Robin's Finally Home Again---7/13/08

For the first time since May 28th, Robin stepped in our house on Thursday!!!

I think my last message was June 21st, and it has definitely been a difficult few weeks during the interim. Robin was transferred into Clear Lake Rehabilitation Hospital on June 14th, and she received regular therapy every day. Robin knew many of the nurses and therapists because she had worked with them in her job at TLC in Galveston. In fact the director of Rehabilitation Services was a former coworker of Robin's. Robin worked with the doctors, nurses, and therapists to keep a balance between the therapy and the pain medications. I do not believe that they were used to a patient taking such an active role, or asking such pointed questions about medications and therapy plans. Apparently it paid off because she not only got stronger during her stay, but she made many friends.

From my point of view, this last month was exceptionally painful, difficult, and frustrating. I worked every day that I could, and then spent the evening at the hospital. It was painful to watch Robin in a state where she was unable to do things for herself. She seemed to do real well one day, and then was unable to do anything the next day. Her eyesight is terrible because she's been spending most of her time on her back, and we think her eyes have bled from the vomiting. The daily routine was exhausting, for her, from the therapy, and for me from the long hours of sitting and stressing-out.

Towards the end of her treatment, I came in to the therapy sessions to learn how to help Robin when she came home. We experimented with getting her in and out of the truck with her turtle shell. The first time, I searched all over town for a short step or platform for her to use to get high enough, but I couldn't find anything short enough that she could step up on it. Eventually, I saw a guy at Home Depot that was helping me, and he was carrying a short (20''X20") pallet used for displays. I told him that it looked about the right height, so he told me to take it. I laid a piece of plywood on top, and we used that for the first try. It was almost perfect. I asked my friend, Jerry, at church to build a platform just a little higher, and he did an exceptional job. It should survive a nuclear bomb. He painted it black, with a big yellow square so she could see the place to stand even with her limited eyesight. He also put sand on the top for traction. This is the Rolls-Royce of steps! Anyway, the next couple of times I went for therapy, we used the Jerry-Step, and it was the perfect height.

Somewhere during Robin's last week, I started having transmission problems with the truck. I took it to my usual mechanic, and he said that, under the circumstances, with Robin's illness and the age of the truck, it would be better to get another vehicle rather than fix the truck. So now, added to the rest of our issues, I am looking for a vehicle.

On Thursday, John and I were told to be at the hospital at 8:30 am for training, but the therapist was unable to meet with us, so we sat around until 10:30. John couldn't stay for the training because the medical equipment was arriving at the house and he went home to receive it. I received training and we went through the discharge process, and by 3:30 or 4:00 we were on our way home. After depositing Robin into her house, I left to get her prescriptions filled. We always have problems getting the pain medicines filled, and I ended up going to several drugstores to get all the prescriptions filled. I stayed home with Robin on Friday. We were told that a home health care therapist would arrive on Friday, or Saturday at the latest, but no one showed up. Maybe they will come on Monday. The weekend demonstrated that taking care of Robin is no simple task. I won't go into the details, but I've had to do things that definitely were not mentioned in the marriage vows! Anyway, we seem to have survived. Robin's mother was supposed to return on Sunday to stay with Robin during the week, but her flight from Atlanta to Houston was cancelled, so she's spending the night in an Atlanta hotel. John volunteered to stay home with Robin on Monday, and I'll take off work to pick her Mother up at the airport.

I'll close for now. Once again, I need to thank everyone for the prayers and support for Robin and for John and me. I have not been able to reply to most emails, but I am reading them and telling Robin about them. Cards and letters are always welcomed and very much appreciated. Robin cannot always read them, but John and I read them to her, and they really seem to pick up her spirits.

Please continue to pray for a continued recovery for Robin. She really wants to get back to work so she can help other people.

Thanks again to everyone,

Love to all of you,


                  Robin, Larry, and John