Leaving today!

Steve's stay is being changed from an admission to observation, which means we're leaving sometime this afternoon.

The general agreement is that he has some sort of respiratory virus -- maybe bronchitis -- along with asthma. He has done well with the oxygen and has had just one breathing treatment while here.

The great thing about this stay is that a wonderful physical therapist and later an occupational therapist came by with modifications and suggestions to help Steve get around better.

(Ironically, we had a home health PT visit scheduled for Wednesday that had to be rescheduled because of Steve's transfusion. We rescheduled it for this morning, which of course, had to be canceled.)

Steve will be leaving today with a walker and some tools to make little tasks easier (putting on socks, bathing, picking up his slow leg).

We'll also leave with small tank of oxygen and should have one delivered to the house later today.

He won't need oxygen all the time, but it does seem to have a good effect on his coughing and breathing. The rounding oncologist and I talked about how it would be good to have, and she agreed to prescribe it. We are so fortunate to have insurance that covers home oxygen regardless of pulse-oxygen levels -- as long as a doctor prescribes it, our policy will cover it.

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No hospital stay would be complete without a great behind-the-scenes support staff. This includes:

• Julie, who met us at the ER, kept us company and left us treats
• Will, who arrived just after Julie left, bringing dinner and more laughter than we've had in weeks (entertainment included games of Hangman and dancing)
• Betty and Uncle Jim, who brought good cheer into the ER, and along with Jim have taken excellent care of Cooper, Katie & Margie
• Mary, who arrived just after Will left, and helped us settle into the room and left us treats
• Layne, who brought me a coffee and oatmeal on his way to work
• Pastor Andy, who visited this morning
• Melane, who left work for a few hours to visit
• Holly, who brought cupcakes and hugs from Frisco friends
• Zita, who brought lunch and muffins
• Jim, who is here now, waiting for Steve's release
• Bledsoe staff, who is keeping an eye on Cooper today
• The many, many friends who offered help, prayers and calls