Post by Kristen Gamauf on Oct 23, 2005 21:19:51 GMT -5
DAY 20 AT EDWIN SHAW
Hi everyone. I'll start tonight's post by saying that I am sad to report my Grandma's oldest sister passed away. Our Aunt Zilda had been fighting Alzheimer's and dementia for the last several years. It is a long, slow demise with this disease. Her husband, Bus Dorland, and her family, have had a rough time the last several years. Our hearts go out to them tonight.
A little something about my Uncle Bus (actually my great-uncle):
You ever know someone so selfless and caring that you know you'll only meet a few people in the course of your life like that? Well, Bus is one of those. He has served his country, community, and loving wife and exemplifies the type of person everyone should strive to be. To put it in perspective, what we've been doing for Mike the last two months, Uncle Bus has been doing for Zilda for about five years in trips to the home where she has lived in Medina. We will miss her, and I wish God to give Uncle Bus strength to make it though this difficult time. We love you and your family.
Bus and Zilda live two houses up from my Grandma & Grandpa Hoyt, and as kids we'd always meander up that way and visit. As life got busier and we got older, we'd see them at assorted Carlton family gatherings. I know that Aunt Zilda's presence will be missed by all of us.
Today Mike looked quite alright. His mammoth appetite was indicative of his desire to return to the pre-injury Mike. He eats like a horse. In fact, before we left tonight, he was bothering us to get him some macaroni and cheese, but since they don't have that at 8:30 at night, he settled for a milkshake (which he had already had one).
Mike had a lot of visitors and a lot of gifts. Uncle Gary brought him a Corvette Racing screen-printed wall poster, one small one for his hospital room, and a giant one saying, "Welcome Race Fans!," for his door at home.
Aunt Jennifer and Mike's cousin Elise brought him a Tetras handheld game.
My mom's good friend Lorie and her husband Rick stopped by. They brought Mike an autographed, personalized, Cavaliers Girls dance team 15 month calendar. Lorie and Rick's daughter Nicole is on the team. Lorie even hinted on a few of the girls coming down to see Mike. I'll post a link to where you can buy the calendar below. If you know a young man who might like one for a Christmas gift, or even if you are a perverted old guy, I am sure Rick will really appreciate more people seeing his daughter's picture...!
www.nba.com/cavaliers/news/calendar_release_051013.html
None-the-less, Mike was shocked and excited to see that. Kurt arrived later, and he was shocked and excited to see that. I am sure word will get around to Mike's buds when that visit will be occurring. Of course, I'll have to keep it on the down-low so we don't get a mob of people stopping by Edwin Shaw to see the girls!
Other than that, Mike enjoyed his Sunday off. The nurses love him. When he asked for a milkshake, he mentioned that his buddy (Kurt) would like one too if that was possible (because he did and Kurt is a king of mooching!). Mike asked this with a big grin on his face and his nurse just grinned back. She brought two out! They love him. He is polite and sweet, never tries to escape, and it pays off. You can't help but like him.
His roommate, Tim, is a friendly fella in his late forties who suffered an aneurysm awhile back. He is unfortunately not progressing as well as Mike mentally but likes to chat. He is very funny. Most the time he sounds like he makes sense, except he makes up stories and doesn't know who he is talking about. He gets lonely. But Tim is notorious for escaping!! Any way he can, he figures out how to get out of his wheel chair or net bed! They make him wear an ankle bracelet that sounds an alarm when he gets past the door. I think he tripped that thing ten times while I was there. We joke and tell Mike that if he ever feels he needs to escape just watch what Tim does! Tim tries to charm us into letting him out of his net bed. "Hey, I tip well, any takers?" he says, and then, "I can't believe no one took me up on that!" We just laugh and tell him we'd get in trouble if we let him out.
Anyways, it seems that misfortune and loss strikes all the time. We are so lucky that Mike is doing so miraculous. But there are plenty of other folks going through much harder things. I have to get ready for this week now.
Oh, and I'll put some pictures of my totally wicked Halloween costume in the photo album sometime here. Along with a picture of Mike playing pool with his cousins in the community room today. He made one ball in shooting with his weak arm, and played for about 15 minutes. Next Sunday, we'll see how much better he's gotten. I have my bets placed that he will do much better by then. Our family is hoping for a Thanksgiving homecoming for Michael, and like Gary says, what a wonderful Thanksgiving that will be. But if he needs more time, then there's always Mike's birthday (Dec. 7th) or Christmas.
Hi everyone. I'll start tonight's post by saying that I am sad to report my Grandma's oldest sister passed away. Our Aunt Zilda had been fighting Alzheimer's and dementia for the last several years. It is a long, slow demise with this disease. Her husband, Bus Dorland, and her family, have had a rough time the last several years. Our hearts go out to them tonight.
A little something about my Uncle Bus (actually my great-uncle):
You ever know someone so selfless and caring that you know you'll only meet a few people in the course of your life like that? Well, Bus is one of those. He has served his country, community, and loving wife and exemplifies the type of person everyone should strive to be. To put it in perspective, what we've been doing for Mike the last two months, Uncle Bus has been doing for Zilda for about five years in trips to the home where she has lived in Medina. We will miss her, and I wish God to give Uncle Bus strength to make it though this difficult time. We love you and your family.
Bus and Zilda live two houses up from my Grandma & Grandpa Hoyt, and as kids we'd always meander up that way and visit. As life got busier and we got older, we'd see them at assorted Carlton family gatherings. I know that Aunt Zilda's presence will be missed by all of us.
Today Mike looked quite alright. His mammoth appetite was indicative of his desire to return to the pre-injury Mike. He eats like a horse. In fact, before we left tonight, he was bothering us to get him some macaroni and cheese, but since they don't have that at 8:30 at night, he settled for a milkshake (which he had already had one).
Mike had a lot of visitors and a lot of gifts. Uncle Gary brought him a Corvette Racing screen-printed wall poster, one small one for his hospital room, and a giant one saying, "Welcome Race Fans!," for his door at home.
Aunt Jennifer and Mike's cousin Elise brought him a Tetras handheld game.
My mom's good friend Lorie and her husband Rick stopped by. They brought Mike an autographed, personalized, Cavaliers Girls dance team 15 month calendar. Lorie and Rick's daughter Nicole is on the team. Lorie even hinted on a few of the girls coming down to see Mike. I'll post a link to where you can buy the calendar below. If you know a young man who might like one for a Christmas gift, or even if you are a perverted old guy, I am sure Rick will really appreciate more people seeing his daughter's picture...!
www.nba.com/cavaliers/news/calendar_release_051013.html
None-the-less, Mike was shocked and excited to see that. Kurt arrived later, and he was shocked and excited to see that. I am sure word will get around to Mike's buds when that visit will be occurring. Of course, I'll have to keep it on the down-low so we don't get a mob of people stopping by Edwin Shaw to see the girls!
Other than that, Mike enjoyed his Sunday off. The nurses love him. When he asked for a milkshake, he mentioned that his buddy (Kurt) would like one too if that was possible (because he did and Kurt is a king of mooching!). Mike asked this with a big grin on his face and his nurse just grinned back. She brought two out! They love him. He is polite and sweet, never tries to escape, and it pays off. You can't help but like him.
His roommate, Tim, is a friendly fella in his late forties who suffered an aneurysm awhile back. He is unfortunately not progressing as well as Mike mentally but likes to chat. He is very funny. Most the time he sounds like he makes sense, except he makes up stories and doesn't know who he is talking about. He gets lonely. But Tim is notorious for escaping!! Any way he can, he figures out how to get out of his wheel chair or net bed! They make him wear an ankle bracelet that sounds an alarm when he gets past the door. I think he tripped that thing ten times while I was there. We joke and tell Mike that if he ever feels he needs to escape just watch what Tim does! Tim tries to charm us into letting him out of his net bed. "Hey, I tip well, any takers?" he says, and then, "I can't believe no one took me up on that!" We just laugh and tell him we'd get in trouble if we let him out.
Anyways, it seems that misfortune and loss strikes all the time. We are so lucky that Mike is doing so miraculous. But there are plenty of other folks going through much harder things. I have to get ready for this week now.
Oh, and I'll put some pictures of my totally wicked Halloween costume in the photo album sometime here. Along with a picture of Mike playing pool with his cousins in the community room today. He made one ball in shooting with his weak arm, and played for about 15 minutes. Next Sunday, we'll see how much better he's gotten. I have my bets placed that he will do much better by then. Our family is hoping for a Thanksgiving homecoming for Michael, and like Gary says, what a wonderful Thanksgiving that will be. But if he needs more time, then there's always Mike's birthday (Dec. 7th) or Christmas.