Bunk’s Status

The week begins. We invite all of the volunteers from wide and near to come to out house this Sunday for a fun BBQ as a thank you for all your efforts for Bunk. Our house at 2pm Sunday, June 1. He had more suctioning this morning again. His secretions have been getting thicker and darker. I called Ted Lawton’s office to inquire about increased suctioning and changes in his secretions. Ted called back and said he thought we should hold off a week. We are due to start “The Vest” today which he thought would work well for Bunk especially with this suction requirements.
The respiratory therapist from Hill-Rom, the provider of the vibrating vest, came at 11 am to demonstrate how to use it. The vest had arrived by mail last week. He put the vest on Bunk, it filled with air, and we turned it on. It vibrates, shaking Bunk’s head and he said he could feel stimulus from the vibration down in his legs.
My sisters came out about 1 PM to help with bills and deposits. Roselind brought brownies which we dipped into right away and Mary Catherine brought her “Better than Sex” cake which we will save for later. Roselind had just returned from Hawaii visiting her son Bobby and his family. She had learned of a young quadriplegic who was injured in an auto accident and now paints with a mouth stick (www.mosesart.org). His name is Moses Hamilton. Roselind visited him while he was painting and purchased a few prints of his Hawaiian themed art for herself and she was going to purchase one for Bunk but Moses gave her one to give to Bunk as a gift. It is entitled “The Gift.” It is always a good day when my sisters visit.
Bunk worked with the Power Lung twice and also used the chest vibrator vest twice. We hope the vibrations and the muscle strengthening contribute to the strength and quality of his airway. The vibrating vest will shake loose secretions that are not being mobilized up to his bronchial tree so we can suction it out. He tolerated all the shaking and the Power Lung is readily incorporated into his day now.
He and Ruben ate most of the remaining KFC for lunch and he topped it off with an In-N-Out Double Double for dinner. Wow what a calorific day.
It was a good lung workout day that hopefully will become his daily routine. It will improve definitely improve his respiratory status. We are getting more focused on the huge work needed to breath more and more independently. Please pray. Thank you.

Bunk had several occasions to be suctioned today. He did well today but did not go on the flexiciser or the Power Lung. We did have visitors to celebrate the holiday. Sheila O’Rourke and John “Rojo” Connolly, high school classmates of Red, brought Kentucky Fried Chicken and all the fixins out so we wouldn’t have to prepare any food. It was tasty and even better when you haven’t had to prepare it. Sheila has been very involved in the preparations for their class reunion this next fall. She brought out her high school scrap book and we all had a great trip down Memory Lane. Sheila’s scrap book prompted me to go downstairs and retrieve my grammar school, high school scrap books and my college memorabilia. We were all out in the parlor with Bunk and he got an earful of stories just like I have been getting an earful of Bunk’s over the past 2 years. I’ll be hearing from Bunk over time as the occasion arises for him to give me a bad time. In the evening, I got out and worked in the rose garden. Good mental health. Happy Memorial Day. God Bless our troops and all who have died in the service of our country.

Last night Bunk did not sleep at all. Dear Red was up with him all night. I was up with him until his last meds about 1 am and relieved Red at 6 am. I wish there was a never fail knock out pill that would work for Bunk. It would give us all some peace at night. He has required an increase in suctioning with thicker secretions. We’re watching closely. He just completed a regimen of antibiotics about 2 weeks ago.

He was watching the Indy 500 before he got up in his wheel chair. I was amazed at the details he knew about racing. He knew all the ins and outs of pit stops and neither he nor his brother had any sympathy for Danica Patrick. “It’s part of racing” they both said.

The Eucharistic Minister was by and Red joined us for Holy Communion. When the Eucharistic Minister asked “How is it going, Bunk?” he responded “Slow.” I also made it to the 12 Noon Mass and prayed to God to speed things up a bit and bought a few plants for the garden on the way home for my mental health.

Bunk went on the Flexiciser for 40 minutes and accomplished the Power Lung routine twice. He continued to have pain in the back of his head and the heating pad was at the ready. The Lakers loss did not help. I think the Angels did better.

The weeks fly by. Here we are on the verge of beginning another one. We pray all is well for you this week and as always ask for your prayers for Bunk and his well being, strength and whatever gains God will grant him.

God Bless.

Bunk had a good night of sleep last night and that’s nothing to sneeze at. Today was a day totally of watching sports on TV. I guess that’s what Saturdays are for. The back of his head has been bothering him and he has asked for the heating pad to help with the pain and discomfort. He has been chilled with the change in weather and I think the heating pad warms him up, as well.

We watched Phil Mickelson in the PGA Golf Tournament. He was having a good go today. We will be watching again tomorrow. We watched a lot of baseball, as well. If you can believe it we ended up watching the girl’s college softball tournament. I was commenting on the number of pretty girls and in true fashion Bunk’s comment was that there was a lack of beauties compared to a few years ago. He always knows more than I do. Who knew he was a girl’s softball follower. Today covered some Lacrosse, hockey, baseball and basketball.

Bunk got his two Power Lung exercises in and otherwise was resting and covering up to keep warm. Hoping for more activity tomorrow and allowing him a day of rest from time to time.

This morning Bunk’s ventilator kept alarming due to “low pressure”. Bunk was fine but I couldn’t determine what was making it alarm. It was very annoying for Bunk. I asked him if he wanted to go on spontaneous breathing as that would change the alarm settings due to the different breathing mode. Bunk was up for it and he was breathing on spontaneous mode (breathing mainly on his own with some support at the end of his breath) for 40 minutes with no problems. I changed his trach tube and it still is sticking when I remove it. Bunk tolerated the change well with no problems. When we were getting him up in the chair and switching his ventilator from the bed vent to the ventilator on his wheel chair, he breathed on his own off the ventilator for 4 minutes. He watches the clock and signals me when to hook him back up. He is trying to extend his time each time he does it. It was a good morning for breathing. During the day he practiced on the Power Lung twice. Now that his pressure wound is just about totally healed we can increase our focus on breathing and taking medications orally that would eliminate two tubes, the trach tube and the G Tube. Wouldn’t that be heaven. I have learned though, that it will take time and I can’t push. Please continue to pray that these goals of Bunk can be realized. Thank you.

Today, we ordered the new lift that will replace the elevator. The lift will not be inside the Tipsy. It will be an exterior lift that will bring Bunk up to veranda on the 2nd level. I had asked the representative to come to the house to go over placement and to draw a footprint of the lift where it will be placed. Bunk drove down from the house and was able to fit into the area we had laid out and there was room for an attendant as well which is mandatory. The electrician was there to make sure all the wiring was in the right place. I think it might all work, please God. It will take 4 - 6 weeks to get it ordered, delivered, and installed. Hopefully Bunk is on his way to seeing the Tipsy. Another prayer is needed here.

Evening came with many visitors. Dave Baxter came for his Friday visit. He is an attorney and is helping us work through the issues on the elevator. John and Connie Daly and their daughter Katie brought pizza over for dinner. We were joined by their son, Connor later. Thank you John and Connie. I made a salad and we all enjoyed dinner together. Bunk ate all the fare. Tim Mullahy and his family came over and joined us. Needless to say, Bunk was busy in conversations and enjoying himself with so many people with whom to chat and visit.

It was a good, productive, and happy day. I don’t think I stopped once. I pray for more days like today.

God Bless.

The visiting nurse that had followed Bunk and his wound for over a year came at 9:30. She is coming every 2 weeks now that his wound is at its final stages of healing. I had stopped bandaging it during this past week and she agreed no dressing was needed.It has been a long haul and she has become such a support to me and Bunk. She has helped me with supplies, drawn blood for labs, and been a nursing resource for me and all my questions. She will now have the wound care specialist come out and make his determination about closing the case. I remember a while back when I wondered if we would ever get this far. I was praying every day for his wound to heal quickly but as in everything else it takes more time than I would have ever thought.

We got Bunk up at 10:30 AM. His Servite friend Brian Trujillo was coming over. Brian works in construction and does finish work on residential construction projects. He has offered to help us with the finish carpentry and lay the floor andwas coming over to look at the Tipsy and visit Bunk. Brian is very knowledgeable and will be a terrific asset in helping us move forward on the project. Mike Moore and his electrician, Steve, were here. I got everyone lunch which I don’t do often enough to show appreciation in a very small way. Brian ate lunch with Bunk and they shared stories of their Servite days. You put 2 Servite guys together and you will hear stories of their experiences without fail. I have learned more about Bunk’s Servite days these past 2 years than I ever knew as his mom when he was a student. That is probably a good thing.

Today, we had a LVN coming from 1PM to 9PM so I took the opportunity to plan a trip down to San Diego to visit my Aunt Sully and Uncle Earl. Uncle Earl had been hospitalized and is now in a convalescent facility. It was my first real opportunity to take the time to get down visiting. It had been almost 3 years since I had been down to San Diego. I also went to Coronado to visit my cousin Kathleen and Ray. It was a great respite to visit family. I returned home at 9 PM having left at 12:45 PM. I always pray that I will return home safely and I did just as in my trip to San Francisco.

Bunk was strong and steady. Stephanie Djang worked with Bunk on his physical therapy. It was a good thing I made sure he had lunch as he hadn’t had any dinner when I got home nor did he want any. It had been pouring down rain during my absence (I experienced none down in San Diego) and the electrician had directly experienced a leak in the ceiling over the sink in the kitchen in the Tipsy. It was good it rained when it did and good that someone was standing right in the spot where it was dripping down. The roses loved the rain. Everything looks so fresh after a rain.

God Bless all those doing so much to help bring the Tipsy about and all of you who help in so many ways. Thank you from a grateful family.

We have gotten into a pretty good routine in the morning and where months ago Bunk was getting up at 12 noon or after every day now he is up between 10:30 and 11 am. We are getting there. Today Bunk was up at 10:30. He had some peanut butter toast and milk before Dr. Xi arrived for acupuncture. She found Bunk stronger today as he continues to go through his routines. She now works with him to send messages to his fingers to get them to move.

Larry Honikel brought Holy Communion this afternoon. I had gone to our friend John Winter’s home to return some linens. While there I was airing the house out with the front and back door open when a gust of wind blew the back door closed and the window in the door shattered. So I cleaned up all the glass, called Red to come over to repair it after I got home to relieve him. I got home, Red took off to make things right. I was there when Larry arrived and was grateful for the prayers and Eucharist not only for Bunk but also for me and Red.

Bunk worked on the Power Lung twice today. He talked about increasing his Power Lung sessions from twice a day to three times a day. He watched the Angels and the Lakers. March, April and May are basketball and hockey playoff months with the start up of golf and baseball. The viewing options are many every day.

Things keep progressing little by little and over time there is a cumulative effect that is positive. All things in time.

God Bless.

Bunk was up and at um on the Flexiciser for 40 minutes today. He did e-stim on his abdominals twice and worked out on his Power Lung. A good work out day for Bunk, so much so that you could catch him napping in his wheel chair which is a rarity.

It was busy out at the Tipsy today. The St. Norbert paint crew headed by Leon Arlt with Tom Rausch and Larry Honikel were out doing a great job of painting the trellis over the veranda and other trim. Mike Moore the electrician was here going over the switches and lighting. It was a cooler day which blessed the painters.

I had a call from HillRom, the company that makes “The Vest” which is the vibrating vest that Dr. Lawton prescribed a month’s trial. They will be shipping out the vest and then send a therapist out to instruct us on use. It is quite an expensive item but I am eager to see how it works and how well Bunk tolerates it. A vibrating vest had been recommended to Bunk by the Pulmonologist at Casa Colina.

In the afternoon Bunk and I had a discussion about accessing his computer and his ability to move the mouse around. He had been thinking about Turbo Mouse, a mouse moving ball that he had used at SLDC, and how he could use such a piece of equipment with his mouth stick to be able to move the mouse. Moving the mouse is a major obstacle to utilizing his computer. The Turbo Mouse is Mac friendly. We used his mouth stick on the TV remote to check out its use with a piece of equipment. Placement of items in proximity to Bunk is critical for him to be able to use them with a mouth stick or other tool. We looked up Turbo Mouse on line and the price was very reasonable. We will be having an appointment with Goodwill to move forward on computer aids that will help him. This will be another element to add to the discussion. It would take hardly anything to get but the set up would either make or break it along with skill building in using a mouth stick with the mouse. I hope we are getting closer to getting this all together in a user friendly way.

God Bless.

Bunk’s pressure wound has continued to get smaller and smaller and has become just a dimple. A dressing no longer serves any purpose and today for the first time in over 1 1/2 years I did not put a dressing on his wound. It appears to be totally closed! The wound has been with us for so long that it is hard to believe that we are almost at the end of the road. The visiting nurse comes on Thursday and we’ll get something official but in my view the wound will continue to improve but it is no longer an open wound. A lot of prayers have been said for the healing of Bunk’s wound and here we are. Thank you all!

Bunk was up and on the Flexiciser for 40 minutes today. We have it positioned in the parlor facing a corner window so he looks out the window, listens to his iPod and cycles away. We continue to tend the blisters on his heels that have resulted from his flexiciser. His physical therapist was formerly an athletic trainer and has dealt with many a blister. We will keep them under good care but not let them keep him from his daily routine.

Bunk wanted to increase the resistance on his Power Lung this week. We increased the resistance both for inspiration and expiration. After one cycle on the new settings we had to cut the increased resistance on the expiration down a bit so he could more effectively complete the workout routine.

Bunk has frequently been eating salads for dinner, lettuce, bleu cheese crumbles, salted sunflower seeds, bacon bits, and croutons with gobs of bleu cheese dressing. He loved to eat salads prior to his injury but due to his weakness in swallowing he wasn’t real keen on lettuce. His improved appetite and strength in his neck and muscles of swallowing have reopened the door to salads. Salads are something I can make and he likes. Great news.

Another hot day. Tom Brand brought Bunk Holy Communion when it was already warming up. Bunk was up by 11 AM and Ruben was able to leave by 11:15, a first for a Sunday morning. Consistent with Sunday mornings, Bunk wanted doughnuts and Red will eat doughnuts at any time. Off I went to the doughnut shop, asking the lady to make some frosted nut covered doughnuts to add to my selection, which she kindly did. Now all the Wurth doughnut eaters would be happy.

It was a hot, lazy afternoon. We hung out in the parlor watching television and dozing off and on throughout the early afternoon. Bunk had the best seat in the house. All the windows were open and he had a fan pointed right at him. Kendra and her son Collin stopped on their way home from the Angel Game. (Kendra, we have a red Angel’s baseball that you left behind). What a day for a baseball game. I think Bunk preferred his seat in front of the fan. Marty and Priti also stopped on their way home to San Diego. Friends are such a terrific stimulus for Bunk, just what the Doctor ordered.

Gilbert Salazar joined Bunk for dinner and movies. We had Amanda Wolf’s enchiladas for dinner and Bunk watched his Netflix of The Real Dan and Knocked Up. It is always more enjoyable to watch films with friends as well as family. Bunk weathered the heat all day and through the evening. I don’t think we did any exercise routines today due to the heat. I was pretty slow on the activity scale due to the heat.

A good, relaxing and blessed Sunday.