A new chapter

No, it's not a new chapter in a book I am writing. I am opening a new chapter in my life, or I should say, our lives.

Shortly after I posted the last blog, Jim fell while putting ant poison on some fire ant hills that had sprung up after a rain. He didn't seem too bad, just shaken. This was on a Friday. Sunday morning he was in a lot of pain, so I took him to the ER, where they did an X-ray and found a broken rib. Since you can't do anything for a broken rib, they gave him pain pills and sent him home.

On Tuesday, Oct. 13, he was unable to get up from his chair. This has happened before, and as I have done before, I called EMS. (I have since learned these spells of total weakness are caused by a sudden drop in blood pressure.) The hospital did more X-rays and admitted him for three days. On Friday, he was sent to Anson Health and Rehab for therapy as he had lost so much weight and was very weak...almost anorexic. I had not realized how much weight he had lost. Also, the doctor there told us he had broken three ribs and also had an old stress fracture in his back!

Jim has A-Fib, and for the past weeks the doctors at rehab and Sanger Clinic (cardiologists) have been juggling medication, almost daily, to try and control the low blood pressure and rapid heartbeat. If they fix one, the other acts up!

After six weeks in rehab and a few successful visits home (including Thanksgiving Day) we looked forward to his discharge. He had gained some weight and getting around well with his walker.

Then, last Monday night, he fell again while getting ready for bed. This time he broke his left hip and was sent immediately to CMC-Union, a hospital in Monroe which is 30+ miles up the road. They operated the next day to insert a rod from hip to knee and another rod into the ball joint to stabilize the hip. I have to say his cardiologist is very good, she visited every day while he was in CMC-Union and monitored him closely.

Saturday night around 9:30  p.m. he was sent back to rehab.

He has been disoriented, which I am assured is the result of the anesthetic and not permanent. And, he isn't eating...again. I am making sure to be there at meal times to coax him into eating something. They have started therapy...again.

I'm not certain what this bodes for the future, but it looks now as if he will not be as active as he was and will need a lot of care. I may not be able to leave him alone, as he is stubborn and if he wants to do something he will do it against all advice--as witness his getting ready for bed without calling an aide for assistance.

This may well be my last posting as I find it  hard to set aside time for writing. Also, as seen by the lack of followers and comments, no one is reading it anyway :)

You can keep up with me via Facebook (I have two pages, Sandy Bruney for my friends and relations and a work-related page, Sandra Z. Bruney, for announcements about my books and other writing-related tidbits). I also write another blog about my writing journey (I do meander from time to time) and if you want to pop in once in awhile (or even better, follow) it is Mimosa Mornings Writers.

And of course, I love to hear from everyone by email.

But who knows? The situation may improve or turn out not to be a dire as I imagine, and I will be back!

Til then, adieu.

Sandy