Our friend Joe, who suffered a heart attack in 2005 and had a heart transplant in 2008, has been in a Carmel, Indiana hospital for several weeks now with symptoms more related to his course of treatment after the transplant, than with the heart itself. Here is an update from his devoted wife, Pat:

It’s 6:30 in the morning, and believe it or not, I’m up, dressed, make-up on, hair done, and ready to go. Sad isn’t it? I had to wake my bra up this morning, it isn’t used to this either!  Today’s news about Joe is: he has been moved.  He was taken to another hospital within the St. Vincent’s complex called Seaton Specialty Hospital. It’s located on Town Rd. just west of the big hospital.  This facility is for long term patients and rehab, which Joe qualifies for.  We expect he will be there for 2 – 4 weeks, and he is starting rehab right away. They want him up and walking, to help build up his strength, and hopefully get his stomach back to working again.

Joe is still getting everything thru IVs, and nothing by mouth. When I left him last night at almost 10:00, he had 5 IV’s going, and not one of them had any chocolate in it!  (Just an FYI, I don’t want to go there, no chocolate, it’s not for me!)  But Joe seemed to be a little better, and his sprits were good.  At least this way he’s not up- chucking all day long, so that’s an improvement.  He even watched American Idol last night, and he hasn’t had the TV on in weeks.  When he starts flirting with all the nurses and picking out the real cute ones, I’ll know we’re on the road to recovery.

     I’m on my way to see him, run a few errands and I promised Scott’s Fire Station that I would make them a peach cobbler today.  So I’m back in flour!  I’m using everyone as ginney pigs for my pies, because I’m planning to serve “home made pies and cobblers” at the Ice Cream Parlor when I can get it open.  Although I don’t think a bunch of firemen are going to give me an honest croquet on my crust, they’ll just wolf it down.  But they’re good for the soul anyway. And what gal can’t use a few hunky firemen for their soul? 

     I was a little taken back last night when I first walked into Seaton, it looked like a nursing home to me.  But when I got upstairs, I noticed it was like a cross between a hospital and a nursing home in a way.  I feel that this will be very good for Joe, as they will work with him to help get him back to where he needs to be.  We know that this is going to be a very long recovery, and I can’t be there all day with him every day. So they will make him move is butt, and I don’t have to do it! 

For the past few days, when he was in the hospital, he would wait for me to take him for a walk, it made me feel good inside, but I knew he needed to go walk before I could get there. Well now, he’ll be doing what he’s suppose to be doing, and I don’t have to be the bad guy.  Works for me!  Nursing and hospitals are NOT my thing.  I’m still trying to find out what my thing is, but I know nursing is not one of them! 
 
Love to you all!!!!
Pat