I wanted to write a book, but. . .

Tommy and I started on this journey many years ago, only I didn't recognize it at the time.  Over the past years, he has had many spine surgeries.  Then two years ago he was diagnosed with "microvascular disease of the brain", or as I learned later, vascular dementia.  Before the year was out, he had his sixth spinal surgery, this time cervical spine, to fuse C3 to C4.  (He already had a cage at C 3-7).

The surgery had some unexpected complications.  First, because this was the third surgery going through basically the same spot, his throat muscles and nerves became inflamed, and he was not able to swallow anything thicker than water.  So we had to have a gastric feeding tube inserted.

Secondly, the anesthesia and medication caused him to become extremely disoriented and confused.  He knew me and our children and grandchildren, but he had no idea where he was, what was going on, wanted to get out of bed -- well, you get the picture.

He was in the hospital 16 days and was transferred to a skilled nursing facility 3 days before Christmas, still extremely confused, unable to walk, unable to take care of any of his basic needs.

After he was released from the nursing facility, we began the journey of caring for him at home.  While we were living through all of this, I learned so much about caring for him, for me, dealing with health care professionals, figuring out insurance, that I kept saying, "I need to write a book".

With our schedule, I know I will not have time to do that, so I decided I would start sharing some of what I have learned through this blog.  I don't know how many people will read it, or comment on it, but I believe God has led me to begin this.

I plan to post at least twice a week, and perhaps more often than that as I have ideas and time.

I welcome your ideas and thoughts - God bless you all.