My physical therapist has me getting in and out of the car and buckling and unbuckling my seatbelt with no trouble. I’m to have X-rays today and should get results today or tomorrow. Results will hopefully be 100% weight bearing, cast off next week.

Goldman and Groves came to visit Sunday. Rose was already here. Ding came over on Saturday but hasn’t been here much because he’s been on call. Ding is going to bring ribs Tuesday evening for me and him and the Bad Boys. We’ve reserved the library for our dinner party. Ding has met them all. Bingo night is Tuesday evenings, and he may play Bingo with us. I hope Shelly comes too.

Sue

Groves

Mark Goldman

Shirley and Rose with new necklaces, a gift from Sue, made by a friend at BJEC

Hi, It's Rose here, weighing in on Sue's blogger account. Sue broke her foot on December 17, and it has been a very trying ten-plus weeks, especially for her. She has truly made the best of a very difficult situation. She has made friends at the extended care facility, greets everyone with a smile, calls the staff to account when needed, and has worked diligently at her own healing. She reminds me a whole lot of Mother who never lost heart even in the darkest hours--quite a statement about the human spirit. Or at least some human spirit!

I've been astonished at the outpouring of friendship and caring heaped upon Sue. She has a generosity of heart (another gift from our mother), and is reaping the hundred-fold return on everything she has given away. A warm thank you to all who have been so caring and present during this most difficult period.

I’m counting the days until I leave this place. Today is the 26th and I’ll go home on the 2rd. That’s 4 more days. I’m so tired of these same four walls in my room, same clothes, and some of the same dishes on the menu.

Scott is coming over and going to the lake next weekend, and I hope I feel like going down with him. Brayden can read at fourth/fifth grade level so I can’t finish the itinerary right now. He reads the blog. It’s the annual subdivision meeting and there’s some controversy about the damage and repair to the community dock after the snowstorm. I want to attend the home-owners’ meeting.

Pete called with his usual Saturday morning call. Kelly and his boys had a really great time in Colorado. Ding losing his phone overnight on the Continental Divide was a big topic of conversation with both the Felins and the Spreitlers. They all stopped to pee on the Continental Divide (a geology lesson for the boys I am sure), and Ding dropped his phone. It was in the middle of a snowstorm. He didn’t realize it until he got back to Mark’s house. They stopped by the next morning, and after ten minutes John found it. They charged it up and it has been fine since.

Ding just stopped here. We walked, and he talked some about Colorado. He said he would stop again tomorrow though he’s on call and could possibly get summoned to go somewhere. He had a couple calls last night and didn’t get home until 12:30 a.

My friend Liz has finished her kidney stone procedure and will be allowed to go back to work on Feb. 28. Liz will come back on the 16th to see the kidney doctor and hopefully have the stent removed. Next day she and Dave will leave for their 30th Anniversary trip.

[Written on Thursday; posted on Friday]

I’m here with one of my dinner companions who wanted to see my computer. He had used a computer some time ago and wanted to see one again. [Kelly, he thinks all football fields are green.] I’ll finish later.

He looked over my computer and I’m not sure I was any help in modernizing his knowledge of computers. I certainly couldn’t show him the ‘ropes’ about computers. He just left and, he and I will go to a musical presentation shortly. We played Bingo again last night. I chose a deck of cards for my win. I figured that was something we could use, especially if Loretta comes up and spends some time with us.

Chris came by on his way home from work yesterday. He had his cataract surgery done on one eye today. Shelly took him, and she called Rose on their way home after the surgery. He can go back to work tomorrow. I want one of the skiers to update about the Colorado trip. From all reports, it was a fantastic trip.

I’m exercising vigorously and walking every chance I get. I do several stairs and when I don’t walk with the therapist, I walk with Rose. I do the most walking with her. I still use the walker and the therapist has recommended I have one when I go home.

This may be a longer than usual update. I’ve been doing lots of therapy since I can put the 50% weight on my bad foot. This morning Rose came over so she could learn more about assisting me in the few stairs I’ll have to manage when I get home. This was while working with the physical therapist. I had told him about the family ski trip to Colorado. He then mentioned the blue football field in Boise. I told him I knew about it and birds fly into it thinking it’s water and die. He said someone was telling me a story.

I eat lunch and dinner in the dining room with three guys one who graduated from Notre Dame and after that was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys. He’s the same age as me. After he was drafted, he didn’t make the team. He said he was so tough no one would come within 10 feet of him. One of the other guys said perhaps he should have used deodorant. I wanted to ask him about the Boise football field, but he didn’t show up for dinner. Scott says it’s true and you can look it up on the computer. Kelly and boys, can you verify this story and send pictures?

Chris and Shelly got home around midnight last night. (I started this update Tuesday and it’s now Wednesday that I’m working on finishing this entry. ) He called me on the way to work today and was in a big traffic jam. Shelly was going to clean the Lexus and return it to Rose today. Chris is going to stop on his way home from work.

Scott called Sunday. He and Brayden were watching the Daytona 500. He called again yesterday because he thought they were going to release me or know when I would be released. I finally learned yesterday that I will probably go home on the 2nd or 3rd of March. It depends on X-rays and the surgeon

I walk and do steps every day. Rose walks with me and I do as much walking as I am able to do. The steps are a new accomplishment in the last week. I play Bingo twice a week and have only won one time and that was the first evening I played.

Brayden and Granny

John. Ryan. Kelly

Mountain Man Mark

Shelly and Karen in ski country

Movie Watching

Brayden with his iPod

Brayden and Granny

Want to update about the report from this facility and the surgeon. I believe I will get to go home one day next week. Meanwhile I’m going to keep having therapy which will help me to walk some stairs again, stabilize my balance and increase my independence in general. I don’t know the exact date I will leave here but, as I’ve said, it will be soon.

Chris and Shelly left for Colorado early this morning. They were meeting up with Kelly and the boys in Denver this evening and they were all going on to Mark and Karen’s place there in Colorado. Chris came by here on his way home from work yesterday and was eager to be skiing.

Rose comes to see me every day. She walks with me, and we use the walking belt that the therapist who helped Mother accidentally left with us a lot of years ago. Besides walking as therapy, I am also doing exercises and cycyling.

The weather has finally warmed up somewhat, but there’s still snow on the ground from the dreadful cold. Of course, it hasn’t affected me much since I’ve only been out about three times and that was to see doctors. I am awaiting results of reports from the surgeon now from X-rays on my ankle that were taken last night.

I may not get this finished before I have to go to lunch but will try. Saturday was Brayden’s 8th birthday, and he and Jalen and Scott came over here for his birthday party. Beth came from Kansas City. Groves and Goldman attended. Uncle Ding, Aunt Shelly, Aunt Shirley. Aunt Rose, the Hollensbes, and Granny were in attendance. This facility has a room that can be reserved for such occasions, and it was perfect for this party. We had cake after having pizza. After opening gifts and eating, Scott and Beth took Brayden, Lukas, Jalen and Josie to Skyzone.

After the party, I had laid down (still dressed this time) when Liz and Dave came to see me. What a pleasant surprise! Liz will have her kidney stones dissolved the 17th. I’m not sure that’s the right word is dissolved, but hopefully the pain will decease. Margaret is having cataract surgery today, but I haven’s heard since the surgery.

Chris and Shelly are heading for Colorado on Thursday morning and will meet Kelly and the boys in Denver Thursday evening. All four will then go to Mark and Karen’s place in ski territory. Mark and Karen will be there.

Late News: I had X-rays yesterday and got the results today. I’m now on 50% weight bearing status for my broken foot rather than the 25%. I will have to wear the cast at least three more weeks regardless. We will learn more maybe as early as tomorrow. The physical therapist in charge and my social worker will assess what more I can gain from being here for more intensive therapy. That assessment will determine whether I go home right away or stay a while longer.

Jalen and Scott

Multitasking

New Computer

Brayden on his Birthday

Jalen and Josie

We have had a lot of cold weather since the last update and more now. It may warm up this weekend.

I have more X-rays on Monday and surely hope they show lots of healing. There’s Bingo at this place tonight and I just may go. Rose and I were remembering that was one of a few place we got to go as kids—Bingo at the church—and also to the Carnegie library, and the Ritz theatre – but only if the movies were not R rated.

Last night I even had a good time here. I was sitting by myself. My usual dinner companion was having dinner with her family. The table next to me had two of the usual three fellows. One of them got up and carried my food over to their table so that I would join them. They didn’t know Ding and Drew were joining me. Drew and Ding arrived and held their own with the older ones! And we had just two of the resident fellows. The third one went out with his daughter.

Saturday is Brayden’s 8th birthday. Someone who works here has a little boy named Brayden. This facility has what they call a Living Room, which we have reserved for a birthday party. Scott and the boys will get here late Friday evening. I’m not sure exactly when Beth will get here.

Rose just called and told me she’s on her way. She helps me walk after the therapist walks with me. Don’t mean ‘helps me,’ I mean instead assures I am getting along as the therapist instructed.

Walking

It’s dreary looking outside today and the forecast is for more snow in the next few days. It’s not as cold but forecast is for really cold again this coming week. Rose has been here already once today and plans to come back so we can walk. Ding came by, too, and brought me some delicious goodies. I had a wonderful visit from John and Jana yesterday. They were here in St. Louis for her company party on Friday night. They called on their way here and went to the party Friday evening. They came by here Saturday and left about 5. They were having a Super Bowl party today and needed to go home to prepare for it.

Margaret and Norman visited today. They are both doing well as are their offspring and their families.

Next Saturday is Brayden’s birthday. Since I cannot get a pass to leave here, we have reserved the library for his party. He will be eight years old.

It’s been bitter cold here all week and Goldman said it’s the first time he’s had school called off three days in one week since he’s been teaching. I talked to Scott one evening this week and the snow and cold hasn’t been that bad in his direction. I think more snow is forecast for the weekend. Some of the nurses and aides spent the night one night when the blizzard was called. It’s the only day that Rose has missed since the seven weeks I’ve been in here so you can imagine how bad it was.

My longtime friend, Liz, who recently had heart surgery now has a kidney stone. This is a very painful condition. She has to take a blood thinner because of her heart condition, which complicates the procedure for treating the kidney stone. She was due to go back to work (in Chicago) this week but now thinks she won’t return until the end of February.

Sue, Ely, Shelly

Sue, Ely, Shelly

Garden at BJEC

Garden at BJEC