15 June 2014

Hi all,

   Monday evening, the 9th, we went to the nursing home for your Humphries grandparents 60th anniversary party.  It was just family, and very nice.  Cake and ice cream. Those attending were: Len Sr., Fern, Len Jr., me, Reneta, Jared, Jonathon, Gerald, Gina, Jeremy, Laci Olson, and her kids, Sabian, Merrick, and Camen, Venae, Brett, Megan, and her kids, Cydnee, Nick, Spencer, Beth, Kerry, and Hannah.  We asked Grandma and Grandpa a few questions about their first date, etc... And I was able to get their answers on my little digital audio recorder.  Dad will help me put it into a format we can share with you kids. It was pretty cute.

   At work, about once a month, I go to the education dept when new nurses are hired, to teach part of their orientation.  It's mainly the medication reconciliation, and it takes only an hour. But I can see that teaching them a little about it before they start working on the floor makes it easier for them later.  I have created a difficult patient, with lots of  medications, routes, dosages, and complicated frequencies.  If they can get through that, most of the actual patients won't seem too bad. This week I had a group of four; three new grads, and one with several years experience. But med reconciliation was new to her.

    Thursday I took the day off and went with Dad for his surgery.  I know I told you all about it at the time, but I'll just review it here briefly.  We got to the surgery center at 1045, and after all the preliminary, he was taken back to surgery at exactly 1200.  At about 1305, the doctor came and visited with me, and showed me the pictures.  I got to go see him in just a little while.  He did pretty well, the pain was well controlled after a little while; but the Lortab made him sick to his stomach. Once he threw up a few times, he felt much better and we headed home. More throwing up on the drive home, but none since...and no more Lortab either.  He's doing really well now; he just takes tylenol or ibuprofen a few times a day, and tapering that.  He hasn't used the ice pack much any more either.  He's on a 325 aspirin, twice a day for a month, to prevent blood clots. He drove himself to Sacrament meeting today, but came home after. I think it was time to get the leg up again.  He hasn't needed crutches at all.  I really think the nausea has been the worst part of the whole experience.

   This evening, Dad and I went to see Grandpa for Father's day. He was more talkative than usual.  He said the only think he dislikes about the nursing home is that he can only shower Wednesday and Saturday.  He's getting to where he can walk with his walker to therapy and back, and he does exercises in his room (he showed us!). He still has some sores on his toes, partly due to the swelling, which they are working on with limited success.  And he has a wound on his leg from the electronic stimulation machine, which malfunctioned and burned him. But he's able to move his neck better than he's been able to in years.  One of his therapists, a little Chinese guy, has been doing massage and pressure point therapy.

    I think that's enough for this week.  Thanks for all the calls to your Dad...it meant so much to him.  Love you!  Mom/Johann