Today we went shopping at 8:00am. I arranged our schedule so that right when the stores opened we were there, less people and less germs. We hooked Bryan's oxygen up to the portable tank and he was on his way. We of course had his 2nd dose of NAC and Emergencee before we left. Bryan said when he woke up, I feel pretty good, lets try and move my oxygen down to 1.5 as he was getting ready. Every now and then I saw him take off his nose tube and walk around without it. So I figured he can easily grab it if he needs it. We got in the truck and Bryan was soooooo excited to be "kind of" normal. He of course wanted to drive his TRUCK and he didn't wear his oxygen, but we had it close by incase he needed some air.
We went to Wal-Mart, Natural Grocers and Costco to get Vitamins and then chik Fil A for breakfast burritos. We went to the temple and sat and watched the construction going on. Everytime we get Chik Fil A we go to the temple for our dinner at the temple.
It was so good to be with my husband and see him starting to feel more normal. It's crazy when things like this happens you have a greater appreciation for your loved ones. Bryan was so excited to start feeling better and had so much hope and faith in these supplements. I silently made a promise to Heavenly Father that with the knowledge that I have gained from my brother I would do all I could do to help others that get this nasty Virus.
Today Bryan has been doing a little bit better. It's so hard to watch him as he recovers. I get nervous when I see his number on his oximeter go down or when I see him run to the room to lay on his stomach or when I hear him say, "man my chest feels tight". The first time I heard him say that out loud, I messaged his nurse Natalie and she said if you have any worries, just take him into the ER to be checked. She also said, "A tight chest and shallow breathes are NOT good". She also sent me some info to read and just to give me more knowledge. He is still on oxygen and going between 2.5-2 liters.
We had a wonderful visit and he stayed for about 4 hours just talking and sharing knowledge. It was so good to see him. I gave Bryan his first dose of NAC and Emergencee and he went to bed (on the couch recliner with his oxygen in his nose). I am still sleeping in Sydnee's room and checking on Bryan a few times during the night.
This morning I had a prayer of thanks to my Heavenly Father and thanked him for my mom and her example to me of being such a great caregiver to my dad. I prayed to allow my mom to be with me during this time of taking care of Bryan so she can guide me of what to do for his care. I am still sleeping in Sydnee's room, I'm a little paranoid of getting this virus. I am so scared because I know that my lungs aren't totally 100% and I know what it feels like when I can't take deep breaths from my allergy induced asthma. So Bryan is sleeping on the couch in a sit up position with his oxygen at 2 liters.
Bryan woke up pretty tired and congested. He got in the shower and blew lots of black gunk out of his nose. He laid on the bed on his stomach and I had the thought to use the massage gun on his back and lower back and butt to increase blood flow while we listened to the Tabernacle Choir. After using the gun I went to the opposite side of the bed and grabbed the lotion to put some on his feet. (Bryan does NOT like people to rub his feet) So I grabbed one foot an put lotion on and rubbed into the dry skin. While rubbing it in I had a thought come into my mind that I should look up reflexology and concentrate in the areas of the lungs to help strengthen his lungs.
Bryan said that he was asked by the nurse if he knew anyone that had COVID and recovered? He told him yes, my sister-in-law and she has cancer as well, so I should make a good recovery if she could recover. He asked who his sister was and he said, "Tia Stokes". The nurse said, "Oh my gosh, everyone on this floor follows her and watches her" Bryan texted me and said, "Weird, everyone here follows Tia". He was amazed.
Bryan was very anxious while in the hospital. The first few days he was just wanting to come home and when the Dr. came in and said he will be staying till the end of the week, he was devastated. He called and told me that he didn't have Pneumonia and they want to continue watching that he doesn't develop Pneumonia. So he asked me to send him some clean garments because he gets to shower. When he first got in the hospital I told him I would send him a change of clothes and garments and he told me NO!!! I am NOT staying here very long and I am NOT moving in. So for him to ask for clean garments, made me laugh. Then he complained about his BUTT hurting from sitting so much, so I made arrangements with Mark Dewey who works at the hospital to drop a pillow off to him.
Bryan said that while in the hospital he saw another older man across the hall from him that came in shortly after him and then a few days later he was leaving. He asked the nurse, where the man was going and he said he's going home. Bryan was so surprised and he said, "HOW?" The nurse said he is down to 2 liters of oxygen, when you get there you will get to go home. He then asked him, "How did he move down to 2 liters? NOBODY has come in here to move mine down?" Bryan then took it upon himself to go to the wall and turn the dial to 4 liters.
He was blessed with another TENDER MERCY with having Fabian Ortiz wife, Natalie be his nurse for 2 days. It was nice to have someone who knew Bryan personally and someone that cared for him and not just a number or name on a file. She helped ween him down the oxygen. She allowed him to walk and go to the bathroom on his own down the hall. She also called him "REBEL" because he was doing everything he could to get out of the hospital.
I received a call from the Social Worker to check on me at home. ANOTHER TENDER MERCY - I answered and it was Nichole Sorenson Hayden. Oh my goodness, another person who knew Bryan and cared for him as well. It was so good to visit with her and feel her love.
The day Bryan was going to come home I received another phone call from the hospital to go over everything, it was another person I knew!! TENDER MERCY - it was Adam Cheney (he was in my mom's ward and an actor in a few shows that I have been to) He told me, "I know you but you probably don't know me," I knew him and was excited it was another connection on this journey. ABSOLUTELY NO COINCIDENCES!
It was the longest night ever!!! I got out of bed at 3:30am and went into the living room and stared at the Christmas Tree and cried and continued to PRAY with all that I had in me. I prayed that Bryan would be able to rest and breath and heal his body. I prayed till about 6:00pm and then I posted on facebook's Worldwide Unified page that I needed prayers for my sweet husband. Please pray that his lungs will remain clear and that he would be able to rest. I got call from my sister Irene and she said that she was on her way over to my house to be with me. She arrived with Starbucks for me and Syd and Cec and the babies. We talked and hugged and just hung out. I sure needed her visit more than I thought I did. I love when people become ministering angels.
"Hi Beautiful - I am doing great! Crazy story, at 4:00am a nurse came in and wanted to give me a sleeping pill but I told her that my wife is praying for me to sleep well so I will go with that. I fell asleep and just woke up, thanks for your prayers. I am doing better. They want to keep me in here till Thursday to keep an eye on me that I don't get pnuemonia"
Irene went to the hospital and dropped off tacos and a card but Bryan said that he wasn't able to eat them for lunch because his blood sugar was so high. We couldn't understand what was making his bloodsugar in the 400's. They figured it was the steroid. But they gave Bryan so much insulin but it wasn't doing anything for him. They figured he was Insulin resistant which is worse than Diabetic, if you don't take care of it. (Tender mercy we found that out) We figured out after the fact that the steroid was causing his blood sugar to spike.
About 5:30am Cambria came up with Vera to see the Christmas tree and to see what Santa brought since this was going to be our Christmas morning.
It's Christmas Morning and I am at Cambria and Jeff's house watching their family open their presents with Nancy and Jason Hauck and missing my husband so much. Bryan called and asked me to come home and change places with Sydnee because it broke his heart to see her by herself on Christmas Day. I came home and switched places with Syd. Cecilee came and picked her up to go and shop and have fun. This will be such a memorable Christmas holiday. It's funny how all of my planning for this family holiday really DOES NOT MATTER AT THIS TIME. I planned for all the traditions to be kept with PJ's and Ornaments and fun activities and food, but it has all changed because of Bryan's Covid and I am really OK with it. AALLLLL THAT MATTERS IS ThAT my husband makes a full recovery.
It is now 7 days since his test results, but we know he started showing signs on that Thursday possibly Friday, so he is at 8-9 days. He was starting to feel a little better, so we started making plans for the kids to come over and spend the night in the basement tomorrow, Dec. 26th and we can have our Christmas Eve traditions and then Sunday morning open presents as in Christmas Morning.
The kids came over on Saturday, Dec. 26th about 4:00pm we all visited in the backyard with Bryan and then someone had the idea to start heating the hot tub and go to the park and let the kids ride their bikes and everyone else play pickle ball. So we all went to the park, after bundling Bryan up with his mask and jacket and gloves, he and I just sat and watched like old people admiring our family. So full of love and pride for this family of ours that we created together. This is exactly what CHRISTMAS IS ALL ABOUT! Being with FAMILY and LOVE.
We finished at the park and went home and did dinner and pj's and changed into swimsuits to get into the hot tub. The little's were so excited!!!! Bryan and I sat bundled in blankets and jackets watching our children and grandchildren again. But it was the best seeing all of them together and having a blast!!!
