Ike's Havoc

Hurricane Ike is moving through East Texas and causing havoc everywhere. I've been up since 6:00 a.m. I don't know why I woke up so early but I couldn't go back to sleep. I wanted to call my family at that time but didn't know if it would be too early or if they might be up yet because of Ike. My sister texted me when their power went out about 8:25 a.m. We texted for a short bit then talked by cell phone before they lost their cell towers and then talked by land line until they lost that. I have not talked to my parents yet. I can't get a hold of them by cell phone or land line. My sister talked to my mom earlier but I haven't been able to get a hold of them yet. I do know my parents are getting hit with a lot of rain and wind right now. They are right next to the eye of the hurricane right now (9:15 a.m.) and a thick band is going over them. When I talked to my sister earlier they were in between bands so they weren't getting hit hard at that moment. But they already had their generator up and running. Their back yard is full of limbs and their shop has been hit by limbs but so far their home is okay. Their neighbors house behind them had a tree fall on it this morning around 5:00 a.m. They are not home so she called 9-1-1 and the sheriff came out. I was just able to talk to my sister again by cell phone and a tree in a neighbor's yard fell on the power lines and that caused them to lose land lines. She said everyone was outside right now getting generators running and dealing with debris and everything else. Roger found a website where you can watch the four major Houston and Galveston television channels at the same time and listen to one or all of them. And all the areas they cover are getting hit hard by Ike and I'm amazed at the really not smart things people are doing right now during this storm. They knew it was going to be bad and they were forced to evacuate but they didn't and now they are begging for help but help can't get to them. It's crazy over there. All we are getting right now is some wind maybe 30 miles an hour but no rain yet. My mom just called me on her cell phone (9:40 a.m.). Their power has only gone out off and on but so far they have all power and phones. My dad might have been on the internet this morning when I was trying to call earlier. They are getting a lot of rain and wind but not much damage. Her uncle's funeral was scheduled for today but she's not driving in this weather so I'm sure not many other people are either. I'm sure they rescheduled it. My sister's about to get it hard. The eye wall is about to pass them by about 30 miles. So they are in for a doozy. Speaking of doozy, I looked up online how to spell doozy to make sure I spelled it correctly and the first result in my Google search was hilarious.

Swim Meets, Finally A Teenager & Other Recent Happenings

So Thursday I went to swim and the pool was set up in 50 meter laps instead of the usual set up. Since the A&M swim team is in Austin this week at the UT Swim Center for the Big 12 Championships, the A&M Swim Center is hosting a high school swim meet. I was a little nervous at first, more like excited fear than scared fear. I wasn't sure if I could make it down and back. But once I started I realized not only was I able to, but I liked it a lot. I think I will need 50 meter laps if I want to increase my endurance and the benefits from the sport. This means I'll have to find a 50 meter pool in Austin once I graduate. I wonder how much that's going to cost. Well, it's all for a good cause, my health!

At a stroke clinic I went to a few weeks ago I found out the usual set up in the pool is actually 25 yards not 25 meters, so now I have to refigure what I've been swimming. 25 yards equals 22.86 meters. I thought the usual set up was 25 meters which is 27.35 yards. It would be so much easier if they left the pool at 50 meters. Yesterday I swam 1200 meters which is 0.75 of a mile. I can't wait to get to one mile exactly. That would be 1610 meters. I was hoping to add an additional day a week of swimming, but I don't know if I can get to Big Stacy Pool at 6:00 a.m. I've heard it's packed for lap swimming. And I'm sure the lap swimmers there are in way better shape than I am. I really don't like circling with 4 other fast swimmers. This may push me to a gym membership. Like I said, got to find a 50 meter indoor pool.

Roger did a really cool photo shoot Thursday also. I am hoping he'll blog about it. You think this will make him feel pressured to do it? :) He got to photograph a surgery, in the operating room. He had to scrub in and everything. I'll let him give you the details, but I think it's way cool! How often do you get to do that. He's really had some great opportunities there despite all the pains.

Roger pointed out to me that my new vehicle has made it on Consumer Reports' best models for 2008. I watched the video for my car, Hyundai Santa Fe, and I agree with everything said. I love my car! And I've almost put 5000 miles on it. And you know what's the greatest part about that? I still don't have to have the oil changed for 2000 more miles. Isn't that awesome?! It only needs an oil change every 7000 miles. Unbelievable. Today is my mom's birthday. Yes, February 29th is her birthday which means she is actually 14. She's finally a teenager! I hope she has a great birthday today. I'm flying to Denver this morning to spend time with my friend Janine. I can't wait! One last cold weather trip for my sweaters, wool jacket and winter boots.

Weekend Update

I intended to post earlier this weekend, but I had such a productive weekend I got distracted. I ended up getting sick and didn't bake those red velvet cupcakes nor help out at the benefit event Thursday night. The volunteer coordinator told me to stay home and get rest since they had plenty of help coming. Did I do that? Well, I stayed home, but I didn't rest. I started working on my to do list but I didn't work super hard so it's okay.

My parents were in Taylor, northeast of Austin, for another funeral Thursday for a farmer and blacksmith friend of theirs, Charlie Stolte. He and my father were a lot alike and related very well to each other although Mr. Stolte was a couple decades older than my dad. They had similar backgrounds and appreciated each other well. My mom and I always said Mr. Stolte was what my dad was going to look like when he gets old. After the funeral and lunch with friends, my parents drove to my house in South Austin and helped me with a bunch of stuff. I bought an air compressor a week or so ago. We will be able to use it to make putting flooring in the attic an easier task by borrowing my dad's pneumatic nail gun. And we'll be able to air up balls, bicycle and automobile tires and blow leaves from under my front door on the front porch. And if you've ever driven to convenience store after convenience store trying to find air for your low tires to have them not work and lose more air, you know how much we will love having this air compressor. I've been wanting one for about five years now. You know I am going to find any excuse to use it.

So my dad helped me set it up, make sure it was ready to go and showed me how to use it and maintain it. I cleaned out a section of the attic which we will tackle first. The previous owners of our house left us lots of great stuff when we bought the house and I didn't realize how much they left in the attic. Of course everything they left was pretty much trash that we have had to dispose of ourselves. Thanks Stewart family! Anyway, my mom consolidated leftover garage sale stuff into fewer boxes while my dad and I messed with the compressor. She helped me load the boxes into my truck to which I took to Goodwill and helped me clean the garage from the trash I threw out of the attic. They also took a bunch of spare wood we had which helped to empty the garage out more. We're not only trying to organize the garage better but make room for another vehicle. We got two in there before I totaled my car in 2003 so I know we can get two in there again. Friday and Saturday were more projects I've been trying to get done for a while and I got almost all of my list completed. All I have left to do is clean the house tomorrow after I work in the morning and complete a personal Christmas gift for Roger which I'm working on now. I'd tell you what it is, but then Roger would find out. He's already been bugging me about his "real" Christmas present. Once Roger gets home, we will start on a new list. I'm sure he's looking forward to it. You never know, he might be happy and feel more normal to be doing things around the house.

Oh, I almost forgot. I got my anthropology final exam grade Thursday afternoon. I made a 91, A! So according to the professor's grading policy that means I made an 88.75 in the class BUT I went to a museum for two extra credit points. Which means I made a 90.75 in the class. That's a A! I'm so happy about that. Now I have to wait until Tuesday after 8:00 p.m. to find out what I made in my history class. When I think about it, I get nervous. So I try not to think about it. But I have to make a C or better in that class. I really don't want to have to take it again. I've had enough of research papers for a while. I don't want to have to do that again until I go to grad school. So I'm begging, please pray for me to make a C or better in that class.

So the museum I went to with my dad was the Brazos Valley Museum of Natural History. I was really impressed. I was quite surprised with the collections they had and he and I really enjoyed it. Our other choice was the Houston Museum of Natural Science, but I couldn't afford to lose a whole day, three hour drive there and three hour drive back, at the time. I'd love to have gone there, but I needed the time to work on my paper. I can still go but I'd like to go soon since they have Lucy, the "missing link" according to evolutionists. I don't really care too much about seeing Lucy, but I've learned from past experience not to miss out on any opportunity that comes across my lap. I wish I wouldn't have listened to everyone else when they said, "Don't waste your money going into the Great Pyramid. It's not worth it." when we were in Egypt with the Army. I could seriously kick myself for not going into the pyramid. Even if there wasn't anything in there, I could still say I've been in it instead of just saying I've been there. Lucy's only going to be in Houston for a short while and only in a few museums in America so I'd like to see her if I can help it.

As you read in Roger's post from Friday, he got his PEB that morning but was unable to get any questions asked and therefore no answers. I still can't believe two offices whose sole jobs are to be there for the soldiers in these moments were completely out of the office on Friday. I worked for state government for six years before I moved to DC and we were never allowed to all go out at the same time. There always had to be a "skeleton crew" as they call it. I guess federal government is a little different. I mean, I basically knew that from my prior Army experience and with the history of what Roger's experienced so far at WRAMC, I'm not really surprised. Disappointed, but not surprised. Roger will probably have a very hectic day tomorrow trying to get answers in order to make the best decision. He's planning to bypass formation at 0730 and go straight to getting those answers before he starts packing to fly home on Tuesday. Please pray for him. I can imagine it becoming frustrating with the Army and WRAMC's history. So please pray for the Lord to be with Roger tomorrow and help him deal with the answers he receives and for him to get great advice.

Thanks all. Sorry this is so long. That's what happens when I wait to post. I'd say I'll try to be better, but you know as well as I this isn't the first time and it surely won't be the last. One more day and a wake up and Roger will be home. I can't wait. I'm very excited. I know he is too.

Turned In Research Paper & Last Day of Class

Well, I just turned in my research paper, again. It's kind of funny now, but of course I was freaking out inside at the time. I submitted my research paper this morning at home. I had gone over it several times to check for, well, everything! I uploaded it to turnitin.com and as I was about to hit the submit button I prayed a little prayer. Actually I prayed a big prayer. I was so nervous about hitting the submit button, but I did anyway. I finished getting ready to leave for campus and thought about something. I ran to the office and grabbed one of the library books I used for a secondary source. I opened my final paper on the computer and found one of the references I used from that book then I checked the end note. My hunch was right. I put the wrong book title and author for it. Yes, my first thought was, "Crap!" I went straight to turnitin.com to see if I could resubmit my paper, but of course, I couldn't. I got the pop-up error stating until the earlier submission is deleted by your instructor resubmission is impossible! So I emailed my professor explaining what I wanted to do and what I needed her to do. I finished eating breakfast and checked my email again before I left. Nothing. I knew she would be in the office today but wasn't sure what time. She has a young child and sometimes gets in later than planned. I had already saved the document to my thumb drive so I would have it with me where ever I happened to be when I was able to upload it. I also emailed it to myself at my school email and my personal email, just in case. So I drove to B-CS and went straight to the library to check my email. The first email listed was from her stating she deleted my first submission. Thank the Lord! I checked it one more time and submitted it. Yes, I said another prayer. Talk about relief. I'm still a little gitty inside but I know this will go away soon enough.

Today is my last day of class. I am really happy about that. I actually only have one class today, anthropology. My history professor gave us the day off to work on our papers. She's wonderful like that. Obviously I needed it. Sometimes I just put my head in my hands and shake it at myself. The rest of this week is work, catching up on reading for anthropology and outlining all the reading for the final next Wednesday. Then Friday I'm picking up my mom on the way to my sister's in Huntington for my niece's 5th birthday party this weekend. My dad will drive up Saturday for the party and my mom will ride back with him. I'm also going to try to test drive a vehicle or two this weekend with my sister and probably some of her kids in tow. Roger & I are trying to figure out what vehicle to buy when he gets home for good, hopefully in January or February. We'll need two vehicles when he returns since I'll have one semester of school left. I'm thinking a compact SUV and Roger wants us to also check out cross-overs. I figured out I don't want a car as I thought I did before. I've been driving our truck for the past four and a half years and have gotten used to the power and being higher off the ground. I've driven a couple of friends' cars in DC the last few times I was there and it drove me crazy. I do not like being that low. I also like the power in our truck but prefer fuel economy. So we've been reading Consumer Reports for recommendations and checking the government crash test ratings. It can be overwhelming. But I've been praying for the Lord to help us make the best decision and I have complete faith He will. If you know anything about Roger's purchasing habits and my research habits, I'm pretty sure the Lord has equipped us with the ability to make a good decision.

It's weird. I've been looking forward to this day the whole semester. But so far it's not the fireworks and champagne popping kind of day I thought it would be. Maybe after this class is over or next week after the final. I kept thinking I should do something to celebrate like indulge in a kolache for breakfast. I know, pretty lame. But I'll control myself and celebrate with birthday cake this weekend. Off to read...

My Dad Update: Friday, February 23, 2007

Friday report from my mom:

BP 116/80 HR 89...Well dad had a BM yesterday about 5:50 p.m. or so. (To which I asked if it was healthy.) Well yes, the nurses have been wanting him to have one but with nothing in him until yesterday (Jell-O and a few carrots), there won't be anything.
Dad said he could not get any sleep because they are always doing something to him. So I talked to the nurse about this and she said she would do all meds and other things early , but they have to draw blood at 5 a.m. because it gets sent to the lab ASAP.
Dad had scrambled eggs (he said they were powdered) and toast with jelly for breakfast. Chicken fried steak for lunch and some kind of steak for supper with green beans and mashed potatoes.
Eddie Hare came by and dad talked to him while I went to truck and got toothbrush, toothpaste, Scope and under arm stuff. This is about it. Dad still looks tired but that comes with it all. Heather, the kids and I will go and see him in the a.m. Dad also sat in chair three times and walked down the hall three times.

Slow and Steady: My Dad Update: Thursday Evening, February 22, 2007

My mom took a nap this afternoon so she missed the 1:30 p.m. visiting time. She slept for two hours and she felt great when she woke up. I'm glad she took the time to rest.

My mom, Bubba & Brandy went to the 5:30 p.m. visiting time. My dad's blood pressure when they first entered was 96/65. The lights were off in his room and she assumed he was asleep but when she peeked in his eyes opened. My mom said he is doing very good.

Remember I blogged earlier that he was supposed to get semi-solid food today. Well, dinner of three meatballs and carrots showed up. And my dad was surprised to get that. He ate two or three carrots and a staff person came in saying that was not his. Then they brought in a dinner with chicken. My dad hates chicken. And again, someone came in to take it away saying it was not his. Dr. Bond said it was okay for my dad to start eating solid food, but Dr. Kirby said not yet. So he got a dinner of two containers of orange jello and water. He's got to take it slowly.

He received two liters of oxygen today and physical therapy. His nurse today, Steve, informed my mom it was physical therapy. He sat at the edge of the bed for ten minutes. May not seem like much, but in his condition, he's got to take it slowly.

My Dad Update: Thursday Morning, February 22, 2007

Praise the Lord, my dad is doing very well. All those prayers are working. At 7:30 this morning, Dr. Amen (pronounced Ah-mean) ordered all the tubes taken out of my dad which means he is not on the breathing machine anymore. Awesome!! My mom said he was told not to talk but then the staff began asking him questions to which he had to answer. They are giving him ice chips for his dry mouth and sore throat. It won't take long for him to get over that. He was allowed to take the inflating shoes off his feet. And a therapist is coming to see him. My mom didn't ask what kind of therapist, but I'm assuming it's a respiratory therapist. He may get semi-solid food this afternoon. And he asked my mom to bring his glasses and a newspaper. My mom said he looks really good. He may be able to leave the ICU in a few days but he will remain for now so they can observe him to make sure nothing like Monday happens again. He still has the central line and nasal cannula in, but I know he's happy to have all that other stuff out.

Thank you all so much for your prayers, love and concern. Please pray for rest for my mom as she is getting worn out. This is taking a toll on everyone. So that prayer could apply to my whole family especially my mom, Bubba, Brandy and Heather.

My sister will be back tomorrow for the weekend with which ever of her three kiddos want to come. Cole has gone to the lake this weekend with his grandmother and hopefully when he returns my dad will be in a regular room then he can see his Paco. Brandy wrote me the following story early this morning and it's so cute I have to share it.

Being 14: "Well when we were in the ICU waiting room the other day with Elizabeth I had the kids playing I spy. Cole had already checked the sign and to his dismay it still said 14. During the I spy game I said I spy the number 14 and Cole took off running Elizabeth had no clue but of course with Cole and that sign he knew exactly where it was. "

My Dad: Update Saturday, February 17, 2007

Well, I flew into Austin this morning. It felt so weird to be in the Austin airport. I can’t describe exactly what was weird about it, but it was like deja vu or something. Very strange. Then I drove to Bryan. I was starving when I left the airport and knew I wouldn’t last an hour and a half to eat in Bryan. So I went through the drive thru in Bastrop. I knew I was in the South when the girl working the window was wearing a banana clip. I haven’t seen a banana clip in years. I didn’t even know they were still being made and sold. I thought to myself, “I’m definitely in the South.”

I missed the 1:30-2:00 p.m. visiting time and went straight to my mom’s. I actually went to my brother’s across the street from my parents because the weather had left their long dirt road in a state that my mom thought my little rental car wouldn’t be able to make. My brother Harvey Jr (aka Bubba), nephew Cole and I drove to my mom’s. There she and my sister-in-law Brandy were cleaning up the hospital bed my parents’ had from my dad’s first bypass surgery. Once we got it cleaned, assembled in the house, mattress dressed and a table next to it for stuff, we drove to the hospital for the 5:30-6:00 p.m. visiting time. We waited about 30 minutes before the line started outside of ICU to go in.

My mom Helen, Aunt Sharon and I went in first. My dad was sleeping very well. We talked to his nurse Dan (who is exceptionally nice) and he informed us the trach tube had been removed at 11:00 a.m. and that he had been doing very well all day. I was a little nervous on the way here at how I might react to seeing my dad all wired and plugged up, but he didn’t look as bad as I thought he would. We surrounded my dad and stood over him talking about different things then all of a sudden we saw his left eye open. He looked at me and blinked and I asked him if he could see me. He said yes and then asked me why I had come. I told him that I wanted to see him and since it was a three day weekend and I wouldn’t be able to come at all until after we moved to Texas in two weeks. He told us that his throat hurt to talk and breathe. He sucked up his saliva when he needed with a stiff tube kind of like when you go to the dentist. We talked small talk for a while and read him some cards then some old family friends, Mr & Mrs Alderete, showed up outside his ICU door. So my mom and I left so they could come in. We went back to the ICU waiting room for a bit and then Bubba and Brandy went in for a bit. My nephew Cole wanted to go in so bad, but the sign on the waiting room wall said no one under 14 was allowed in ICU. He asked why the day before and they explained it to him. He asked when we first got into the ICU waiting room if the sign was changed to 3 yet. It was so sweet. So his mom told him as soon as Paco (that’s what my nieces and nephews call my dad) left ICU and was in his own room Gram (what they call my mom) would come pick him up and take him to see Paco and that maybe they could watch Open Season together. Too cute.

We visited for longer than the 30 minute limit and had more than the two person maximum. We finally left and went to Bubba and Brandy’s for grilled steaks, baked potatoes and salad. It was a great dinner. I was starving.

We told my dad all about the hospital bed and furniture being all set up for him at home. He seems to think he’s not going to be in it long. I don’t think he realizes just how sick he is. He was not aware of how many incisions he had so I don’t think he knows the extent of his problems. Now that the trach tube is out and he’s not so sedated, his doctors should be able to explain more to him. He won’t like it, but he’ll have to deal with it. My mom over heard him tell Mr. Alderete that he was going to have to change. So maybe he is learning from this experience. That’s one prayer I’ve been praying. We’ll see Lord.

Tomorrow I am going to ask his nurse what’s going to be done about his digestive system. I had wondered what was going to be done with the failing kidney and Brandy found out it was not going to be removed. They won’t remove it unless it is harming the body.

My dad also expressed to us that he’s not in pain when he’s sleeping, but when someone wakes him up he’s aware of the pain and they have to give him something for it. On Friday he wrote on my mom’s note pad, “No visitors, they wake me,” “I hurt when I am awake, let me sleep” and “I hurt when not asleep, don’t wake up.” So he doesn’t want any visitors right now for the pain reason and also because he’s exhausted. The ICU is very strict about visitors. They only allow visitors four times a day for 30 minute sessions. They really want their patients to rest. Rest is the key to recovery. We learned that with Roger. But we’ll let everyone know as soon as he has left ICU and is ready for visitors.

If you would like to send your regards, please send cards only to the following address:

College Station Medical Center
Intensive Care Room 6, Patient Harvey Wise
1604 Rock Prairie Road
College Station, TX 77842

My mom is doing well. She’s a trooper. Must be where I get it from. She has been tired though. She receives tons of calls every day. And yes, she answers and returns them all and tells the same story every time. And of course, we have tons of food. She really appreciates all the love, concern and prayer. My parents are truly loved by many. They are pretty cool parents. :)