THE JOURNEY TOWARDS HOME...

Look how handsome!

Making a face for his daughter-in-law; right Meredith?

Gene trying to freak me out; he is always doing that! His way of making light of the situation.

Hi Everyone,

Well, now I know why they call it rehab! We have been pretty much full speed ahead ever since we arrived here on Tuesday about noon. We had hoped to leave Scripps Encinitas on Monday afternoon, but it got to be too late in the day. Secretly, I was relieved; the ICU felt like a safe cocoon where Gene was very well cared for and watched like a hawk. I knew things would change. Saying goodbye to all of the ICU staff was like leaving a family--we all hugged, and cried, as we needed to continue on in our journey. We are so grateful for the loving and aggressive care that Gene received in ICU.

They loaded Gene up in the critical care ambulance and I went ahead in my car--I cried all the way there. The first day at Continental was a little disconcerting and left me feeling that I had made the wrong choice. It was kind of a fiasco getting Gene settled; he was extremely uncomfortable and a little anxious with all that was going on. Things did not get any better right away, in fact went from chaotic to just down right frustrating. The first bed they had him in was too uncomfortable for someone that is unable to turn themselves, so they were kind enough to bring in a special air mattress bed--the only problem was that the controls did not work and in fact when we were all adjusting him, collapsed and fell to the floor with Gene in it! Everyone in the room about jumped out of their skin, including Gene. After we finally got that straightened out his new doctor walked in. I am embarrassed to tell you my first impression of her! She looks like a woman wrestler, or a rough and tumble soccer mom! I could not believe she would be Gene's doctor--she has actually turned out to be wonderful!

The funniest thing happened in the middle of the first night. Gene woke up to find 4 large women surrounding his bed--he was so disoriented from the sleeping medication he had taken that he thought it was a gang of thugs coming to get him. What they really wanted was to reposition him in bed. I am still laughing as I am writing this! I don't think Gene will ever forget it--I slept through it. Our son brought a nice twin bed from home and set it up for me in Gene's room so that I could sleep close by, but I slept through the gang encounter--what a great caregiver I am!

Wednesday was spent trying to get Gene settled and our trying to let the staff know how motivated we are to get Gene home. When we met with the doctor she began a fast paced process of making everything happen. Thursday was a literal whirlwind of activity. One of the things they did was to put a tube that had a camera on it down Gene's nose so that they could actually see how well he swallows. Being able to eat with a trache in place is a little different than normal eating. Gene did well and he was cleared to start on regular food after not having solid food for over a week! He had his first lunch and then dinner; he had all 3 meals today!

Our doctor is working with us to try to get Gene released on Tuesday--much faster than we first expected, but very welcome so that we could spend Christmas at home instead of a rehab hospital! However, there is so much to do in order to make that happen.

Gene is on the hospital's ventilator, but our new home ventilator was delivered yesterday and Gene was able to try it out with it on the back of his wheelchair and got to travel around the hospital for a short time; it isn't much bigger than a laptop computer--and weighs only 13.5 pounds! They supply a backup ventilator and all the other equipment that you need when you are on a vent.

We need to have home health and tube feedings set up, so we met with the home health agency that will be providing our home nurses. We also met with a company called Dynovox, which makes special computer communicative devices. Gene is not able to talk all of the time--I can explain that a different time, but the communicative device is an amazing computer. Gene can speak by either looking with his eye or a special sensing device that is on his forehead. All he has to do is point his head or look with his eye at the letters, words or phrases that he wants to say and the computer will be able to speak for him.

When we go home on Tuesday, we need to have all of these things in place. Going with us will be the home health agency and the ventilator company. I am a little nervous about how this will all work. It will be a little scary to care for him, but we want to go home. I will not miss the drama, the lights, and all the alarms going off in every direction.

I keep telling Gene how proud I am of him--he is working so hard to get better; he is amazing. He is fast asleep right now and that is where I hope to be in a few minutes. I just wanted to let all of you know that we appreciate your kindnesses, your prayers, and the fact that you care about what is happening to us; thank you.

I thought we would be able to entertain visitors here, but the activity is just too crazy. This weekend will be spent learning all the details of trache care and the care of Gene on the vent and visiting our kids.

Good night,

Michele writing for Gene