To those who recognize my handle,
You may have noticed that my usual scatter-shot posts running along the early replies to threads in GD, mostly, but also here in the lounge have been few and far between as of late.
The banana family has been dealing with some serious health issues for the past 7 months, and my DU participation has dwindled as my responsibilities have increased.
The Mister suffered from a serious bone infection in his hip and was hospitalized last June. The antibiotic that was strong enough to kill the infection was also, unfortunately, strong enough to kill his already compromised kidneys and he has had to start dialysis, three times a week, probably for the rest of his life. In the balancing act trying to save his kidneys, his heart became burdened and he now also suffers from congestive heart failure, which comes with it's own challenges to the lifestyles of the barely holding on.
After having 4 stents placed in heart-adjacent arteries, he then suffered what is called a "V-Tach", which is a dangerously rapid beating of the ventricles and resulted in the implantation of a defibrillator (like the one that Cheney recently had "turned off" for fear of it's being hacked).
After exactly 7 months of back and forth visits to hospitals and rehab facilities, the Mister finally was allowed to come home. Being pretty much flat on his back for that long has rendered him, at least temporarily, bed and wheelchair bound. We have a kind of body crane called a "hoyer" to lift him from one to the other, and visits twice a week (for as long as the insurance allows) of a physical therapist to try and help motivate him to keep pushing himself.
We rely on the services of an ambulette service to transport him back and forth to dialysis, three times a week at $75 a pop. Too young for medicare, and with a pension that rules out medicaid this expense is causing us some drastic changes in lifestyle.
But with ALL of this,
on Valentines Day Eve,
I am so so grateful to have him home with me. To not have the sick sinking feeling each night of locking up, knowing that he is at the mercy of efficient and competent, but cold institutions through the nighttime hours is a blessing that brings me to the brink of tears.
I know that the road ahead of us is long and dangerous, and hard... but to still have this man with me fills my heart with gratitude that defies expression.
Everyone out there, hold those you love as close as you can. There is no substitute for love.
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It's a long road you have ridden. May you get all the help and guidance you need, annabanana.
Drop in when you have time, you know you're among friends.
I'm so glad he's home with you. That is wonderful advice; hang in there.
Hang tight to the honor of being his wife, and continue to draw strength from it.
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to be weathering it as well as possible under difficult circumstances.
Don't care what kind of report it is. Just glad to hear from you again.
I'm sorry the last seven months have been such an uphill slog. But Happy Valentine's Day to you both!!! I'm glad you still have each other! Remember what the Beatles said: "And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make!"
i'm happy he's home with you too. your post is very moving.
But I'm joyous for you also, that he's there with you.
I wish you both many more moments, hours, days, years together and I wish you prosperity, health, and peace.
but am understanding of your gratitude that he is home now!
May this year come easier as it flows along.