Right now, everything is going really well. We have not had any obstacle come up that we haven't been able to deal with.
I took dad to the doctor in Mtn. Grove on January 27. That went well. His blood pressure was low, so the doctor wanted me to start taking his blood pressure a couple of times a day. I bought one of those blood pressure takers and plugged it in. So the caregiver will do this. I haven’t really checked in on that again, but I have to go tomorrow to restock meds and do the grocery shopping, so I’ll learn more then.
The doctor set up a home health nurse and she has been scrutinizing his medications. She has made some suggestions about moving a couple to night so maybe he won’t be as sleepy during the day. She also said he should not be in bed more than 12 hours during one day, and that Yes! He needed showers about every other day. He still balks at showers. It is helpful that he hears all I tell him from another person. I had thought I would spend the night and visit some, but I’m not sure I’ll be able to do that. Work has been incredibly busy, and I have a call I need to be on Friday morning at work about our performance review application, and I’m not sure I want to reschedule.
I still have to work on getting a mail box at the end of his drive. I’ve talked to the post office about that, but never heard back on which side it needs to go on. I also have to get his leg brace fixed. I have the required prescription to get that fixed, but I haven’t made an appointment yet because they will also require that the patient be present. That means I’ll have to take a day off work to get him to Springfield for this. The snow is still terrible here, so this won’t happen for awhile. The girls didn’t have school last Tuesday through Friday or today, and it’s already canceled for tomorrow as well.
Life is incredibly busy right now. I'm headed to bed... wishing it was about 2 hours earlier.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Monday, January 17, 2011
Dad -- Home for 2 weeks now
Well, dad has been home for 2 weeks yesterday, and so far, things are going pretty well. It has been incredibly busy with work and school; class started again for me last week. Every day there has been an errand to run or a phone call to make. I tend to live in a state of apprehension, for when the phone rings and it's from his house, it usually means there is an issue to deal with. While I do want to keep this blog going for awhile, there isn't much to report. I have been working with a local pharmacy to get his medications so I can stock them 2 weeks out. My goal is that I will go twice a month to restock meds and do heavy grocery shopping. Last week he was complaining of his kidneys hurting, and the doctor said we had to have a urine specimen to see if it was an infection. I did not know how in the WORLD I was going to do that!
Of course all this had to happen on the coldest, snowiest day of the week. After a mild panic attack and several phone calls, I was shocked and incredibly grateful to learn the nurse from the Health Department in Hartville would go to his house to collect. That was Tuesday, and I still don’t have "official" results from that yet; however, when I phoned last Thursday, I learned that the results were negative. He is still complaining of hurting kidneys, so I'll phone the doctor again tomorrow. Things are working out just fine.
I have a doctor appointment scheduled for the 27th with a doctor in Mtn Grove, which is about 20 minutes from his house. The care-giver will help with that outing. He has the same person (Pam) with him 6 days (24 hours) and another one (Trudy) 1 day a week. They have both worked as CNAs and have been doing in-home care for a number of years. So far things are going really well. He talked more to me last week more than he has in a long time. He told me Pam (6-day-a-week-person) made him meatloaf one day, and she left her cookbook out and open. Trudy (one-day-a-week-person) came in and saw the recipe for meatloaf and thought it sounded a good idea, so she made him meatloaf the very next day. Of course, he didn’t say anything. :) He told Pam about it when she returned after her day off, and they laughed about it. :)
He is getting stronger every day. He isn’t using the lift to move around and is walking quite a bit (with help, of course). I have 2 different lifts here in case they are needed.
I am concerned I may have to take a day off and deal with the hurting kidney issue before I get him to the doctor on the 27th, but I hope not.
Yes, this is very stressful, and there are days I ask myself what in the WORLD was I thinking, but this is what he asked for, and he seems to like it. I know I have seen an improvement!
Thank you for your support and concern for dad.
Of course all this had to happen on the coldest, snowiest day of the week. After a mild panic attack and several phone calls, I was shocked and incredibly grateful to learn the nurse from the Health Department in Hartville would go to his house to collect. That was Tuesday, and I still don’t have "official" results from that yet; however, when I phoned last Thursday, I learned that the results were negative. He is still complaining of hurting kidneys, so I'll phone the doctor again tomorrow. Things are working out just fine.
I have a doctor appointment scheduled for the 27th with a doctor in Mtn Grove, which is about 20 minutes from his house. The care-giver will help with that outing. He has the same person (Pam) with him 6 days (24 hours) and another one (Trudy) 1 day a week. They have both worked as CNAs and have been doing in-home care for a number of years. So far things are going really well. He talked more to me last week more than he has in a long time. He told me Pam (6-day-a-week-person) made him meatloaf one day, and she left her cookbook out and open. Trudy (one-day-a-week-person) came in and saw the recipe for meatloaf and thought it sounded a good idea, so she made him meatloaf the very next day. Of course, he didn’t say anything. :) He told Pam about it when she returned after her day off, and they laughed about it. :)
He is getting stronger every day. He isn’t using the lift to move around and is walking quite a bit (with help, of course). I have 2 different lifts here in case they are needed.
I am concerned I may have to take a day off and deal with the hurting kidney issue before I get him to the doctor on the 27th, but I hope not.
Yes, this is very stressful, and there are days I ask myself what in the WORLD was I thinking, but this is what he asked for, and he seems to like it. I know I have seen an improvement!
Thank you for your support and concern for dad.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Dad Is HOME!!
Hello, All,
Today after church, my two daughters and I went to Parkview, packed the remaining things of dad's and got him in the car. We drove to Mansfield where 2 soldiers and Alan (my husband) had been working all morning. The last few days have been brutal trying to finish things to meet an arbitrary deadline set by .... well, by me, I guess. Dad wanted to be home by Christmas, but that just could not happen. But it did happen only a few short days later. There are still a few things to finish.
We worked on Christmas Eve, had Christmas on Christmas day and again the day after with Alan's family. It was nice to relax for a couple of days. The Monday after Christmas, we were here again. I hung out with the girls at home on Tuesday and Wednesday, and also had lunch with a girlfriend from DC Wednesday. Thursday one of my cousins came to help from KC, and my girls both came with me. We got a lot done. There were clothes to move around and furniture to move. We took out a lot of wall space in the living room when we added the bedroom door that accommodates the wheelchair.
Friday was a big work day for all of us, but I left Mansfield at 3:00 pm because the girls wanted to have friends over to spend the night for New Year's Eve. Kids don't cherish sleep quite like I do. :) We rang in the new year and then went to bed exhausted. Well, I did. I think the kids were up long after I crashed. On New Year's Day, we were in Mansfield again, and one of dad's good friends came to help me move furniture and arrange things. He hooked up the TV and hung closet doors. Alan was hanging tile in the shower, and the soldiers were working on placing the sink. At about 6:00 pm, we realized the sink would not work without different supplies, and so we had to quit for the night. Alan and I went directly to Lowe's to get the needed parts, and then we had dinner together. We hardly talked -- too tired. He spent the night at his folks' house in Springfield (again -- 3 nights this week) to shave 40 minutes off his early morning and late night drives to and from Mansfield. There were 2 nights this week he didn't leave before 9:30 pm.
Today, when I phoned him on my way down, he was leery about moving forward, but I already had dad in the car. He called his dad to drive down to help him finish grouting tile in the shower, and he did. Larry had helped lay tile on the floor and the walls of the shower, and Alan's mom has provided great meals when we stayed at their house and were too tired.
Tonight dad got to meet the soldiers who helped with this. Sgt. Feick and Sgt. Jim (don't know his last name) were here and finished, and I know they are SO glad this huge project is finished. It was bigger than any of us ever imagined, but it is done, and it looks really nice.
I am spending the night here tonight to make sure all settle in well, but I plan to go home tomorrow. I do have a list of things to get done, and need a plumber to finish installing the sink that seems to want to keep leaking. I am also going to look in to finding someone to finish grouting and caulking the shower if Alan will let me. I know he's beat and so ready to be done, but as many of you know, being the one to finish what you started might mean it's done right. (Not that someone else couldn't do it, but you know what I mean.)
There have been so many involved to help, and I thank you SO much. Just your words of encouragement and votes of confidence have meant so much. I thought dad seemed great tonight. He was in a good mood, talked with the soldiers some, kidded around with the soldiers and with my girls (who did a "show" for him while I was on the phone with the TV service getting that to work. It does now! :) ). We were loud and laughed. Okay... the sink situation in the bathroom was a little tense, and Alan was ready to leave, poor guy. I forgot to mention, too, the care-giver's name is Pam, and she is SO sweet. She has done in-home care for years, is in her 50s, and is soft-spoken. So far, I really like her too. She will be here 6 days a week, and the other care-giver, Karen, will be here 1 day a week.
Now I have to tackle the medication situation. For two meds, I have about enough for 2 days. Not good.... I'll likely have to be here again Wednesday morning, but I am hoping for a weekend at the Stanton house, sleeping in and doing nothing. We'll see how that works out! :)
I'll keep you posted on how he progresses and how this goes for awhile. So far.... so very, very good. I will hang on his wall tomorrow a wall hanging I found before Christmas that reads, "With God, All things are possible." God has provided for dad to be home, and we all know, there's no place like home! :)
Thank you for your prayers, your concern for dad, and your encouragement through this very long process.
~Rhonda
Today after church, my two daughters and I went to Parkview, packed the remaining things of dad's and got him in the car. We drove to Mansfield where 2 soldiers and Alan (my husband) had been working all morning. The last few days have been brutal trying to finish things to meet an arbitrary deadline set by .... well, by me, I guess. Dad wanted to be home by Christmas, but that just could not happen. But it did happen only a few short days later. There are still a few things to finish.
We worked on Christmas Eve, had Christmas on Christmas day and again the day after with Alan's family. It was nice to relax for a couple of days. The Monday after Christmas, we were here again. I hung out with the girls at home on Tuesday and Wednesday, and also had lunch with a girlfriend from DC Wednesday. Thursday one of my cousins came to help from KC, and my girls both came with me. We got a lot done. There were clothes to move around and furniture to move. We took out a lot of wall space in the living room when we added the bedroom door that accommodates the wheelchair.
Friday was a big work day for all of us, but I left Mansfield at 3:00 pm because the girls wanted to have friends over to spend the night for New Year's Eve. Kids don't cherish sleep quite like I do. :) We rang in the new year and then went to bed exhausted. Well, I did. I think the kids were up long after I crashed. On New Year's Day, we were in Mansfield again, and one of dad's good friends came to help me move furniture and arrange things. He hooked up the TV and hung closet doors. Alan was hanging tile in the shower, and the soldiers were working on placing the sink. At about 6:00 pm, we realized the sink would not work without different supplies, and so we had to quit for the night. Alan and I went directly to Lowe's to get the needed parts, and then we had dinner together. We hardly talked -- too tired. He spent the night at his folks' house in Springfield (again -- 3 nights this week) to shave 40 minutes off his early morning and late night drives to and from Mansfield. There were 2 nights this week he didn't leave before 9:30 pm.
Today, when I phoned him on my way down, he was leery about moving forward, but I already had dad in the car. He called his dad to drive down to help him finish grouting tile in the shower, and he did. Larry had helped lay tile on the floor and the walls of the shower, and Alan's mom has provided great meals when we stayed at their house and were too tired.
Tonight dad got to meet the soldiers who helped with this. Sgt. Feick and Sgt. Jim (don't know his last name) were here and finished, and I know they are SO glad this huge project is finished. It was bigger than any of us ever imagined, but it is done, and it looks really nice.
I am spending the night here tonight to make sure all settle in well, but I plan to go home tomorrow. I do have a list of things to get done, and need a plumber to finish installing the sink that seems to want to keep leaking. I am also going to look in to finding someone to finish grouting and caulking the shower if Alan will let me. I know he's beat and so ready to be done, but as many of you know, being the one to finish what you started might mean it's done right. (Not that someone else couldn't do it, but you know what I mean.)
There have been so many involved to help, and I thank you SO much. Just your words of encouragement and votes of confidence have meant so much. I thought dad seemed great tonight. He was in a good mood, talked with the soldiers some, kidded around with the soldiers and with my girls (who did a "show" for him while I was on the phone with the TV service getting that to work. It does now! :) ). We were loud and laughed. Okay... the sink situation in the bathroom was a little tense, and Alan was ready to leave, poor guy. I forgot to mention, too, the care-giver's name is Pam, and she is SO sweet. She has done in-home care for years, is in her 50s, and is soft-spoken. So far, I really like her too. She will be here 6 days a week, and the other care-giver, Karen, will be here 1 day a week.
Now I have to tackle the medication situation. For two meds, I have about enough for 2 days. Not good.... I'll likely have to be here again Wednesday morning, but I am hoping for a weekend at the Stanton house, sleeping in and doing nothing. We'll see how that works out! :)
I'll keep you posted on how he progresses and how this goes for awhile. So far.... so very, very good. I will hang on his wall tomorrow a wall hanging I found before Christmas that reads, "With God, All things are possible." God has provided for dad to be home, and we all know, there's no place like home! :)
Thank you for your prayers, your concern for dad, and your encouragement through this very long process.
~Rhonda
Friday, December 24, 2010
Hello, All!
So much has been accomplished in the past few days, but we are not going to make the 12/27 move date as planned. It does appear now that Sunday, January 2, 2011 will be when we move dad home.
If you scroll down to my last posting, you can see where there were only posts in the ground to create the walkway from the new drive to the deck. Yesterday the walkway was completed. Here you can see the men working. The pond is just beyond the deck. Using the site level, Sgt. Fieck learned that there was only a 2 foot difference in height from the drive to the deck, so there doesn't hardly seem to be any grade(slant) at all with the walk way. You can see the cement pad that was poured where dad will have a flat area to get out of a car and into his wheelchair. The walkway has rails up on the sides now as well; I just didn't get a picture of that.
This is a picture of the walkway from the deck. On the bottom left of the picture is another walkway that will be put back in place that comes off the stairs for other visitors.
We got the living room painted a nice green color. Those ceilings are 12 feet tall, I think. I was on an extension ladder for an entire day to do the trim. The bathroom and bedroom are both a tan color. I have a couple of places to touch up, but for the most part, I think it turned out quite nicely. There is also carpet now. The carpet layer came on Tuesday; I expected him on Thursday, so I had to do a little juggling with work, but it all was fine.
This is a picture of Joe working on the driveway. It has turned out quite nicely as well.
All of the medical equipment was delivered yesterday. We have a hospital bed, air mattress (helps prevent bed sores) two lifts -- one for him to use if he has to, and one to use in case he gets too weak or if he falls and isn't hurt and just needs help getting up. We also have a shower bench. Grab bars are all over in the bathroom where needed.
So much has been accomplished in the past few days, but we are not going to make the 12/27 move date as planned. It does appear now that Sunday, January 2, 2011 will be when we move dad home.
If you scroll down to my last posting, you can see where there were only posts in the ground to create the walkway from the new drive to the deck. Yesterday the walkway was completed. Here you can see the men working. The pond is just beyond the deck. Using the site level, Sgt. Fieck learned that there was only a 2 foot difference in height from the drive to the deck, so there doesn't hardly seem to be any grade(slant) at all with the walk way. You can see the cement pad that was poured where dad will have a flat area to get out of a car and into his wheelchair. The walkway has rails up on the sides now as well; I just didn't get a picture of that.
This is a picture of the walkway from the deck. On the bottom left of the picture is another walkway that will be put back in place that comes off the stairs for other visitors.
We got the living room painted a nice green color. Those ceilings are 12 feet tall, I think. I was on an extension ladder for an entire day to do the trim. The bathroom and bedroom are both a tan color. I have a couple of places to touch up, but for the most part, I think it turned out quite nicely. There is also carpet now. The carpet layer came on Tuesday; I expected him on Thursday, so I had to do a little juggling with work, but it all was fine.
This is a picture of Joe working on the driveway. It has turned out quite nicely as well.
All of the medical equipment was delivered yesterday. We have a hospital bed, air mattress (helps prevent bed sores) two lifts -- one for him to use if he has to, and one to use in case he gets too weak or if he falls and isn't hurt and just needs help getting up. We also have a shower bench. Grab bars are all over in the bathroom where needed.
His caregiver had to give two weeks notice, and so she won't be ready until 1/2/11. It's probably best this way as we (okay I) was really pushing to get him in by 12/27 anyway. A few more days will be a good thing for those of us getting everything ready. It will all work out, and we have a date. There is still work to be done, but mostly inside. We have to move some clothes around to make room for the caregivers' things in her room. There is still some furniture to put in place, and someone has to figure out how to get the TV, VCR, DVD, and etc all hooked up so it works. :) Maybe I can have my 15- and 10-yr-old daughters do that. They are usually better at that kind of thing than I.
Stay tuned... there will be more updates as we finish everything and get dad moved home.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
December 15, 2010
Hello, All!! I have changed e-mail lists, and I fear some have been left off. In case you didn't get an e-mail recently, this is what was sent out yesterday:
Well, the soldiers, and Alan and I have worked for every weekend for the past 2 ½ months. (Sgt. Joe Fieck made this happen. He did most of the work and was faithful to be there when no one else came with him. Also, Alan has shouldered a LOT of this; I could not have done this without him!) We’re exhausted! (and SO ready for this to be finished) J It has been quite a project, and (sadly) we are not quite finished yet, and now I need your help!
With Christmas being so close, Sgt. Fieck has holiday plans this weekend and cannot work. He said there are 2 others who might be able to come; he wasn’t sure. Sgt. Fieck said he would plan to be there again on 12/23, 23, and 26. BUT I told Bogey I thought we could move the day (or so) after Christmas. So we are going to try to get it finished for a move-in date of (I HOPE) Monday, December 27. I would like to move him on a day the soldiers can be there, so possibly on the 26th if I can make it happen. The soldiers have done so much!!
I have just hired someone last minute to finish the drywall this week. He said he can have it finished by Friday – or at the latest Saturday morning. I just talked with the carpet layer, and he thinks he can be there on Tuesday 12/21; he might push it to the 22nd.
I have ordered the medical equipment and will finalize what we need this week. I have hired caregivers who are just waiting for me to tell them a start date.
What we need done this weekend:
· We need people outside building the walkway. The posts are set, and plans are made.
· We need people to help get furniture all out of the way (to the deck or to the garage) so we can finish ripping out carpet in the kitchen, and so we can be ready for the new carpet next week.
· We need to paint. Dad has picked out paint colors. We need to paint the bathroom (including the ceiling in this room), bedroom, and living room.
· We need to lay tile in the bathroom and finish the plumbing in there.
· We need to clean well and prepare the upstairs room for a caregiver. (Though, I might not be able to do this until the carpet is in.)
If you don’t already have plans and can help, please come! We will be there Saturday morning (usually around 8:30-ish) and then we’ll be back on Sunday as well, I’m sure. I know a lot of you likely have Christmas plans already in place, though. It is very close to the holidays, I know, so if you can’t make it, that’s all okay, too.
Thank you so much for your support through this crazy project. I know I have seen a difference in Dad’s demeanor over the past months. I can’t wait to get him home and see his moods and outlook on life improve even more.
Thank you!
~Rhonda
Well, the soldiers, and Alan and I have worked for every weekend for the past 2 ½ months. (Sgt. Joe Fieck made this happen. He did most of the work and was faithful to be there when no one else came with him. Also, Alan has shouldered a LOT of this; I could not have done this without him!) We’re exhausted! (and SO ready for this to be finished) J It has been quite a project, and (sadly) we are not quite finished yet, and now I need your help!
With Christmas being so close, Sgt. Fieck has holiday plans this weekend and cannot work. He said there are 2 others who might be able to come; he wasn’t sure. Sgt. Fieck said he would plan to be there again on 12/23, 23, and 26. BUT I told Bogey I thought we could move the day (or so) after Christmas. So we are going to try to get it finished for a move-in date of (I HOPE) Monday, December 27. I would like to move him on a day the soldiers can be there, so possibly on the 26th if I can make it happen. The soldiers have done so much!!
I have just hired someone last minute to finish the drywall this week. He said he can have it finished by Friday – or at the latest Saturday morning. I just talked with the carpet layer, and he thinks he can be there on Tuesday 12/21; he might push it to the 22nd.
I have ordered the medical equipment and will finalize what we need this week. I have hired caregivers who are just waiting for me to tell them a start date.
What we need done this weekend:
· We need people outside building the walkway. The posts are set, and plans are made.
· We need people to help get furniture all out of the way (to the deck or to the garage) so we can finish ripping out carpet in the kitchen, and so we can be ready for the new carpet next week.
· We need to paint. Dad has picked out paint colors. We need to paint the bathroom (including the ceiling in this room), bedroom, and living room.
· We need to lay tile in the bathroom and finish the plumbing in there.
· We need to clean well and prepare the upstairs room for a caregiver. (Though, I might not be able to do this until the carpet is in.)
If you don’t already have plans and can help, please come! We will be there Saturday morning (usually around 8:30-ish) and then we’ll be back on Sunday as well, I’m sure. I know a lot of you likely have Christmas plans already in place, though. It is very close to the holidays, I know, so if you can’t make it, that’s all okay, too.
Thank you so much for your support through this crazy project. I know I have seen a difference in Dad’s demeanor over the past months. I can’t wait to get him home and see his moods and outlook on life improve even more.
Thank you!
~Rhonda
Friday, December 10, 2010
December 12
It has been awhile since I have posted; honestly, because I have been discouraged about this whole project. Every once in awhile, I have moments when I wonder what in the WORLD am I doing?! This is CRAZY, and it has been a LONG time and many weekends that we have been working at dad's house.
Tonight when I called Alan at 9:30 pm, he and the Sgt. were hanging sheet rock. He has been there all day today.
The progress noted in this posting was accomplished last weekend, but Alan left early this past Monday morning for off-site meetings in St. Louis for work. It has been a crazy week without him home, or I would have posted earlier. He got home just last night about 11:30 pm, and took today off work to be at Dad's working again. He left this morning about 8:30 am after checking in with his teams at the office who are working on a new release of the company's software. Sgt. Feick joined him around 4:30 pm this evening. It has been an incredibly busy week without him home. (Yes, I already mentioned that, but it warrants repeating :) ). Today I stayed at work and was here to get Malerie from school and then take her to her basketball game in Springfield. She has another one tomorrow afternoon, and Allison has a choir concert Sunday afternoon. I'm being the taxi-mom this weekend; plus I'm working on a final project for the class I'm taking.
Progress made last week was wonderful! This picture is of the posts set that will support the walk way for dad to get to the deck from the parking place we have created. In the picture, Alan is working with the post-hole digger. All of the posts were set last weekend. Tomorrow (Saturday 12/11) they plan to pour the cement pad where dad will get out of a car on a flat surface. The walkway will take him up onto the deck. Sgt. Feick (most often these days known as just Joe now), has done research to know at what slope to make the walkway so it is safe for a wheelchair. We have rented a site level to measure the lay of the land. He is being very careful about how he does his work and to make things safe.
The deck has been finished. They need to fasten in several of the boards, but they have been cut and laid, and the deck looks great. It has been secured back to the house and they are building a cement wall to support it as well.
This is a picture (below) of the inside. The piece of plastic is where stairs go to the 2nd floor. To the right if the new bathroom door, and to the left is the new bedroom door. Both doors will accommodate dad's wheelchair.
There is still much to do, but sheetrock is being hung this weekend. I do not know if any taping and mudding will get done to that. We need to finish the plumbing in the bathroom, but the shower floor has been installed. The rest of the bathroom needs to be finished, and once the sheetrock is hung and finished, I can paint. Once I know when we are going to be able to paint, I will be able to schedule the carpet laying, which will also drive when our moving date is. Once the carpet is laid, we will be able to schedule the equipment pick up and furniture re-moving. I still have a couple of things to order, but we have made good progress with equipment preparations. I have stayed in touch with the care-giver organization where we have hired two care-givers. We are all set with them.
Tonight when I called Alan at 9:30 pm, he and the Sgt. were hanging sheet rock. He has been there all day today.
The progress noted in this posting was accomplished last weekend, but Alan left early this past Monday morning for off-site meetings in St. Louis for work. It has been a crazy week without him home, or I would have posted earlier. He got home just last night about 11:30 pm, and took today off work to be at Dad's working again. He left this morning about 8:30 am after checking in with his teams at the office who are working on a new release of the company's software. Sgt. Feick joined him around 4:30 pm this evening. It has been an incredibly busy week without him home. (Yes, I already mentioned that, but it warrants repeating :) ). Today I stayed at work and was here to get Malerie from school and then take her to her basketball game in Springfield. She has another one tomorrow afternoon, and Allison has a choir concert Sunday afternoon. I'm being the taxi-mom this weekend; plus I'm working on a final project for the class I'm taking.
Progress made last week was wonderful! This picture is of the posts set that will support the walk way for dad to get to the deck from the parking place we have created. In the picture, Alan is working with the post-hole digger. All of the posts were set last weekend. Tomorrow (Saturday 12/11) they plan to pour the cement pad where dad will get out of a car on a flat surface. The walkway will take him up onto the deck. Sgt. Feick (most often these days known as just Joe now), has done research to know at what slope to make the walkway so it is safe for a wheelchair. We have rented a site level to measure the lay of the land. He is being very careful about how he does his work and to make things safe.
The deck has been finished. They need to fasten in several of the boards, but they have been cut and laid, and the deck looks great. It has been secured back to the house and they are building a cement wall to support it as well.
This is a picture (below) of the inside. The piece of plastic is where stairs go to the 2nd floor. To the right if the new bathroom door, and to the left is the new bedroom door. Both doors will accommodate dad's wheelchair.
There is still much to do, but sheetrock is being hung this weekend. I do not know if any taping and mudding will get done to that. We need to finish the plumbing in the bathroom, but the shower floor has been installed. The rest of the bathroom needs to be finished, and once the sheetrock is hung and finished, I can paint. Once I know when we are going to be able to paint, I will be able to schedule the carpet laying, which will also drive when our moving date is. Once the carpet is laid, we will be able to schedule the equipment pick up and furniture re-moving. I still have a couple of things to order, but we have made good progress with equipment preparations. I have stayed in touch with the care-giver organization where we have hired two care-givers. We are all set with them. There are still so many things that need to happen, in the right order and at the right time. However, everything continues to fall into place at the right time, and in the right way. I believe it's a God-thing for so many things to try for the label of "coincidence." I do not believe in them. My God is Big.
Tonight I am praying for Alan and Joe who are staying the night at Dad's house. They will start again early in the morning, but Joe has to leave by noon, as tomorrow is his wife's birthday. I have not met her yet, but I thank her as well. Joe has been at dad's every weekend but one since we began this. If it weren't for him, this would never have taken off and would have never happened. How do you thank someone for something like that? I'm trying to figure that out.
More later.... Thank you for your support. :)
Sunday, November 21, 2010
November 21, 2010
As I mentioned in a previous post, the retaining wall is finished. This is a look at it as I stood down close to the pond. You might notice a bunch of brush to the left of the tree (in the middle of this shot). This is from the tree we had to take out. Alan continues to work on it, and if anyone wants to join us cutting, splitting, stacking, and hauling wood, please feel free. You can take what you want! We plan to be there again Friday 11/26 and likely Saturday 11/27. We haven't been working on Sundays, but Alan was there again this morning working on the tree issue. (more below)
It amazes me how MUCH wood is STILL on the ground. Alan took off work last Wednesday and Thursday and cut and split as much as he could. The picture below was taken after the girls and I had moved and stacked 2 truck-loads to the wood pile (another pict. down). Dad's place is looking different, but it's still in the woods... it's still peaceful; the pond is still there, but it will be handicapped accessible for him. He keeps asking me for a date (to go home); I don't have that yet. We still have much work to do, and I'm trying to be patient. As I've mentioned before, I'm not very good at patient.
Alan, both of our girls, Sgt. Feick and Sgt. Young met at dad's at 8:30 am on Saturday morning. The Sgt's worked on the deck (picture below) while Alan, the girls & I worked to clear out the tree. It is amazing to me how much wood is still in the way. Directly below this paragraph is a picture of Sgt. Feick's back. He has his hand on the pier -- the 5x5 post we thought would enable them to jack the deck back up to the house. It didn't work like we thought it would, so they are looking at a Plan B. Sgt. Feick is the person who has really taken ahold of this project to make it happen. He has also gotten his family involved. I was humbled and grateful when I learned Saturday that several members of his family in towns around the US have given money for this renovation. They don't even know dad, and yet they are willing to help. Amazing. Humbling. I am so grateful.
The decking has been taken off the deck in order for them to work on the frame of the deck. Anyone interested in replacing the decking, we will be working on that this weekend as well.
It amazes me how MUCH wood is STILL on the ground. Alan took off work last Wednesday and Thursday and cut and split as much as he could. The picture below was taken after the girls and I had moved and stacked 2 truck-loads to the wood pile (another pict. down). Dad's place is looking different, but it's still in the woods... it's still peaceful; the pond is still there, but it will be handicapped accessible for him. He keeps asking me for a date (to go home); I don't have that yet. We still have much work to do, and I'm trying to be patient. As I've mentioned before, I'm not very good at patient.
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