Back from the extended care facility with my wife

[Grizzly]

My wife and I have now been home for a little less than a week. We were gone for over a month, with a few days in the hospital and then the rest in an extended care facility for therapy. We both lost weight with the balanced cooking and smaller portions and we already miss many of the workers who showed such amazing kindness to my wife and also to me. I stayed in the room with her and was a big help as, these places are short staffed and have a hard time keeping up with the needs of all the old folks there. We were lucky to get our first choice of places accepted. You need to do some research before ever putting someone in one of these if you can. In the winter, they all seem to fill up fast with all the falls and sickness that seems to intensify with the cold coming on.

These homes are a rich harvest waiting for someone to share what the Lord has done in their lives. In a way, I hated to leave. My wife and I both shared what the Lord has done with many nurses, care givers and patients while there. The look on their faces as they hear what it is like when the Lord through the Holy Spirit is able to be a part of your life and living is precious to behold. For many, it was the first time they ever heard this Good News. I pray that the Lord now helps them to find Jesus in their own lives after hearing someone witness to the truth of the new life we all can have through Christ Jesus.

Again, what happened to her was diagnosed as a tia, a small stroke that doesn't seem to have done any lasting damage. She also had some bacteria in the urine which can also cause weakness in the body and mind which may have also contributed to the symptoms she was having. Now we have to remove the queen size bed we just replaced the mattress on a few months ago with a hospital bed with side rails and an overhead trapeze and a twin bed for me. It's about like putting a king size bed in a not so king size bedroom. She has trouble moving around as her one leg has pretty much taken a beating from over 50 years on crutches.

We have a Mattress Company here that custom builds mattresses and will also adjust them with more or less foamy stuff inside after purchase. I made the mistake of sending them our old mattress we'd bought from them to have it rejuvenated. They picked it up and strongly suggested just replacing it, which we did. Then we later had them pick the new one up again to soften it a bit. After two truck rides and about a month of time passing, suddenly we discovered for the first time in over 70 years of living what "bed bugs" were. What a nightmare. I can only think that they came from the two rides the mattresses took in their delivery truck. I hear moving van companies fumigate their trucks after each move. I suspect these folks may not have been so judicious or else another mattress on the truck happened to be contaminated with the little tick like bloodsuckers. They are finally gone now, after my daughter and her fiance bombed 3 times, and sprayed and vacuumed the room for the month we were gone. Prayers for the elimination of the pestilence also were prayed as these things sometimes take professional fumigators to eliminate from a home. Luckily the contamination stayed in the one room, although it did at one time get into the recliner which was heavily treated also. They can cling to you and your clothing as you move around and are hard to keep contained. Be very careful also about what you bring home from the thrift stores. These things are a nightmare and I'm told they are becoming epidemic in this country now.

Along with that moving, I finally bought a 10x20 lofted barn to hold all the "stuff" in a rented storage unit and the house. Maybe we can get some elbow room again, by eliminating stuff we haven't used in years and only storing what still has value to us.

More of my "retired" time is now devoted to caring for my wife. It is really a good thing, as it brings me face to face with that old "self" that Jesus commanded us to deny in order to take up our cross and live as we have never lived before - led by the Holy Spirit in order to do God's will and not our own. It is truly amazing how much better and more peaceful life can be as we take on this "spiritual battle" and begin to experience the fruits of the Spirit in our life and living.

Thank you for the prayers that you have prayed. I hope maybe that we might have some more interesting discussions on this most important of all forums that we have here, on the Christian Faith and Fellowship Sub-Forum. Just ask Captainkirk for the password.

Thanks again,
Craig and Billie

While my wife was being cared for, I also was being looked at for why all my joints and muscles seemed to be suddenly not working very well. I was using a cane for weeks, as just getting out of a chair was a challenge. I was finally diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and am taking a low dose of steroids for a few months until the sulfa drugs begin to work. I can say that I now feel about 80 - 90% better. While I was starting to recover, I came across a nice waling stick with some lacing near the top and a big old grizzly bear burned into a knob on the top of it. I couldn't resist buying it.

[Graps]

These kind of subjects are hard for me.
I've lived that kind of; well, I know what that's like.

[stumper]

Continued prayers for you brother craig and your darling wife. You are a well respected and valued member of our community. Thank you for the update and glad everybody is home.

[Carpdaddy]

Prayed for you and your wife’s continued healing and recovery.

[Captainkirk]

So glad to have you back and to hear both you and our wife are safely home. You've been sorely missed, brother.

[jd-xlt]

Continued prayers for you brother craig and your darling wife. You are a well respected and valued member of our community. Thank you for the update and glad everybody is home.

I completely agree. Your unconditional love for your wife is evident in your care for her throughout the years. And your love for your fellow man is evident by your sharing Jesus with them.
When my mother was in her late seventies she had a series of tias. I'll send a pm.

Continued prayers!
John

[Grizzly]

Thank you all for your kind words and prayers.