Rick update 6-16-15

It's been a while since I posted an update so here goes. 

We have been back and forth between the Cleveland Clinic main campus downtown and the VA in Lorain and Parma. Most of his pancreatitis issues are still being monitored by his Surgeon Dr. Walsh. I know we have been very frustrated in the past but the more digging into the disease I have done, I realize how lucky we are. Rick's dr is actually 1 of the best there is. Rick is very lucky to be alive. It has been a long, exhausting and draining recovery. I finally think we see light at the end of the tunnel. 

Rick has had about 8 drains so far. He has had them upsized, downsized, replaced due to being pulled out by accident and repositioned. He has had filters for blood clots, stent in his stomach. We have been so lucky that none of these things or the many surgeries and procedures haven't led to any deathly infections. I have managed to keep the drains clear and clean. I have no idea how since I am not in the medical field lol. I guess it was my overprotective scorpio personal to protect Rick and my pure stubbornness to do it the best way possible! 

So anyways...we are finally down to just 1 drain!! They downsized it today to a tiny drain tube with no bulb so it's minimum care. I asked how long that will be in and the Dr. said it was up to me. That made me chuckle. He said I need to keep track of how much is draining. This tube is smaller and will allow the track 
to close up and not leave such a huge hole. So, the next step is removing the filters and stent! We have come a long way because on Thursday.....He will be going back to work!! OMG! It will only be for a few hours but that is HUGE!! I 
can't help but pray things continue to look up. I'm trying to stay positive because being sad and depressed is exhausting lol. It's time to get on with our lives and have some fun!!! 

In sickness and in health....

Feeling helpless while someone you love is sick and in pain is a horrible feeling, especially being the control freak that I am. I have prayed, others have prayed and we continue to. I watch the man that I love deal with health issues for months now. It seems like he takes 1 step forward and 2 back. It's back and forth to the Dr's and hospitals for tests and procedures. There are so many teams of Dr's that it's so hard to keep them all straight. Missed work, missed visits with kids, cancelled plans, no energy, lost weight, blood work, tests and meds. I have to be strong because this isn't about me. This is about a vow I made to my best friend. In sickness and health. I just wish I knew what the "plan" was because I have no idea. Is it to make us stronger? There has to be a reason we are going through this. I just wish I knew what it was.

I grew up in Ohio but how did I forget how much the winters suck?!

https://www.facebook.com/janet.smithhamel

Time has an amazing way of changing a persons perspective. I think about my life 5 or 6 years ago and how different it was. I would have NEVER imagined I would have gotten remarried, to a United States Army soldier nonetheless. Or that we would have lived in 4 different states, 6 moves all together. I have met so many people and experienced things I would have never dreamed of. We have had to make some tough choices and now that some of the dust has settled and time has passed, I can honestly say I would do so many things differently.  

When I suggested we move back to Ohio, it was for many reasons, mostly our family and friends. The goodbyes were so difficult to the point of painful. Right now I'm sitting here looking at the ice on the windows and the snow outside and that itself is a different kind of painful. That may seem a bit dramatic but if you moved from Hawaii to this frozen tundra, it's not lol. 

So now we are building a big house to live in. Isn't there a saying like "If you build it, they will come?" Well I can picture new traditions of family dinners and holidays at our house. I am probably kidding myself because we have barely heard from any of the people we thought we missed when we lived away.  I thought moving back would be different. The phone doesn't ring any more now that we are back and closer. Our schedules don't have any more dates written in than 4 months ago, probably less. I realize now that if people want to be involved in our lives, they will make as much of an effort as we do. 

I am thankful for the few people that have stayed in touch. The (very) few that have taken the time to include us in their lives since we have been back. Relationships take work on both sides and I realize the miles between won't matter to the ones that really count.

Now I need to find a ticket to some place warm for a little mental break before I snap!