchair. We got Jean on one and then learned how to use it, she did pretty good till we got to the meat dept. She rammed into the meat display and rammed into a counter. But it was really fun and we got a good laugh out of it. My hope was to save some money, but that is never Jean;s goal, we got everything we needed. Receipt is in the drawer with bills. Got home at 9pm, I brought in the groceries while Sylvia got Jean ready for bed. Jean ate at the deli counter so she wasn't hungry. All in all it ended up being a good day. I told Sylvia everything I could remember and showed her around some more. Jean asked me to stay the night, I told her she was in good hands and I was just a phone call away. I left my numbers near Bill's remotes.

I have called Sylvia throughout the weekend and everything sounds good. She told me that Melissa and Jennifer also have called several times to check on Bill and Jean. Next week, we will keep it very quiet, no outings, except Farooqui's and TJ. Sorry this one is soo long, it was a really busy week.