Some of you may know that my wife Cookie has been in the hospital for a week now. She was treated to an Ambulance ride the 3.5 blocks to the hospital on 12/12 for immediate admission, her Dr. made a houscall and called the ambulance personally. It was too much stress on Cookie to get into our minivan.

The COPD she is suffering from, from 17 years as a hair dresser in the 60's and 70's is taking its toll on her. Also after her first marriage, she and her Airforce husband moved to Sacramento, Ca, where the weather there allong with the beauty shop chemicals gave her Pneumonia 6 or 7 times in a year and a half, which scarred her Bronchial Tubes and her Lungs.

Note-- During her Hair Dressing Career she had the Privilege of doing Patsy Clines Hair and the Misfortune to do Maureen O'hara's hair.

By Friday night Cookie was in ICU hooked to several monitors and with several IV's, her heart rate was in 150 to 170 range which the Dr's have not determined what is causing that yet. Then due to the mass infusion of Antibiotics and Steroids to take care of the Congestion her blood sugar jumped to 350+ and she was started on insulin injections.

Yesterday, Friday she was moved out of ICU, all the wires and IV's were removed and she is in a private room now. Her HR is now below 100 and her BS was 73 at noon yesterday.

She is in good spirits although tired and has been keeping busy Crocheting hooded newborn baby sweaters with matching boots for her to be new grandson and also some of the nursing staff ordered sets for their upcoming new grandchildren.

Thank you all for your Prayers and Concern for her.

Cookie and Jr Strasil

And a Special Thanks to Woody who after the untimely passing of his wife, gave Cookie and also delivered his late wife's Oxygen Generator for her use, Then one of his friends in California sent us a Portable Oxygen Generator which we keep in the minivan for when we have to travel.

Thank You Woody and also your friend. God Bless you both.
BTW the generator has over 50,000 hours on it and is still going strong. I take it to St. Joe, Mo regularly for filter changes and maintenance, it has been a Godsend.

Jr. you both are on the list. Give her our best wishes for a speedy recovery.

You're both on the list here.

Frosty

No question about prayers from here Jr.
It's a done deal!!
Ted Throckmorton

Jr. My prayers are with both you and Cookie. God Bless and keep both of you. Candy went through a similar episode, the Pulmonologist was prescribing meds and also the Cardiologist was prescribing meds. Neither was looking at what the other was doing. Make sure someone that knows takes a look at all the meds Cookie is taking and be sure that they all interact well with one another. The steroids will cause an increase in blood sugar levels. Be sure they keep an eye on that whenever the prescribe them.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to both of you.

Best wishes, kind thoughts and sincere prayers for both of you.

Jr. you and Cookie are on the prayer list here!
Tim & Anna Marie

We'll keep you both in our prayers, Jr.

Prayin for ya both...

What a testimony of friendship and a giving spirit the giving of the oxygen equipment has offered, I also pray that each of us remembers this example that has been set before us.

Cookie update, January 5, 08. I fetched Cookie home from the Relaxation Center today, she went to the hospital in an ambulance with only her cell phone, she returned home with 4 Canvas bags of stuff, yarn, cards, etc. she drove her scooter out to the van and the wheelchair was wheeled out full by an aid.

Thank you+all for your prayers and concern.

Cookiie and Jr. Strasil

Jr. Glad to hear she is home, that is the best place to be. Give her my best. Our prayers are with both of you

Woody & Jackie

Ooops, I brought her home shortly after 1 PM, they come and took her back about 4 PM. I couldn't get her up off the floor, so called the Paramedics.

Jr. [O

Jr. I am so sorry to hear that, God Bless and Keep both of you.

Woody & Jackie

I had just responded with a "great" then found the message of her going back.

You both are definitely in our prayers...

James

Edited January 6, 200917 yr by ironrosefarms

Great news JR! Glad to hear she's back home. Will continue to keep you both in prayer.

1/10/09 update, Cookie is going to have to go to a local care facility for physical therapy to gain back her strength as a result of too much time in the hospital. I have contacted both of her daughters and they are coming up for the Swing Bed Conference to be held this afternoon in Cookies room. It should be a Family decision, and it will cheer Cookie up to have both her daughters there for the decision making, altho Cookie has already picked the one she wants to go to. It turns out a lot of the hospital staff moonlights at one or the other of the fascilities and they concurr that she picked the right on.

Jr.

Thank you all for the Prayers, for Caring and being Concerned with her welfare. With people like you rooting for her, she can't help but improve.

Try to keep your spirits up, that may be her best medicine. Don't forget to take care of yourself too.
Continued prayers and well wishes.

Cookie update, 1/18/09, Cookie is a temporary resident of Careage Estates Care Center for Physical Therapy, she will have been there for a week on the 20th, she has adjusted well and is doing great with her therapy. It helps that quite a bunch of the nursing staff also work at the local hospital, and know her needs and they are friends. some of the hospital nursing staff have even been out to visit her to check on how she is doing. I have taken 2 of her home critter children out to visit her and some of the other resident enjoy their visits too, The dining room is cafe style where you order from a menu. Its a small nursing fascility and has a real home type atmosphere. I had a DSL line put in for her and she has her laptop that she keeps up with and visits with friends and family. I eat one meal a day with her, and she keeps me hopping, toting crochet and knitting supplies from home to her. I got her a present of a set of 4 different sizes of lighted Knitting needles, that are really neat.

I think she is going to be able to return home much sooner than her Dr. figured. I also found a $1200 electric assist recliner at JCPenny online site that was on sale for $299, it should be here on the 20th hopefully.

Jr.

Glad to hear that she is doing well Jr. Give her all my best.
Finnr

I remembered to take a picture of Cookies disabled ramp today when I took the camera to the shop to take pics of my chopsaw.

Cookie fell trying to get up the 3 steps into the house when I brought her home from the hospital a couple of hospitalizations ago on a friday, the ramp was mostly done the next day at dark. weather turned bad and I had to wait to add the intermediate rails. The far end of the ramp is a swinging gate so when the dog gets tangled up, I don't have to go down the ramp and around, there are 2 steps there too.

Nice Ramp Jr. my prayers are still with both of you. Tell Cookie hi for me, hope she gets to come home soon

Nice ramp!
It looks like your right on top of things Jr.
Thank you for keeping us informed about Cookie.
I always appreciate the up-dates.
Your In Our Prayers
Ted Throkmorton