We Have Dodged another Bullet......I hope!

Thanksgiving is over and the company has left. The house is quiet except for the football game I can hear in the background. It was a rough few days here. I didn't write about it because I was busy taking care of a sick, sick husband. But I think he is once again on the mend. The roller-coaster that we call our life is chugging it's way up to the top of another hill. We have rounded the curve.

My company arrived on Tuesday afternoon and Richard was having a good day and was happy to see them. We ate take-out Mexican and enjoyed watching the finals of Dancing with the Stars. After it was over my cousins and I took off for a big shopping trip to the local grocery store. Going after 10 p.m.us the store mostly to ourselves. All was well when we returned home.

Wednesday morning started of as a normal day. I got Richard up and to the bathroom and he brushed his teeth as per normal. Then I sat him at the dining table and began to fix his breakfast. He said he wasn't hungry and wanted to go to the recliner. This isn't normal for him as breakfast is the meal that he eats the best. I settled him into his chair, covered him up with a mountain of blankets (also normal, see here) and went about working in the kitchen. It soon became apparent that he was sick. The normal coughing (see here) was turning harsh and his voice was deep and raspy. I dosed him with some cough syrup. By afternoon, on Wednesday, he as running a fever and coughing more. I restarted the breathing treatments. The cough was deep in his chest and I could hear crackles throughout (with a stethoscope). This means fluid or secretions in the lungs, often indicative of pneumonia or inflammation. His color was very grey. So I put him on a low dose oxygen and notified the hospice nurse. We agreed to continue to observe throughout today.

He was restless later on Wednesday evening and vomited a bit. He still took fluids well but wasn't eating. And he just wanted to be left alone.

During the night on Wednesday his fever broke and he was soaked in sweat. He wanted all covers off and we changed him from his damp clothes and sponged him off. He became quiet and slept some.

Thursday morning he repeated the Wednesday morning routine. Up and to the bathroom. To the dining table. Refused to eat and asked to be put into his bed. For all who know Richard and how much he didn't not want this hospital bed you can imagine what we were all thinking. He told my cousin he was happy that he came and he hoped that he (indicting himself) would still be here in the morning. I was scared! But Richard and I both are comfortable with knowing that when the end comes we will be ready to let him go. He did not eat Thanksgiving with us. Justin and Trina were here and he perked up a bit for Justin. He ate a bit of cheesecake and that was all. Justin and Trina took the kids home with them so they could enjoy Thanksgiving with Trina's family. Plus they really don't need to hang over the death bed.

Thursday evening he wanted up in his chair so we made the transfer. And that is where he stayed until Friday morning. The breathing treatments continued around the clock every 6 hours. And he coughed and coughed and was once again beginning to bring up the secretions, which is the intended purpose. He ate more on Thursday, but small amounts.

Friday was more of the same but he was eating a bit more. Still coughing and sounding a bit less harsh. Much fewer crackles heard in lungs.

This morning the cousins have left for their return trip to Oklahoma. Richard is much better. His color has returned to normal. The fever is gone. He is coughing less. The oxygen is off. I will continue the treatments for a few more days. But I thank the good LORD that we have once again dodged the bullet.