Packing and Preparing

Tina’s schedule was pretty busy today.  Janelle, her home are worker, came from 8-9:30.  Mom and Carol were up there before 10:00 to be there for the instructions on how to use the breathing aid for when she is sleeping.  The Respiratory Therapist came and first went over the cough assist tool.  I got there for lots of the information and to take a couple of pictures.

Carol and I were paying close attention and Tina realized that it had been done not quite right before.  The Therapist then went on to explain how to use the breathing assist equipment for when she is sleeping.  There was a lot more to take in.  Distill water, mask, turn on, sleep….clean and do it all again the next night.  I think we should have hired a nurse for this cottage trip.

After they left, we got into packing and worked on the grocery list.  Mom got some lunch for Tina and then the nurse came to check things out.  Mom, Carol and I went and grabbed some warm ups at Mom and Dad’s and then headed back up to Tina’s to take her grocery shopping.  First, we had to get instructions on where the wheelchair was, how to get her up out of the chair and out the door.  We needed to be told to lock the wheels before Tina sat down in the wheelchair.  We unlocked the wheels and then had to slowly go down the ramp backwards with both Carol and I keeping her from rolling out of control onto the road.  We got to the perfectly placed car and locked the wheels, moved the foot rests, did the 1-2-3 to get her out of the chair and help her turn to flop into the front seat of the car.  Her legs need to be lifted into the car and then she shuffles her body into place.  We put the seatbelt on her and then she gave instructions on how to take the wheelchair apart. It took me back to when I would try and fold up a stroller.  We finally did it and got it into the trunk.  We did this all in 30 degree heat.

We drove in nice air conditioned Charger to the grocery store.  Carol and I hopped out and worked at getting the wheel chair back together with Tina giving us direction.  We figured out how to get her out of the car and into the chair and off we were to get the groceries.  Carol pushed Tina and I pushed the grocery cart.  Success!  We then walked out of the store and it started to pour.  We got Tina and the groceries in the car and ended up quite soaked.

Ron and I ran away for the night.  We can smell a campfire out our window and we have gone for a swim. The windows are open and we are hoping to hear a loon sometime in the night.

We will be back in the morning to finish packing for the cottage.  We are STEELE excited for our Sister Three Cottage time and we only have one more sleep.  We STEELE need your prayers.