I wish I had better to news to share with my readers, but my wife Abby has moved from Coal County Memorial Hospital in Coalgate, Oklahoma, to Ballard Nursing Center in Ada, near where we live.
She has shown inconsistent recovery, and a gradual regression in her physical health.
2021 was a very hard year for her, though, oddly, not at all connected to the ongoing worldwide COVID-19 pandemic crisis.
In February, she collapsed during a difficult period of dehydration, followed by a slow recovery.
We were both happy to travel to New Mexico in June, but she struggled with travel and all that involved.
On August 7, Abby fell and broke the head of her left humerus, requiring an emergency room visit. On August 8, she was too weak to stand on her on own due to a urinary tract infection, requiring an ER visit, which resulted in a week’s stay at Mercy Hospital Ada, and about two weeks recovering at CCMH.
Abby came home the Friday before Labor Day, still weak but getting better. Home health care came to see her regularly.
As all this was happening to her physically, her brother-in-law Larry died of COVID-19 in January, her former brother-in-law Tim died in July, and her former mother-in-law Dorothy and her sister Inez died in August.
Abby was excited about attending her family’s annual reunion October 9 and 10, and had a good time there.
She and I hoped to go out to eat for our anniversary October 12, but she was too weak. She got steadily worse as the week wore on, and was admitted to Mercy Hospital again on October 15 with a diagnosis of pneumonia. She was at CCGH from October 21 until today, November 10.
Realistically, I have no concrete expectations about the outcome of this.
Finally, a word about the professional health care providers who treated and cared for Abby. You are in a great and noble profession, despite the often difficult circumstances you face both in treated so many patients with COVID-19 infection, to the completely unforgivable abuse you might have faced by those ignorant of how medicine, and especially vaccines, work. You are heroes and hard workers, and deserve thanks.
Do the restrictions at Ballard prevent you from going into her room yourself?
Yes, at the moment, but it wasn’t a bad visit. We could hear each other just fine and she got a big kick out of seeing her dog.
Richard and Abby,
My heart goes out to you both as you go through this transition. I know you’ll adjust, but it’s hard, and I know you would prefer to be together.
Abby, I wish you excellent care and recovery, and Richard, I wish you the strength and grace to manage all you must do during this difficult time.