March 4, 2015

The last few weeks of February were busy; Kathie had a respiratory cold that caused a cough. For you and I, this would have been a minor cold with a cough, for Kathie it was an elevated scary time. Much like watching an infant with a cold, the cough scares them, Kathie was scarred and so was I. Additionally, she would suddenly have difficulty catching her breath and this would lead to further anxious moments. She can’t sit up to cough so we positioned her bed at a 45 degree angle and turned her on her left or right side. This is the first cough she has had in two years and I checked with the Staff 2-3 times a day. The struggle she had also led her to being more vocal with sounds that call attention to her distress, I am actually pleased when she loudly lets us know of her frustration, it builds good breathing and get the Staff attention.

I recently worked with a small internet company and purchased a pair of pants with side zippers, next I enlisted a nursing assistant who sews to adapt Kathie’s current shirts and pants using a similar idea only we used “snaps” instead of zippers with great success. Kathie’s pants now have two sets of snaps on the right and left side which allow easier dressing and cleaning. Also, Kathie’s right arm is contracted and it is sometimes painful (by her facial expressions) to put her arm into a small opening of a shirt, the snaps allow the right side of her shirts to open (like a baby’s shirt) without stretching out her right arm.

My attention to detail has not waned as the years go by, the goal of Kathie’s care is to “make her comfortable as possible,” the Staff and I work very hard to achieve this goal.  I enjoyed sitting at her bedside on Monday, she was relaxed, watching my every movement and communicating her comfort as I let her know how pretty she looked in the new gown she was wearing. When you pray for Kathie’s comfort or my peace, you assist me as I design shirts or encourage her to cough or spent just a few more minutes washing her hair, we appreciate you support. 

This Saturday, Kathie will be home for a haircut and short visit. In a few weeks, we are heading to the Mall for a shopping trip and window shopping.

In my daily devotional reading, I marked March 5^th as “Six Months” in the first year of our accident, tomorrow will mark 9 years and six months, your years of prayers are a blessing to us,

Dave & Kathie