PACE-L Archives

From:
Subject: [PACE-L] Roy Johnson is back
Date: Wed, 29 Aug 2001 12:09:43 EDT

Whew! What a summer. I have been away from my computer since May. In
addition, my DSL Internet connection was shut down because I changed credit
cards and my old credit care number bounced. It won't be active again until
Sept. 5, so I have set up a free AOL 700 hours account to tide me over. It's
possible all my summer e-mail has been lost, in which case any postings to
Pace Network will be lost also. Please let me know if you sent anything over
the summer.

Many of you know that my wife and I are caregivers for her 89 year old
parents, who live 270 miles from us in rural Missouri. They are farm folks
and have lived in their community all their lives. Farm folks in the city
are like fish out of water, and they would be devastated to leave their
lifelong friends, church, etc., so we are trying to keep them in their home
there and out of a nursing home. For the past 3 years, my wife has spent
most of her time there, and more and more, I have been joining her when my
part time University job allows.

In early August, my wife's brother was going to relieve her for a week so she
and I could return to St. Louis and take care of some personal business. Our
car was packed and ready to leave early in the morning. When we got up, her
father was having trouble breathing (he has emphysema, is on oxygen, and
nearly bline). We called 911 and he was taken to the hospitel. Doris's
brother arrived soon and found that instead of us being on the way home, we
were all at the hospital.

Her father had pneumonia. Every medication seemed to have a bad
reaction--steriods stopped the pneumonia but he gained 30 pounds of fluid; it
took forever to get that down. Four weeks later and he is still in the
hospital. I am a talented sleeper, so I stayed in his room at the hospital
every night. These days, nurses are overworked, and it is important to have
family around. I saw to it that several important things were done that
might have been otherwise undone. For over three weeks, I slept in that
hospital chair.

Just as I was ready to return to St. Louis for my teaching, her mother had a
heart attach while visiting her husband at the hospital, and now they are
both there, in adjoining rooms. I missed the first week of teaching my
classes, but can't afford to miss more, so I am back now, but my wife and her
brother are still there. We are working on getting some home care to help
out once they are released.

Sorry to burden you with my sad stories, which may not be of interest to
those who do not know me, but this is why you haven't heard from me, and why
any Pace Network submissions have gone undone. It might be best for you tr
re-submit if you sent anything.

Regards,
Roy Johnson
Pace Network webmaster (when I can find time)

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