Save the Drama for Your Mama

Pops is still doing well as he continues to adjust to life at home. He and mom are getting the routine down and things are going smoother and quicker than they were the first week. I think the mental adjustment takes the biggest toll...and I imagine that it takes quite some time to get used to the reality of life as a quad. I am very proud of them and their attitude...their days revolve around dad and his routine, but hopefully when things calm down they will have time to relax and just have fun. Right now it's a little nuts since whenever mom is not with dad she's trying to clean out their house to get it ready to sell. And Fans and I move to Wisconsin on Tuesday so we've got our own drama going on. Aye carumba. It may be a bit crazy right now, but as someone very wise once said, "save the drama for your mama". So we plug along...

I've been able to stay at the house this past week and it's fun to watch the grandkids interact with dad. You can really see them getting more comfortable with their new Bapa, especially Paige. Today she sat on his lap and they cruised down the street to watch the diggers. Too cute. It is an amazing blessing that mom and dad get to live with Mike and Becky and the kids. Such a great set-up...constant entertainment.

With all the commotion going on, I have to say it's a huge blessing that people continue to send over meals and gas cards. Your kindness is overwhelming, and as I look at the calendar and how long it's been since the accident I can't believe you all aren't sick of the Bohrmans yet. Seriously... thank you for being a blessing to us. By the way, Treva...bravo on the pea soup. What flawless consistency. Although Pops was "stuffed" after two teaspoons, it was delicious. Nicely done.

Pops continues with dialysis three times a week, but they are still deciding if he needs it or not. We keep praying that he would be healthy enough to be done. His left arm has also been causing him a lot of pain, so we pray the doctors would be able to help him with that. Otherwise, things are going pretty well. We all have our fair share of bad days, frustrating moments, and fumbly transfers...but thankfully God is full of grace. Blessings abound.

P.S. Pops told me he'd like to write the next post...so look for a word from the man himself coming soon to a blog near you...Until then, thanks for the love.

Hanging In There

Dad's first week at home is almost over...and it's gone pretty well so far. There's certainly a lot to learn and everything seems to take a long time...but we know with some practice the caregiving will become routine and go more smoothly. Right now everything's new and a little awkward but for the first week home, it's been good. I continue to be impressed with mom and how well she has picked up the art of nursing...she's incredible. Pretty worn out, but incredible nonetheless. There is a nurse that comes from 9 pm to 9 am every night which is an immense help.

As far as dad's spirits, he has good moments and bad. Overall he's adjusting well, but of course there's times when the reality of it all is overwhelming. We were told the first week would be the toughest, so with that in mind everyone's pretty thankful it's gone as well as it has. There have been a few trips to the coffee shop, trips to the hospital for dialysis, and he and mom have been out running errands as usual. When I talked to mom today, she and Pops were at the grocery store and she was having trouble finding him...he tends to take off down the aisles and she can't keep up with his speed.

When I'm not in Wisconsin I am always anxious to hear how the day went and if Pops is okay. Each day that passes is another hurdle cleared...and I'm so thankful that dad is doing well. There will always be days that are just plain hard, but for the most part, both mom and dad have a good attitude and are focusing on life ahead and forgetting what's behind. I know that Pops is anxious to find things that he is able to do, so pray that in the weeks ahead he would discover new possibilities, new purposes, new hobbies to fill his time. I know with all my heart that God has a purpose for him, so we pray that in time Pops gets a clear vision of that purpose. And if you think of it, pray for his kidneys....apparently he is on the verge of not needing dialysis. It would be huge for him if he could be done with it, so we pray he continues to make beautiful pee. And keep praying for his trach hole to close...he still loses air and it drives him crazy.

Thanks for the continued prayers, encouraging words, and electronic hugs. God continues to shine through this drama and we continue to praise Him. Onward and upward...

Pops is Home

It's official. Pops no longer resides at Froedtert Hospital. Today he came home. For good. How amazing is that? Apparently we did such a good job keeping him alive this weekend they thought we were ready for the real deal. It's almost surreal that he's actually home...I don't think it's really sunk in yet. Mom of course will have the biggest adjustment of all, being his number one caregiver. But how exciting for her that tomorrow she won't be driving to the hospital as she has been every day for the last 5 1/2 months...wait, scratch that...they do have to go to the hospital for dialysis. But, heh, maybe the next day she won't have to...

He'll have a nurse that spends the nights and helps with the morning routine, but other than that mom's got him covered as far as meds, stretching, feeding, etc. I've got to say she's doing a great job...it's an incredible amount of work but as I told her tonight, "Hey, one day down, only like 30 years to go!" It's such a blessing they live with Mike and Becky cause there's usually someone to help out, even if that someone happens to be four years old. And Fans and I officially move to Wisconsin in three short weeks and are very excited to be closer to the action.

Pops also got his first taste of real food tonight...first food in almost six months...that's a crazy long time without tasting food. Mike cooked him up some ravioli...(dad's only allowed five teaspoons of food...and it has to be in mashed/pureed form) but the look on dad's face was priceless. He has a lot of rules to follow when it comes to eating...but he can have tiny amounts if he's very careful. Tomorrow we may even go to the coffee shop! (He can have two teaspoons of coffee if we add thickener to it...mmmm....delicious, right? Hey, baby steps, people, baby steps.)

It was a big day. Pops left one family to come home to another. A day of mixed emotions, for sure, as those nurses at the hospital truly have become family for dad. There were lots of goodbye tears, lots of sadness mixed with excitement. He'll be back at Froedtert regularly for therapy and dialysis, at least for a little while, so he will get a chance to see his nurses again. We love them all so much...they are amazing people. They will always be family to us....and we will be forever in debt to them for loving our Pops through some very tough months.

He's home. Lots of challenges ahead to be sure...but for today, we praise God for bringing our Pops home. A day we thought would never come. To God be the glory.

Mother's Day

Joy. As I try to figure out how to put this weekend into words, I can't seem to wipe the smile off my face. This is what real joy feels like. I thought I knew that feeling, I thought I'd been there before....but I think this weekend brought us to a new level of joy. A joy where you just have to look to heaven and shake your head and wonder how God can be so good. But I guess that's what joy is supposed to be...a complete awareness that things are good only because God has made them good. We had a great weekend. Pops was home.

It was an even bigger weekend, as P.J. and Kersta happened to be in from Denver for dad's first overnight stay. Pops arrived home Saturday and we spent the afternoon hanging outside, playing with the grandkids, gettin' a little sun. A highlight was Cole sitting on dad's lap 'driving' with Paige riding behind in a wagon tied to dad's chair. It was pretty funny. I had gone inside to get something when I heard mom yell, "Now STOP it Bohrman! That's way too fast! You do NOT need to go that fast with them!" The kids, of course, thought it was perfectly fine for Bapa to be in Drive 2. The mothers, of course, thought otherwise.

Despite everyone being a little anxious, the night went really well. Since it was his first time overnight, we don't quite have the routine down so it took some time to get him comfortable. With some practice I'm sure it will become second nature. Mom did a great job giving him all his meds and stomach feedings, though dad would probably say at times he was being fed more air than actual food, but we'll let that go for now. He slept like a baby all through the night and never made a peep. Mom on the other hand was up every hour checking to see if he was okay...much like the mother of a newborn needing the assurance of breathing and life.

Pops even made it to church this morning, and it was awesome to see him reunite with people he hasn't seen since the accident. Pastor Terry noticed us in the back row and said a special hello followed by the whole church giving Pops a standing ovation. I know it brought Pops to tears along with the rest of us. What a thing to be loved by the family of God, to know these people have been praying for Pops since day one and have fought alongside us the whole time. I know dad was incredibly touched and it was a moment we won't soon forget.

Tonight, for the first time, dad wasn't ready to return to the hospital. He told mom that this was the first time he was ready to stay home for good, that home is where he's supposed to be. That's a big deal. For him, the hospital has always been the safe place, but after this weekend he's finally ready to come home. And we realized just what a hole he's left in our family the last five months. What a difference it is to have him with us, even when he's just sitting in his chair amidst the chaos...watching all that's going on without missing a thing. Very aware. Very content. Very present. And then tonight when he went back to the hospital...what a hole he leaves behind. I was keenly aware of how incomplete our family has been, it's just not the same without Pops around.

What joy. What a great weekend. I wouldn't trade this mother's day for any other. We didn't do anything too out of the ordinary, just a normal weekend with the fam, but it was unlike any mother's day we've ever had. We go deeper than we used to, we love better than we used to, we appreciate each other more than we used to....and thanks be to God. We are being changed. We are being stretched. And we would never go back.

We praise God for how He blessed this weekend. It's a lot of work and dad comes with a lot of attachments, but for being the first time home I'd say it went great. As mom told the nurses when she took dad back to the hospital tonight, "Look! He's still alive! We did it!"

The Results are In

Well, technically speaking...he kinda sorta passed, a little. His therapist said his swallow looks a little better than last time, but he didn't necessarily get the green light to eat on his own. He will begin a regimen of therapeutic eating, which means one of his therapists has to be present when he eats to make sure everything goes smoothly. And he has to start with a diet of soft foods, no thin liquids or Kiltie burgers. I was really ready for him to finally pass the darn thing, but we're all about baby steps. He will have yet another swallow test in a month to monitor his progress, and he may receive more collagen in the future to help the process. I guess we have to be glad his therapists are being extra careful...it's not worth taking the chance and getting pneumonia.

So on the menu for our mother's day dinner? All you can eat pudding, applesauce, and ice cream...yahoo!

Botox, Anyone?

Pops may not be getting Botox anytime soon, but he did have a collagen injection earlier this week. And it wasn't to give him plumper lips. Medically speaking, they injected collagen into the thingies in his throat so that they would seal properly when he swallowed. The true test to see if it worked will be tomorrow when he has his fifth swallow test. Yep, that's right. Swallow test number five. Tomorrow. Two-thirty. Pray for him!

Dad's doing well. He came home for the afternoon on Sunday and we got to hang outside and do some catching up with a few family and friends. It was a good day. He really loves being outside and after five months in the hospital, who wouldn't? When he's done with therapy for the day, he and mom get to roam the hospital and find a sunny spot to sit outside. How fun it was to see him waiting for me outside the hospital entrance when I pulled into the parking garage today. I got so excited I laid on the horn and yelled out the window. Not a smart move considering the elderly man on oxygen standing behind him jumped about five feet in the air. Whoopsie.

His dialysis schedule has been changed to Monday/Wednesday/Friday which will allow him to come home this weekend. If all goes as scheduled he may even get to spend the night for the first time. Pray that all goes well so this can happen. It would make for a great mother's day weekend, that's for sure.

I have to say a big thank you to all the Awana kids from ABC. The highlight of Sunday was watching a "video get-well card" that they made for dad...and it was precious. Dad loved it and was very touched. He misses his Awana kids and hopes to see them all soon.

As I watch dad interact with the nurses that have become family, and watch mom taking on the role of caretaker with courage, determination, and of course, boat loads of humor....all I can be is thankful. Thankful that God goes before us...and knows what lies ahead. As I watch my parents go through the toughest thing they've ever faced, I find myself looking up to them more than ever....amazed at their faith, amazed at their perseverance, amazed at their promise to each other....'in sickness and in health'. It certainly ain't all peaches and cream, and tears still come pretty easily...but I see God working in this, and it's an unexplainable joy. Joy that only comes from knowing Christ, and knowing that he holds our family in the palm of his hand.

Thank you God for holding us, sustaining us, and of course, for collagen injections. Here's to a clean swallow!

"Two Weeks"

I saw Pops on Wednesday and he looked really good. When I walked in the room he was staring intently at the cell phone in his hand. I asked what he was doing and he said, "Well, I've been trying to call you." I looked at the phone. "Pops, your phone's not on." "Well, yeah, that's sort of the problem..."

I know it's hard for him to struggle with things like using his cell phone, but it's very encouraging to see him trying. I notice tiny improvements in how he uses his fingers, he doesn't have actual grip but he can pinch them around things. In time he can only get better at it. Who knows what he'll learn to do with those fingers....but we definitely need to get him a phone with bigger buttons...

Well, he had a fourth swallow test...but this time, instead of getting an F, he got a C+. It turns out the only time his swallow works correctly is when he's looking down and to the right. Bizarre. They took a more serious scope of his throat this time, and basically, it's just all messed up in there. His failed swallow has less to do with his spinal cord injury and more to do with his accident and the subsequent surgeries. Basically, everything in his throat was twisted in the accident, and then when he had spinal surgeries, they shifted things around even more. Now the parts that need to match up for a clean swallow don't, if that makes any sense. So the doctors may go in to do surgery to try and repair his swallow. Either way, they say he will eat again, either after surgery....or always looking down and to the right.

Because of all the potential surgeries, they're not sure when he'll be coming home...probably at least 2 more weeks. Ever seen "The Money Pit"? It was a family favorite and every time we're told "two weeks!" we have to laugh. It seems we've been told 'two weeks' for about a month and a half. All in God's perfect timing...

Still waiting to hear about the other possible surgeries. Still waiting for that trach hole to close. Still waiting to be eligible for a service monkey that we can teach to open doors, turn pages, and do the macarena. All in good time.

Blessings abound. To God be the glory.