Day 23

We had a restful Sabbath today. I hung out in Joanie's room all afternoon. We practiced getting into the car for the trip home tomorrow. Joanie did very well. While I was there, Daniel, a 25 year old former kindergarten student called to see if he could bring Winston over. Joanie said yes. Winston is a two year old 120+ pound Great Dane. He was a hit with Joanie. We went outside to meet him and then took him through all the rooms to see patients. I would go into a room and ask if anyone wanted to have a dog come in to visit. With only one exception, every awake patient wanted to see Winston. They were a little surprised to be greeted by a dog who stands about 36 inches tall at the shoulder! Winston enjoyed his visit but was challenged by the vinyl floors in the rooms. Daniel said he may bring him back to visit the residents another time or two. This dog loves Troy (our son, a classmate of Daniel) and becomes very excited when he sees Troy once or twice a year. Troy tries to hold him in his lap, but he may not be able to do that the next time Troy sees him.

Joanie had a good night and for the first time that I remember in the past three weeks, commented that she was hungry. The staff is very good about finding her a sandwich when the entree or vegetables are not to her liking. One of her aides said she wasn't sure she wanted to let Joanie go home. Joanie is always very appreciative to the staff and they like her.

"Animals are such agreeable friends - they ask no questions, they pass no criticisms."
George Eliot

Day 22

Wow, I heard from several of you with offers to loan a walker or wheel chair! Thanks to all of you. It turns out that the PT wants her to use a "hemi" walker and I could not find a used one to borrow. I purchased one. I called about and looked at several wheel chairs but none were suitable, so I rented one. Joanie's sister is coming up tomorrow to spend a week with us and she's made arrangements to get one. I really appreciate your responses and good suggestions.

Joanie again walked with Jim, the PT, without even her hemi walker and did pretty well. I got lots of good instructions from her therapists and we are ready (or not) for Joanie to come home Sunday.


"Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure"
Psalm 16:9

Day 21

joaniecarle "at" gmail.com

Joanie took a walk yesterday with Jim, her Physical Therapist. The only unusual thing about that is that she didn't use a walker! Jim went with her outside, pushing a wheel chair, as they practiced. He said her balance was surprising good. That is a far cry from 2 1/2 weeks ago when she could stand for 2 seconds and when sitting, always fell over. I was so surprised when Joanie told me yesterday that I didn't even write about it until I confirmed it this afternoon.

Today, Joanie's class came over to her window after school to see her. They'd made a big banner that they held up as they shouted to her and made silly faces. When I went out to talk to the parents & kids afterward, one student mentioned that she'd been crying. I told her that I had been also.

I've been talking to the therapists about how to work with Joanie when she comes home Sunday. Tomorrow I meet with them for more training. I'm also getting lists of things I'll need.

All in all, a good day.

"Energy and persistence conquer all things."
Benjamin Franklin

Day 20

Just walked in the door from graduating 13 8th graders. They are neat students who will be missed.

Joanie had her ups & downs today. She's feeling pretty good but again had too many visitors! Please don't just "stop by" to see her unless you've checked with me. She may have had three or four all in a row and it's just too much for her still.

Thanks for being understanding and letting her get the rest she needs. Talking and being the "hostess" is tiring her out. She needs her strength for her therapy.

"The LORD watches over all who love him..."
Psalm 145:20

Day 19

Joanie's email: joaniecarle "at" gmail.com

I didn't spend very much time with Joanie today but she seems to be doing better and better. Today, she had a Great Dane, along with her mother, Carole, come by to visit. The dog was a big hit with Joanie and all her "roomies". When she walked into Joanie's room, she spied a muffin that she promptly helped herself to. Joanie thought it a small price to pay for a visit from such a "great" dog. Thanks, Carole, for giving your dog a bath and vacuuming in preparation for her visit. The visit was the first thing Joanie told me about when I first saw her this afternoon.

"Without friends no one would choose to live, though he had all other goods."
Aristotle (384 BC - 322 BC)

Day 18

It is a glorious day--Dr. Allen told us that he planned to send Joanie home Sunday! We (the cat & I) can hardly wait. The cat has complained daily about not having Joanie's lap to sleep on! Joanie grades papers in a recliner. The cat thinks Joanie sits there just for her. I grade papers at my desk. Over the past two weeks, the cat has often jumped unto my desk and then tried to get on my lap. She doesn't fit so well when I have the keyboard pulled out. Sometimes she messes with the keyboard too--kind of like she is doing at this moment.

Joanie seemed to be having a more energetic day today. When I went by at 7:30 this morning, she was already up and in the shower. When I saw her at 1:00, she was eating lunch. Her doctor came in, commented that she was making good progress, checked her over and talked with her.

My parents, my brother Galen, and his Schnauzer, Rudi, came up from Stockton this afternoon. Rudi holds a special place in our lives because we call him the "donor dog". He and my brother lived in Glendale with us when I was having my transplant. He, my brother that is, was my donor. The dog just tried to eat everything in the house that wasn't nailed down. My brother and parents have wanted to come up since the moment they heard about Joanie's stroke. I've been putting them off since there wasn't anything they could do. Lately Joanie's been asking to see Rudi so the timing seemed good.

Brenda, Joanie's sister, is going to come up from Loma Linda to spend a week with us as Joanie and I adjust to the changes in our lives. The timing couldn't be better since I'll be able to get down to Sonora to finish up my school duties and still know that Joanie is well cared for.

"He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he."
Deuteronomy 32:4

Day 17

I dropped in on Joanie three times today, between trips to school to get a little work done. She still comments that she is sleepy but we did some exercises and I had her out for a walk with her full walker twice. We also went outside in the wheel chair and watched a fellow with a new 14" long RC helicopter. It was great--even Joanie enjoyed watching him fly it.

I took Joanie a baked potato for lunch. When I arrived and prepared it in her room, she promptly ignored the hospital food that had just arrived.

Joanie continues to say that she really doesn't want to talk. Her voice sounds a bit rough, she still has some cough, and she is not sleeping as well as she usually does at home.

I brought her a sketch pad because her PT suggested that she needed to do some sketching and writing. Jim wants her to go clear across the page.

"Quit worrying about your health. It'll go away."
Robert Orben