A Bit of a Setback this week . . .

With a return of the infection, I have been back at NHRMC for a week now.  Today, they inserted a PICC line for the continuing IV antibiotics.  So I should be returning to Silver Stream Rehab tomorrow.

A Health Update For My Friends

It feels so good when my blogger friends reach out to find out how I am doing, as the cajun just did!

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the cajun said...

Hi David, with no other way to reach you, I wanted to reach out agin. Please continue to post updates when you can. We're all anxious to hear your news.
We're all going through something and it's always good to let it out and share your feelings with others. That would be US!
Take care, my friend. and do write when you can. Think of it as therapy. I do and it works. I get feedback from folks like you who know what I am talking/writing about.

Cheers.
Here's to Silver Queen!

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(PS: my email is david at ladyslippercove dot com. You know how to change it to the correct format.)

Silver Stream Entrance Sign

Well this is day 39 in Silver Stream Rehab. and I am still not ready to go home, although I want to so bad!  Progress on the walking with a walker front: today I walked 180 feet with a therapist  holding on to me and a wheelchair following closely if I suddenly need to sit down.  I am doing leg exercises with weights on my ankles, plus a lot of arm exercises.

Front side of Silver Stream Rehab

Two major concerns continue:  The ulcers (lymphedema/cellulitis) on my left leg are just not healing.  My  doctor just came in and said they are trying to get me to a lymphedema specialist on the outside to treat and dress the wounds daily.  The other big concern is standing up from anything lower than bar stool height.  To that end, we have begun investigating a power wheelchair that has the the capability of raising the seat height as much as 12 inches, which will make transfers easier.  As a result, I am also investigating having a wheelchair ramp built onto  my front porch and raising the porch floor level to be even with the interior floor level.  Again, the power wheelchair seems like a favorable idea from my doctor's point of view, especially since the LGMD will only progress over time and my muscles will get weaker.

Existing front porch and steps

Thanks to all of you for the many cards and well wishes.  My spirit gets a boost with each one!

One Man PITY PARTY!

Well, I have been rather down and feeling sorry for myself.  Left leg has been terrible with cellulitis/lymphedema.  Admitted to the hospital for eight days, where they investigated more problems with low blood pressure (down to 70/30), shortness of breath (better known as SOB, yea it is a son of a bitch), cardiac arrhythmias, etc.  Worse of all, the muscular dystrophy weakness in my legs has increased making ambulation even more difficult!

So this past Saturday, I held a "pity party" for myself and decided I needed something from my more youthful days to cheer me up.  When I graduated from high school and was attending college, madras clothing was all the rage.  Our high school graduation dance and party was held at the old Washington Duke Hotel in downtown Durham and madras clothing was seen in abundance. Guys wearing madras shorts and/or shirts.  Gals wearing madras shirt-waist dresses.

Madras cotton fabric is woven in Madras, India and is often known as "bleeding madras" because as it is washed, it slowly fades and the colors tend to run together.  When in high school, I had two madras shirts similar to these, especially the yellow one and the other was more green/blue in hue.  So imagine my surprise, when Googling madras, I came across these beautiful shirts for sale at Ralph Lauren in my size!  The yellow shirt was made in India and the red shirt was made nearby in Sri Lanka.

Cheer up, David.  Wearing them and pretending to be in my youth again.

Selfie wearing new Madras shirt!