A Big Thank You from Jerry and Jean

Thank you, thank you, thank you to our “family” and friends for all the visits, cards, email greetings, flowers, plants, gifts of food, best wishes, etc. Your thoughtful acts during Jerry’s recent hospitalization and rehabilitation (in Sioux City and Pender) have been wonderful and most appreciated. What an amazing group of individuals to have “in our family’s corner” throughout this ordeal! Thanks again for your support and assistance. We will never forget it!

It’s been two months since Jerry’s “incident.” It has been quite a journey and it is so good to be home. Things are going very well and Jerry continues to improve.

A special thank you to our wonderful daughters and sons-in-law for everything they have done these past two months. We are certainly blessed and truly could not survive without them.

Jerry and Jean

You're Getting Better So Fast

On Friday, it was a beautiful day. Mom and Dad took the dogs out, hosted friends for drinks, and went up to Welsh's for the Fish Fry. Dad was even able to walk without his walker from the car to the bar. Such huge steps in such short periods of time.

On Friday, Dad had physical therapy. His therapist told Dad that she really enjoyed working with Dad. He asked her, "why?", and she replied, "because you are getting better so fast." Dad told her that he was crushed because he thought it was because of his great personality. Very cute.

March Madness

For the past several years, my husband has hosted a family and friends March Madness pool - and this year is no different. Of course, the biggest challenge is technology related - can our parents actually figure out how to enter their picks in the computer. Fortunately, we have siblings close by this year that can help!

After day one of picks, Dad is leading the pool - with 15 of 16 picks correct! We'll see if that can continue the rest of the weekend. I was surprised that Dad did not pick Kansas to win - he always seems to favor the Big 12 teams, but not this year.

Dad is improving every day. He is getting around the house without a walker and Denny has been picking him up this week for coffee. He's been able to check his email and has chatted with friends not in the Pender area on the phone.

The goal for the end of April is to make a trip to Ann Arbor for Jacki and Sean's graduation from the University of Michigan. At this rate or recovery, that is a very attainable goal. How special that would be for Mom, Dad, and Jacki.

Less is More

Well, my posts have obviously been less and less the last couple of weeks. This really is good news as Dad is progressing well at home. So, in this case, less is definitely more.

Dad started therapy in Wayne last week and Mom said that he and his OT really hit it off. Jaima stayed home with Dad last Tuesday night so Mom could watch her full moon with friends. Like me, Jaima commented how nice it was to be at home with Dad - just the two of them.

Mom is back to school this week and Dad's sister Nydra is up in Pender helping out. Dad was actually even able to go down to Popo's for coffee today - thanks to a ride from Denny. They were so happy to see him there for coffee - he was definitely missed and got a big hug from the owner when he arrived. We are all so thankful for all the help we have received.

I talked to Dad a couple of times on the phone last week and he sounded really great. He had his appointment with his primary physician in Pender last week and they were able to discuss all the medicine he is on, what to watch for, etc. Fortunately, he is no longer on the insulin and is just monitoring his blood sugar every day. Very good news!

We are thankful for every piece of good news we get every day.

Aren't you glad I got my mind back?

Just a quick update about the weekend at the Karlen household. It was a pretty lazy weekend for everyone - except Mom. She was very busy sorting and organizing. Hopefully, Jaima and I were able to help enough with the laundry, cooking, dishes, etc. Mom and Dad took the dogs out again on Saturday so there was a bit of an outing - which helped to break up the day a bit.

We watched some basketball - a couple college games and the finals of the Nebraska Girl's State Tournament. TV is a bit much for Dad right now, but we were able to keep him involved with score and time updates. Jaima and I were even able to watch two movies on Saturday - I can't even remember the last time I watched one movie. Oh, the luxuries of having no kids around (Jaima's kids were with her husband visiting his parents in Grant, Nebraska for a few days).

What a great time Jaima and I had hanging out with each other and Mom and Dad. Dad was making us laugh with his commentary during the basketball winner interviews. His spirits have been great since returning home - just as they were in the hospital.

We did some physical therapy exercises over the weekend and Dad also read all of the cards and letters he received since his stroke (some occupational therapy for the weekend). He was surprised by all the outpouring of thoughts, prayers, and good wishes. Thanks to all for helping to keep his spirits up.

Dad started therapy in Wayne on Monday and has an appointment with his family physician tomorrow to track his progress, meds, etc. It is amazing how much work goes into making sure one stays well - thankfully the Karlen women have it under control!

And to wrap up with some Dad humor...We were trying to figure out the correct eye drops to be giving Dad. We have yellow caps, blue caps, orange caps, and generic versions. Apparently, his drops were switched in the hospital and we were going to give those drops to him. He proceeded to tell us what happened with his last visit to the opthamologist and then commented, "Aren't you glad I got my mind back?" Yes, Dad - we are very, very glad.

Home Sweet Home

Dad arrived home on Thursday afternoon. We were discharged in the early afternoon and then we saw a cardiac specialist before we left for Pender. A couple visitors stopped by to welcome Dad home, and Dad enjoyed some non-hospital food - guess Mom and I can at least cook better than the hospital!

I'm glad to be here to help Mom get the house ready to have Dad home - everything from moving furniture, figuring out his meds, what food to make, etc. Being home is a whole new level of care and it is a lot of work for Mom. It is nice that she is home next week so she can figure out coverage going forward. We've also got his therapy scheduled in Wayne starting on Monday. He'll be attending physical, speech, and occupational therapy.

Dad is doing really well with the stairs in the house. They are a lot of work for him, but because he is able to do them, he is able to get into his favorite chair in the family room.

We had another cardiac appointment this morning up at the hospital. It was nice to get a couple different opinions as the best way to treat dad's atrial fibulation. Both doctors do not recommend going back on the blood thinners so we are trying to figure out what we can do to best manage his condition.

Today, Mom and Dad took the dogs out to the airport and I think Dad really liked getting out of the house again. It is a good thing they took the dogs out as Pepper was coughing after her run. They took her down to the vet and she was diagnosed with pnemonia and got some antibiotics.

We all enjoyed an afternoon nap and then some dinner. Jaima came over after work and it was nice to just be "home" with Mom and Dad. We're looking forward to the healing process getting even better now that Dad is home.

My Day with Dad

I was getting ready for bed and had time to think about the day I just spent with Dad. Although one never wants to be in these situations, it really was a nice day today with Dad. When will I ever have Dad to myself again? No children to deal with, no siblings or others to drive the conversation one way or the other, no place to be. Just time with my Dad.

Of course, Dad attended several therapies and did very well at all of them today. He was walking without the walker several times during physical therapy, balancing with ease for extended periods of time, coming up with answers in speech therapy that were almost always correct - even if it wasn't the answer in the therapist's "book". When having to name another word for "disaster", Dad and I both came up with the word "calamity" - not the standard answer of "catastrophe". There were other examples like this and Dad and I joked that we must be blood relatives to come up with the "wrong, right answer." When we went back to the room, Dad was joking that he wasn't so sure that he was already sharper than his therapist.

He was also able to read and comprehend the checklist given to him by the speech therapist. And although a difficult task, he did complete a lego type structure in occupational therapy (looking at a 2D picture and making it a 3D object) as well as some peg work and geometric shape exercises (where they had to move on to more difficult ones because he completed the easy ones). He's still dealing with double vision and that is one of the main reasons these tasks are difficult.

We enjoyed a pizza party over lunch with some other rehabilitation patients and Dad chatted at ease with the others. Later, Dad commented what a long road many of those in the room had - all but one younger than Dad. It makes you keep things in perspective and be so thankful for how hard Dad is working and how far he has come.

We had his assessment with the staff this morning and all the therapists and nurses commented on Dad's progress. It is truly amazing the strides he is making. I know Dad is a very proud man and many of the tasks he is completely are humbling to him, but he also knows that he is getting better every day -- and these are the things that will help him recover.

I definitely inherited my competitive spirit from my Dad and you can see Dad's competitive spirit come out in his therapies. And through it all, Dad has had a wonderful disposition - joking with the staff, making people smile, and still taking his recovery seriously. This truly is a testament to who my Dad is as a person and I am so thankful for him. And right now, I am especially proud to be his daughter happy about the day we had together. Just the two of us.

Coming Home!

Just a very quick post to let everyone know that Dad is going to be coming home on Thursday. We will be discharged on Thursday afternoon and then see a cardiologist before we head home. Dad had his assessment today and all the therapists continued to talk about the great progress he is making.

We will be setting up his on-going therapy so he can continue his progress once we get home. I'll be here until Sunday to help Mom with the transition back to home. Fortunately, Mom has spring break next week so will also be able to manage the transition home a bit more easily.

Sorry for the lack of updates - having all of us home, the time here with Dad, and trying to get some work unfortunately cuts into the blog time. But, this is great news and we are excited about this giant step forward!

Yes, It is Good to See You Dad

Yesterday, I arrived in Omaha around 1:00 and Jacki picked me up and we went right to Sioux City. Dad was finishing up PT and it was so wonderful to see him. I gave him a hug and he asked me, "Do you feel better now that you have seen me?" And the answer of course, was "Yes I do Dad". He quickly introduced me to his therapist and then we walked part way back to his room.

Just as Jacki was amazed after 11 days, I was obviously even more amazed at his progress having been away for 25 days. He is making tremendous progress and we could not be more proud of all his hard work. From many of the comments yesterday, it is obvious that he is much more aware of what is going on, where he is, etc.

Dad chatted about how many of the questions they ask him in therapy are very difficult and many people would not know them. Dad asked the therapists about this fact and they told him that he was right - many people would not know these facts. However, they know his "level" and these are things that he should know. For example, they listed "dollar, peso, lira" and Dad had trouble with this one - he started listing Australian dollar, Canadian dollar. When the therapist started to give clues - i.e., Japanese - Dad was able to come up with Yen. The key is to get him to recall these facts in his head. And he was later able to tell the story to us and remember Japanese Yen which is exactly what we want.

Dad also made a comment to me about how is getting better, but isn't all better yet. Another indication of his awareness. And of course, Dad is still joking around which is great to see as well, I told him I got Tanner's (my 2 year old) hair cut, he quickly commented "it's about time!" He was more than aware that Tanner was in need of a haircut (which he had told me in January when he visited).

Jaima came over after work and the 4 Karlen women hung out with Dad for a few hours. The Munderloh's and Maul's stopped by for a bit and then Dad was ready for bed after a very busy day. We enjoyed a very nice dinner at Raspberry's (and ran into the Munderloh's and Maul's there :) . Definitely a lot to celebrate.

A Hand to Hold

I actually chatted with Mom, Jaima, Jacki, and Dad today. What a treat! Talking with Dad - even if only for a couple minutes - was the highlight (no offense to my sisters or my Mom of course!). I was driving the boys home from school and Dad heard them screaming in the background when he got on the phone and said it sounded like things were pretty normal for me. It was nice to chat with him on my way home -- just like we use to.

Mom said that Dad had a good day of therapy. After they finished having lunch, Dad got into bed for a nap because they are better able to elevate his feet in bed. There is still quite a bit of swelling in his legs so they try to keep them elevated as much as possible. Mom took a nap in the recliner and they feel asleep holding hands. Very sweet.

Mom also mentioned that Dr. Bacon stopped by to see how Dad was doing (Dr. Bacon is the ICU doctor and was seeing another patient, but just stopped to see Dad). Dr. Bacon asked how Dad was doing and if he knew where he was - to which Dad replied, "Oh, sh*t". It seems Dad grew used to Dr. Bacon and his questions. :) Apparently, Dad's ornery side was also coming out today when the "interns" were visiting today. Mom said he was showing off. Good ol' Dad - putting on a show. Makes me smile.

Jacki and Sean are staying in Sioux City tonight and going out to dinner - guess they are trying to make the best of their spring break! Mom was at home tonight and enjoyed a walk on the beautiful day and a drink with Steve Munderloh. And then a night of grading papers - fun stuff.

What a week!

Sorry for the lack of posting this week. It has been a crazy week here, but the good news is that Dad is having a great week! Yesterday, he was able to walk WITHOUT the walker 3 times. In addition, he was able to get out of his chair by himself. Just last week, it took two people just to get him to stand up. So, he is making amazing progress!

His hardest questions to answer are what day it is and where he is - he actually told a visitor these were his hardest questions. But, with the "harder" cognitive questions he is just flying which is wonderful.

Jacki and Sean are there all week and have been helping with the dogs, running errands for Mom, getting the medical paperwork in order, etc. I know Mom is very thankful to have them there to help out. I can't wait to be home and Friday and see the progress for myself.

GREAT Day!

What a great post for today! Both Jaima and Jacki called to tell me what a great day Dad was having. Jacki was completely amazed by the progress he has made in the 11 days since she left. He is up and about walking with his walker as he pleases. His speech therapy went REALLY well today. One of the speech therapist told Dad that she had seen him on Wednesday and could not believe the change between today and then.

Jacki was with Dad all day and said he was lucid and "the old Dad" all day. What wonderful news! He was even able to remember the visitors he had the day before - this is a first. All of these signs are wonderful news. We are of course, still worried about other health issues -the swelling in his legs, the blood clot, etc., but all the progress is in the right direction. I am very excited to continue receiving great news.

Mom also checked out of the hotel on Friday and will be staying at home now. Jacki and Sean will be there through March 2nd, and I will arrive on Feb 27th and stay through March 8th. Mom did enjoy a bit of time away today and attended Mickey Mouse Clubhouse with Jaima and her girls. I'm sure this time away was a great break and a special time with her grand-daughters.

And on a lighter note, Jacki's husband Sean is going to be working with Barney to make him a house dog. What a way to spend spring break, heh? Of course, Dad thought this topic was quite amusing - I would expect no less. Dogs in Pender don't live in the house now, do they?

Nydra was right

What a difference 11 days can make. wow. Nydra was right - I am more than impressed.

Dad is making amazing progress. He had a great Saturday of rehab. Mom said he had his best day of speech therapy yet. He was asked to give synonyms to many words and got almost all of them correct. He also was able to give explanations for descriptions of certain situations (some when mom and I didn't even know the answer). In OT, he put together a difficult puzzle that the therapist said five days ago could not have been completed. And, as his granddaughter Alyssa said while watching him do his PT, "he is walking perfectly." She was right. If he keeps this up, the walker will no longer be needed! More importantly, he is understanding everything!! Where he is, why he is here, and details about all the staff he meets even hours after meeting them.

It will all continue to improve with more time. I can't wait for Julia to see his progress. We are all so proud.

Keep up the good work dad! We LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!

Oh, to be home

It's a pretty quiet night here at the Peavy household. The boys are in bed and the hubby is off playing poker. Jacki and Sean flew to Omaha today and a family friend picked them up and took them straight to Sioux City to see Dad. I know Jacki was so excited to see Dad and all the progress he has made.

Jaima stopped in to see Dad during her lunch hour again (like she has been doing most days) and said that Dad was having a great day. It is so nice to hear the little stories about what he is doing (playing the card game "war" with Mom yesterday) and the progress he is making.

It would be great to be home with everyone now. It's hard to be needed in two places. I'm just thankful for all the support that Dad and Mom are getting and I'll be home soon enough - and yet, not soon enough.

A Sister's Point of View

An email we 3 girls received from our Aunt - Dad's sister, Nydra. I think it is a great summary of today and I know it touched all of us. Thank you Nydra for your positive words.

I was with Jerry most of the day and he really impressed me. I’m sure it's hard for your Mom to see the progress but between my last two visits, he had totally lost the hallucinations, crawly things or the reaching out into the air like Alex did at the 3-D IMAX movie. That was all gone.

He walked 5-6 tines in two different sessions from the back of the exercise area to the middle of the hallway. And the staff required that he find his chair, etc. And he did. He was nodding off in the first speech therapy session, so when the occupational therapist came to dress him, we put him to bed. I lifted his legs, put pillows under them and spent a major portion of the day making sure his legs wouldn’t be swelling. He slept for over an hour and the next sessions of therapy he seemed much more awake.

His wheel chair legs were too short for elevating his legs. Since he asked to have breakfast in the lounge area, he was in his chair. I thought that was a great sign and he chatted with two men at the table. Everything was very cordial. I hope he keeps asking to eat outside of his room. Anyway, the PT man, Dennis, put a block of wood under his air cushion seat. So it raised the seat about ¾ of an inch but also removed the sag so his legs could more comfortably be elevated.

When your mom got back from school, she saw him and was all smiles. He is really making great strides. I think Jacki will be very surprised at the advancements. He still has vision problems but there has been so much progress over the last week.

Jerry always used to say a person who gets mean when they are drunk, is really mean underneath—that they is just mask it when sober, and I can see that in Jerry with his predicament he finds himself in. He is still the same sweet amiable guy as always. He is frustrated with his recovery so if possible, tell him how far he has come. That really seemed to give him the energy to keep going. He worked really hard in his therapy.

Again, the dignity of Jerry seems to shine through and all the staff treat him accordingly.

I love you girls. Jerry and I may be old, but he is still my big brother and I feel about you as you must feel about your sisters’ kids.

Love, Nydra

Hump Day

Well, I have to say that this week seems to be an exhausting one for all of the Karlen family - at least we are getting over the hump this week. Dad is working very hard in rehab and has been exhausted from all the therapy. They have him up and at 'em very early. On Tuesday, he was showered, shaved, and dressed by 7:30. He has been doing very well with his physical therapy and all the walking he is doing. He is now using a regular walker and is able to support his entire body weight on his own. Denny and Georgia visited on Tuesday afternoon and had a nice chat with Dad and then went out to dinner with Mom and Marian. Today Mom and Dad were able to work on a crossword puzzle together, but it made Dad very tired.

The rehab is going well. At times, Dad seems a bit bored with the activities and they must get him to focus and tell him why it is important he do these things (you've had an injury and these activities will help you heal). Definitely more hard work in store for Dad, but we know he can handle it.

Movin' on Up (to Rehab)

Ok - technically, I think he is moving down floors, but I couldn't help but have the song from the Jefferson's in my head (which is better than the Amy Winehouse song about rehab I have been singing all day). So, he is still in Mercy Medical Center in Sioux City, but is now in the Rehab Center where there is a much more intense focus on his therapy.

He had his cat scan this morning, but the results are not known (we're going with the "no news is good news" theory). He finally got to eat solid foods - a chicken salad sandwich and was saying "mmm" as he ate it. The processed food must be pretty gross if a chicken salad sandwich from a hospital tastes good.

And it is good to hear that his sense of humor is still there - he was introducing Mom as his "current wife" to the rehab staff. The move does seem to have confused him today, but hopefully with some consistency and focus on rehabilitation in his new environment, we'll see improvements again.

Mom is headed back to the classroom tomorrow and our family friend Marian Andersen is there to help out this week. We are so thankful for all the family and friends that have helped us during this difficult time.

"Pop" Quiz Results

And here are the long awaited answers to the "Pop" quiz. Thanks to all that participated - we enjoyed reading your stories - definitely brought smiles to our faces.

1. Where was Jerry born? Dad was born in 1941 in Beemer, Nebraska (50% answered this one correctly). 40.5% answered Omaha.
   
2. From which high school did Jerry graduate? Dad was an Omaha Benson Bunny - yes, the Bunnies. (61% of you answered correctly).
   
3. Which high school reunion year will Jerry celebrate this year? Dad graduated from high school in 1959 and will be celebrating his 50th reunion. (51.2% of you got this one right).
   
4. Where do Jerry's children live? Julia lives in Denver (95% correct). Jaima lives in Pender (100% correct). Jacki currently lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan, but will be moving back to Minneapolis after she and her husband receive their graduate degrees this spring. (76% correct).
   
5. What year did Jean and Jerry get married? Mom and Dad were married in Dodge, Nebraska in 1969 and will celebrate 40 years together in June. (38% answered correctly).
   
6. How many years did Jerry work at Automatic Equipment/Blue Ox? 41 years! Wow - quite an accomplishment. Dad retired in March of last year. (40.5% got this one right).
   
7. What subject does Jerry's wife Jean teach? Sociology. Jean is currently in "phased retirement" and teaching 2 classes this semester. Thankfully, her colleagues at Wayne State have help cover for her during this time. (92.9% of you answered this one correctly).
   
8. Which of the following activities does Jerry enjoy? Dad enjoys pheasant hunting, fishing, coffee at Popo's, playing cards, and time with his daughters and their families. Surprisingly, Dad doesn't like deer hunting (always talked about his inability to kill Bambi) and Mom is the one that loves moon risings.
   
9. How many grandchildren does Jerry have? Dad has almost 5 grand kids. Jaima is due with her 3rd at the beginning of August. She and her husband Cam have two daughters - Alyssa (4) and Anastin (2). Julia and her husband Marshall have 2 boys - Drake (5) and Tanner (2). Jacki and Sean have a dog named Maj0r. He is also part of the family - his mother is Pepper and his brother is Barney (both of those are Dad's dogs). (95% of you answered this one correctly.)
   

Lazy Sunday

The Geiserts delivered the flowers and card from Julia, Jaima, and Jacki today. Dad enjoyed them. He walked farther than he has in any previous days during physical therapy today. Tomorrow morning, they will do a cat scan to check on the bleeding. They think everything is draining on its own, but they want to check. In addition, the cat scan will serve as a baseline for rehab.

Dan and Tammy Bodlak and Bill and Maureen Wenke stopped for visits yesterday. Dad also talked to each of us on the phone and wished up Happy Valentine's Day. Very special. Hearing "I love you sweetheart" like he has said so many times before is just that much more special these days.

A Poem and Flowers for Dad

Valentine's Day definitely reminds me of Dad. Since I was about 7, Dad always gave each of his daughters flowers on Valentine's Day. We would come home from school and there would be a white vase with a single rose sitting on the table by our bedsides. I always looked forward to coming home and seeing the flower there for many years to come. However, the tradition did not end there. As we went away to college, left the state, and got married, he continued to send us flowers. You can imagine how special it was to get flowers in the college dorm - what a surprise and of course, everyone wanted to know who the flowers were from! We'll be continuing the tradition this year - 3 roses for Dad - one from each of his daughters. A Day to celebrate love indeed.

Jacki found this poem and I thought it was the perfect post for today.

Delightful and loving,
Loved and admired,
Dad, you're my hero,
My life you've inspired. And when all my blessings
Are counted each day,
I thank God in heaven
For Dad when I pray. Dad thanks for your presence
Throughout thick and thin;
You're more than a parent,
You're my wonderful friend.