We'll Miss You Bob

Bob passed away Tuesday morning. He didn't have a very good day on Monday. We had a blood draw at the Oregon Clinic that morning. He complained that he was very weak and was "disgusted" with himself that his body couldn't do what his mind wanted him to (an almost daily complaint these past few weeks.) When we got home from the doctor's office, we had a talk about eating more often and he was going to try harder. When Robert saw him in the late afternoon he was better, but then Bob had a bad night Monday night and woke up not feeling well Tuesday morning. He decided to take a nap around 10:30 but needed Lola's help getting to his bed. Lola was holding him . . . . when he closed his eyes and he was on his way home. Of all the possibilities in leaving this world, isn't that the way we would all like it to happen . . . . in the arms of our loved ones, no fear, no pain? After months of being frustrated with his health, bless his heart, he is finally at peace.

The following video is not the best, but it is one of the last ones I have left of Bob so I decided to share it with all of you who love Bob as much as I do. He was such a sweet, sweet man. My heart hurts. I will truly miss him.

Bob Says Hi Everybody

I told Bob we would try a new video today. He did really well. There's a little bit of camera shake because I was trying so hard not to laugh out loud. Sorry about that.

Oregon Clinic

Yesterday Bob had another cardiologist appointment. His blood pressure has been low the past couple of days so they (yet again) adjusted his medications. We go back again on Friday to see how he's doing on the adjusted medications.

An Interview

Bob was interviewed today by Warren Aney of the Oregon National Guard (if I got his rank, I didn't retain it.) They were doing oral interviews with the surviving members of Bob's Company. He also scanned some photos and took some pictures of documents he thought would be of interest to Oregon National Guard historians. Bob did really well.

Doctor, Doctor

Bob had a cardiologist appointment on Wednesday. I picked Bob & Lola up then dropped Bob off with Robert at the doctor's office. Lola and I went across the street and did some grocery shopping because she didn't go on the bus to Fred Meyer on Tuesday . We had just finished up when Robert called to say they were ready. Bob has either a doctor appointment or a blood draw every ten days. I took these pictures at on one of those appointments.

Haircuts!

Bob was going stir crazy so I picked them up before I had to run a few errands. Our first stop was Dairy Queen for a banana milkshake for Bob and a strawberry sundae for Lola. They enjoyed their treats while I ran into a couple of places to pick some things up. Then, we decided to see about getting haircuts. It was perfect timing . . . we didn't have to wait at all. There were two stylists available to give them their haircuts. I think Lola was closing her eyes so she didn't have to look at the lovely color job on her stylist's hair!

Happy Birthday Lola

Lola's birthday was yesterday. She got some yarn she's been searching for and lemon meringue pie!
Bob was feeling a bit better yesterday also.

Going Home . . . .

Finally . . . Bob gets the okay to go home. . . . . on New Year's Day. He still has a bit of fluid in his lungs but they were confident that he could continue taking his medications and watch his diet and fluid intake at home and hopefully get rid of the rest of the fluid he was retaining. While Bob is waiting for paperwork to be completed, one of his favorite nurses, Charlie, comes to his room to say goodbye and good luck.

Bob finally gets dressed and then has to wait for a wheelchair down to the lobby. While he's waiting, he calls Lola to give her an update.

We took Bob home and then went to track down an open pharmacy to get Bob's six new prescriptions filled. No easy task in the late afternoon on a holiday. Bob has a home health care nurse coming to see him on Wednesday and a cardiologist check up Thursday. He sees his regular doctor at the V.A. next Tuesday.

Hospital Day 7

Bob's seventh day in the hospital found him in a private room! Late afternoon on Sunday, his nurse, Robert, thought Bob should be moved to a private room. Yay!!! He moved from 2G36 to 2G41. Bob didn't realize how "noisy" his first room was until he was moved to a private room. When he was in the first room, 3 roomies came and left while they were trying to figure out what to do with Bob! The last one (Herbert) was 95. He was hard of hearing (his family just talked him into getting hearing aids after years of needing them!) Between the two of them, those couple of days were quite loud. He said he slept better last night. We could tell Bob was feeling quite a bit better today. He was giving the nurses a bad time . . . advising one after the other that they weren't communicating enough!

For some reason, when I was taking pictures, Bob asked me to take a picture of the "wall" with all the stuff on it. Don't know the reason . . . but I did it.

This afternoon the doctor gave Bob a little light at the end of the tunnel. Depending on how he continues to handle the new drugs they're giving him, he might be able to come home Tuesday. We're keeping our fingers crossed. He will most likely come home with new diet instructions, including fluid restrictions and low salt intake. He'll need to keep track of his weight daily which will give an indication of his fluid retention. If he doesn't follow doctors orders . . . he could end up back in the hospital. When Bob questioned whether or not he would remember to weigh himself every day, I asked him if he wanted another hospital stay. Bob answered with a resounding "NO." I think he'll remember to keep track of his weight. . . . and Lola won't let him forget either.

Hospital Day 6

On Sunday, Bob had a colonoscopy and a esophagogastroduedenoscopy (?!? camera/tube to look down his throat into his stomach). They were looking for lesions or a leak or polyps. They found nothing. Bob said it was a relief that he didn't have a disease to worry about. After not eating anything substantial since Saturday afternoon, he was finally able to have a decent meal AND liquids without a thickening agent added to it.

Pat, Annette and Joel came for a visit.

Hospital Day 5

A visit from Lola made Bob feel a whole lot better!

Hospital Day 4

Friday marked Bob's 4th day in the hospital. Blood pressure issues kept doctors from giving him the necessary medicine to help take the fluid off. Still, he was in good spirits.
Randy helped order some dinner for Bob.

Happy Birthday Bob?!

Late Christmas Eve night, Bob had trouble getting his pants off because his knees were swollen. Christmas morning they weren't much better so Robert thought it best to take him to the emergency room at Providence Hospital to get him checked out. After several hours, it was decided he was a keeper and was admitted.

This picture was taken by Robert in the emergency room. When the nurses found out it was Bob's birthday, they made him a special pillow!

Christmas Eve

Christmas Celebration with the Garretts