March 2-8

Day 386-392
I'm still sort of surprised by how many people are keeping up with us on the blog. I jot down thoughts more as a journaling exercise, but concerned and caring people are faithfully reading what I am putting out there. I hope it isn't too monotonous!
I was just reading the last post, and realize I didn't recount the episode after the sausage day was over. It was a cold wind blowing from the south, and when we got home, I didn't think of that and of how Glenn would react to it. He gets cold easily, so I pulled into the yard, and opened the back of the Rav. The wind blew right into it, and cooled it off rapidly. I got the power chair unloaded, and pulled it up beside Glenn. I couldn't close the back, because the ramps were in the way, so the wind was just a whistling through the truck. I opened Glenn's door, and transferred him to the chair. He was already stiffening up against the cold. We discovered I had forgotten the foot pedal, so I went back for it. I was getting cold too, and when I tried to put the pedal on, I couldn't get it lined up. Now Glenn was showing board like stiffness. When I finally got the @#%@# pedal on, Glenn was almost completely straight and as rigid as could be. I could NOT get his right leg bent at all, and he was only hanging on to the edge of the cushion of the chair. I managed to get him around to the front of the Rav, (slightly out of the wind) and proceeded to yell as I was sure he was going to end up on the ground. I finally bent his left leg a bit, and got him into the chair a bit more, and told him to drive. I didn't know if he would fall out or not, but we proceeded up the ramp. His feet were straight in front of him, and banged on each of the planks as he went up. We got to the front door, and I had forgotten to unlock it, and didn't have the key, so I had to leave Glenn there, and run around to the back door, and through the house to let him in. We made it without any harm done, but I was not happy. After thinking about what had nearly happened, I have a better plan, but I was pretty panicky for a while. The rest of the weekend was fine, and Glenn didn't suffer from the cold snap, but I sure didn't expect that.
We have a fair number of appointments coming up, a swallowing assessment on the 17th, botox on the 14, and the doctor too, although that isn't made yet. Easter is fast approaching, so the therapy sessions are up in the air a bit for Easter week, but they will have it worked out by next week.
We went to Red Lobster on Wednesday for Jackie's birthday supper, and Glenn was able to eat a meal out. It was a pretty big first for him, although he just shrugs and says he's no speed demon, and everyone is done before him. We all tell him it isn't a race, but he feels conspicuous. I hope that doesn't last too long. We have taken him off the anti-depressants, and he is a bit emotional again. If it doesn't settle out soon, we'll put him back on them. His warfarin was off too, so we had him off that off that for a few days. Everything is so balanced, that when you do something out of the ordinary, the meds go wonky. It has been a bit more stressful for me, so I booked us both for massages on the 20th of March.
We've been invited out for supper for my Mom's birthday, and will have to see how Glenn is feeling. He hates to be so emotional when he is out and about, so I told him not to worry, if he doesn't want to go, he can pass for now. Drugs are so amazing, you just don't know until you go off something you've been on for a while, and have to go through the withdrawal. I'm not sure I'll make it!
'Til next time,
Louise