More Prozac!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good Grief!
Liz and I called 911 this morning and Gordo had to be taken by ambulance to the ER. Very frightening ... as he was passing blood clots through his urine.
Again ... Methodist West Hospital saves the day!
They know him so well (now) that they knew exactly what to do and we were actually able to take him home with antibiotics.
Gordo's doing great and currently watching and singing along with the movie ... South Pacific.
However ... Liz and I may have to double up on PROZAC. lol
Just praying for an uneventful rest of the weekend.

Back on Schedule

I am so happy Gordo is home, but it's sort of like getting your toddler back after two weeks at Grandma's. He is completely off schedule. 2:30 am call that he wants to get up and read then another at 5:30am saying he wants to go back to bed.
No worries ... as ... I AM ... the Head Caregiver ... we'll be back on schedule by Sunday.
Have a super weekend my friends!

Gordo is home!

Gordo's Home! 

"Head Caregiver"

Although Gordo's been away from home for two weeks ... he validated my "Head Caregiver" status yesterday.
A CNA came into the room and cheerfully announced that it was shower time. He promptly turned his head to me and asked ... "Pooker Annie ... is she right?" Yes Dad ... she is. So he turned back to her and said "Ok ... I guess you're right young lady ... let's go".
Gordo is very excited about coming home today.
I promised to make his favorite ... spaghetti and meatballs (from Kroger). 
Thanks to all of you for the well wishes!

Stocking up on Haagen-Daz

After some resistance from the nursing home folks ... Let's just say that ... my selling skills came in handy.
They will be delivering a hospital bed to my home today ... along with medical supplies, etc. So Gordo will come home tomorrow to the caregiver who loves him dearly ... "Pooker Annie".
As long as I can safely take care of dad ... I (by damn) will!
Oh my gosh ... I'd better stock up on the Häagen-Dazs®

Goldilocks

Yesterday ... I was a bit like "Goldilocks". 
NO ... not my hair!
In the morning ... time with Gordo at the nursing home
TOO OLD
In the afternoon ... Owen's birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese
TOO YOUNG
In the evening ... Van Halen concert with Mikey
JUST RIGHT!

No Place Like Home

Didn't get to do my nail painting today at the nursing home. Gordo was slightly depressed. He's ready to come home. Broke my heart. So I stayed in his room all day.
The good news is ... that if he has no set backs ... he will most likely come home next week. Which is exactly what I told him.
However ... he did say that's this afternoon's lunch was "damned good!".
He took a shower with help from his favorite aid ... Elba ... and seemed to be in better spirits when I left.
As ... he put it today " There's no place like home ... especially when you have a nice one to go to". 
I couldn't agree more.

Old Folks Rule!

OMG ... I love old people. They have so much to share.
Today ... while Gordo was napping ... I took a 96 yr. old women outside ... because she was not allowed to do so without an aid. I asked if I could take her and they said sure.
Amazing! Although she could barely speak loud enough for me to hear and was slightly confused ... This fabulous woman has a PHD in education ... has been all over the world and has taught school for 40 plus years.
I validated all of this with her ... 60 ... plus daughter this evening.
I also met a woman who has been in and out of homes for the past 15 years. Still quite sane ... but has many health issues and her kids have ... all but disappeared. All she would like is someone to paint her nails and toes.
Guess what I'll be doing tomorrow?
Please take care of your aging parents.
Old Folks Rule!!!!!!!!!!!
Have a great weekend!

Regular Celebrity

Other than the "Heat" winning the NBA Championship last night ... (although he has decided that at least LaBron isn't a dirty player like "Meta World Peace") ... Gordo had a very good Thursday.
First words out of his mouth yesterday .. Pooker Annie ... this is a first class facilitiy! They've already put my teeth in! Well dad ... I'm am so glad you like it. 
I told the nurses what he had said and suggested that if they need some good PR ... go to room #306. They love him.
Then it was off to physical therapy. They came and took him away in his wheelchair and told me to take a break ... he'd be gone for a while. A break? What's a break? This IS a first class facility ... lol.
Dad does well in his therapy ... so with help of 4 aids ... here comes Gordo with a walker and a wheel chair behind him ... so he can rest as he makes his way down the hallway and back to his room.
There are old folks all over the place in wheel chairs ... when one 98 year old woman (who does not speak) looks up at dad ... as he's almost to his room ... and she starts to applaud. Gordo gets a huge smile on his face and tells her ... Thank you! He's a regular celebrity.
Needless to say ... he really is doing so much better and his amazing attitude plays the biggest role in his recovery.
God love him!
Have a great Friday!

Gettin' Routey

Thought this was funny ... especially having been surrounded by tons of elderly folks in the past couple of days.

Gettin' Routey

Sitting on the side of the road waiting to catch speeding drivers, a state trooper sees a car puttering along at 22 mph. He thinks to himself, "This driver is as dangerous as a speeder!"
So he turns on his lights and pulls the driver over. Approaching he car, he notices that there are five elderly ladies - two in the front seat and three in the back, wide-eyed and white as ghosts.
The driver, obviously confused, says to him, "Officer, I don't understand. I was going the exact speed limit. What seems to be the problem?" the trooper trying to contain a chuckle, explains to her that 22 was the route number, not the speed limit.
A bit embarrassed, the woman grinned and thanked the officer for pointing out her error. "But before you go, Ma'am, I have to ask, is everyone in this car OK? "These women seem awfully shaken."
"Oh, they'll be all right in a minute, officer.
We just got off Route 127."

Amazing!

Good day for Gordo. Even though the "Evil Empire" aka Miami Heat won again last night.
He walked around a bit with a walker ... took a shower ... likes the food & people at Legend Oaks ... and ... a BIG plus ... he got his hair cut ... as they actually have a salon on the premises.
So ... He was looking very handsome ... when I left today. 
He has an amazing spirit!

Blessed

OK ... Gordo made the transfer from Methodist West Hospital to Legend Oaks West.
They are all so wonderful!
Dad loves his bed. Said it's so comfortable that it must be a " Tempura". Think he means Tempur-Pedic. It's just a hospital bed ... but if he likes it ... then ... I do too.
Thanks " Accessible Home Healthcare" for the flowers. So special !!!!!!!!!!!!!! He and I loved them.
Gordo, Liz and I are so blessed!

Old Guy Rules!

Well today they are transporting Gordo to a skilled nursing facility. He will be there for at least 7 days.
He's in great spirits and he seems to understand that he has a blood infection and needs to be there for a while. As ... he said yesterday ... I guess it beats the alternative. (he means dying). I just respond ... sure does dad.
Then he asks ... how much does this fancy facilitiy cost? I told him ... Medicare pays for everything. His face lights up and says ... Well ... hell ... Pooker Annie ... let's go!
I just love this crazy old man. He rules!
Have a super Tuesday!

Don't Worry , Be Happy!

Gordo Update.

Since Gordo has sepsis ... he will be transported to a skilled nursing facility on Tuesday for 10 days ... as he will need 24 hr. nursing care for his IV of antibiotics. Then it's a wait and see kind of thing. 

This is also a place 3 mins. from my home ... so I will be with him everyday.

Today he was in great spirits ... but very confused. Sepsis effects the brain ... especially with the old guys and it's ultimately fatal for someone of his age and health issues.

So as long as he is happy and without pain ... that's all we want for him.

We are going to try ... NOT to worry and be happy ... for him.

Thanks for all the well wishes.

Pooker Annie

Happy Father's Day!

Gordo is still in the hospital. It would appear that the dreaded sepsis has returned. Not good news. However the wonderful folks at Methodist West are doing everthing possible to try and fight this nasty bacteria.
Liz and I just want Gordo happy and pain free. Which so far has been the case.
Our prayers are not for the longevity of Gordo's life ... but for the quality of it. 
So it's one day at a time and today ... we celebrate Father's Day.
Happy Father's Day ... Dad!
We love you!
P.S. Found him a Celtics Baseball Cap as they are still winners to him ;)

Sing A Song

I just left Methodist Hospital ... this time without Gordo. He is going to be OK ... but had to have an ambulance come to the house. Even though he was feeling really sick ... one of the paramedics (in a effort to keep him alert) asked dad if he knew any songs. Evidently he sang songs the entire way to the hospital.
Bet the ambulance folks don't get that too often.
Dad has the beginning signs of pneumonia and is dehydrated ... so hopefully with liquid IVs, antibiotics and lots of breathing treatments he can come home soon.
Just so happy he will be OK.

So when someone you love feels sick ... Sing ... Sing ... Sing ... a Song!

Baby Sister

Gordo had a rough day ... yesterday. Nothing I could do made him happy. So I actually found myself getting frustrated ... almost angry ... so I called my sister Liz ... who came over to see if she could help.
Well ... all I have to say is ... WOW! Within 10 minutes she had him singing and 2 hours later had him watching the NBA playoff ... while the two of them cheered on Oklahoma City.
Maybe dad and I just needed a break from eachother.
Thank God for my baby sister!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Love you Aunt Liz

Trader Joe's

Gordo announces today ... "Pooker Annie" ... I'm so excited! I respond ... Why ... because Oklahoma won? He says ... Hell no! Trader Joe's is finally opening up in Houston!
Well ... there you have it.
Guess I'll be planning a day trip.
Have a great day!

It's Just A Game

I hardly ever watch the NBA games. So this year my sister Liz started watching basketball with Gordo and has become as big of a fan for the Boston Celtic's , as dad is. 
Last night I was tired and went to bed. Liz stayed and cheered on the Celtics with dad.
This morning I found out that their team just couldn't pull it out in the end against Miami. So I walked into dad's room a little apprehensively.
"Dad ... I'm so sorry Boston lost". "Oh Pooker Annie ... it's just a game!" "But you may want to call Elizabeth ... she is devistated". 
So ... Gordo's ok ... but Aunt Liz needs therapy. lol
However he is totally rooting for the Thunder ... so this ain't over yet. 
Liz ... ya better take some meds. Ha Ha.

God Bless All of You

I just wanted to stop a minute and tell all of you how much it has meant to me ... over the past year and a half ... that all of you have been there for me, my family and Gordo ... when I am quite sure you had other things to say and do.
You really do get to know who your "real" friends are ... during times like these.
I am so lucky to have ALL of you in my life.
God bless each of you ... really.
Love, Cora

Basketball Gods

Dear Basketball Gods,
If I could put in a special request ... please help the Celtics win tonight's game.
It would make Gordo so happy to watch them play in the finals. But after that ... Boston is on their own.
Thanks,
Pooker Annie

The Simple Things

I was looking back at what Gordo and I were doing a year ago.
Dad had just dodged the possibly fatal "sepsis" bullet and was still in the hospital.
Today he is doing great ... overall ... his favorite team is doing amazingly well in the playoffs and I just gave him an ice cream cone after breakfast ... per his request.
Sometimes it's just the simple things in life that make us the happiest.
Have a fabulous day my friends.

Who Loves Ya?

Paul Pierce. Who loves ya baby?
Gordo does !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If you can't stand the "Heat" ... get out of Boston's Kitchen!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GO CELTICS!

HOLY SHIITAKE!

Oh how I wish I spoke Japenese ... so I could hear what the staff at Benihana's was saying as our clan showed up yesterday for Amber's 30th birthday lunch.
A one year old running ahead of everyone ... followed by a 2 year old running behind him and three squealing little girls ... while the parents are running behind them ... Mikey, Sarah, Stephanie and I are lugging a plethora of gifts ... and pulling up in the rear ... Liz ... and Gordo (with his HUGO walker) moving at a snail's pace.
All I could think of was ... HOLY SHIITAKE!
Photo to follow later. :)