Getting Home

The rehab joint was not the last step. Upon arriving at home I was contacted by "Home Care" and set up several appointments with PT ( physical therapy), OT (occupational therapy), nursing and bathing. Each called and appointments were set based on my calendar. Each is helpful and appreciated. PT helps with stiff exercises and walking. OT helps with everyday tasks I need to take care of myself, i.e. dressing and transfers to bed, toilet and auto. Nursing helps witn necessary medications, vitals and residual wound care. All of these are covered by insurance.

And then there are those that are not covered. These are the companions that deal with round-the-clock care, helping with dressing, medications, shopping and food preparation. These are short term helpers that soon will not be necessary. I've become very independent and have even started to drive.

Hospitals

For the most part, hospitals are terrible places. Then there are the nurses and techs who continually check their watches Some are mean and incapable pf soing their jobs.Much of the food is awful. I was in a good one, Kennestone in marietta. The doctors were wonderful, and I had many of them testing and checking on me. I was admitted by a nephrologist and also seen by cardiology, pulmonogy and wound care.

I went in because my legs had too much edema in them. As they added more and more diuretics the balancing stopped working and my kidneys were turning off. I wound up on dialysis. They worked very hard prevent that, but in the end, I had to accept the situation.

The next stop was Golden Living, a rehab facility in dunwoody. The  plaxe looked nice and was very ckean, but the situation with the staff was worse than the hospital. I really needed the physical and occupational therapy. Four weeks on my back caused my muscles to lose their tone. The therapists were exceptional. I'm walking agaain with an assist such as a walker or cane, and  I'm thrilled to be home.

Dialysis

I know it's been a while; haven't written word since before Halloween. Again I spent too much time in the hospital and in rehab. In fact, I probably came out a little to prematurely as I'm still weak and need to use a walker. But I feel great and am ready to move on.

I had been back and forth with the Heart Failure clinic at Kennestone. Either I was retaining too much fluid or taking too much diuretics. My system could no longer do a balancing act and my kidneys were failing. I was admitted to Kennestone Hospital near the end of October. They are never satisfied with having one department seeing me, in this case Nephrology. I quickly had visits from Cardiolgy and Pulmanology as well as Diabetic care. All signs pointed toward dialysis, and by the end of the year I was there.

Fortunately I've had no problems with dialysis although it does take up a lot of my time. I go Tuesday,Thursday and Saturday mornings at 7:45, and I'm usually out by 11.

50 Years

What a weekend! Friday morning Rollie and I flew to Chicago. We had come for my 50 year high school reunion from Senn High on the north side of the city. Our first stop was at Max and Bennies, a deli in Deerfield where we brunched with dear friends Ronnie and Fern. From there we checked in at the Westin hotel near O'hare airport and enjoyed real luxury.

Our first party was Friday dinner near the hotel where I started to recognize several people I hadn't seen in 50 years.It was very exciting. Most I didn't recognize. Those that I did showed their age. Overall, too many, mostly women showed very little vanity. I thought they wanted to look old.

Saterday was very special. After brunch we visited my younger brother. He's in a home, an ailing deaf double amputee. His attitude was great. He lives in half of a small room with a bed, a wheelchair, a desk and a TV. He eats in a dining room with other residents. His chances of ever leaving are nil.

Saturday evening was great, the major event of the reunion. Everyone had a badge with the photo from the 1962 yearbook. This helped me recognize many more people. The food, service and entertainment were top drawer. One of my highlights was reuniting with a lady I've known since we were toddlers. She lives in Phoenix, We played many summers in Lake Geneva, we dated several times, celebrated each other's weddings and newborns and have stayed in touch.

Sunday morning we had a wonderful brunch and a chance to say goodbye. See you in ten. What a weekend!

Chops

Rollie and I belong to The Ultimate Dining Card of Buckhead Life Restaurants. The card gives us a $25 credit at any of their eateries: The Atlanta Fish Market, Bistro Niko, Buckhead Diner, Chops Lobster Bar, Kyma, Pricci and Veni Vidi Vici. Monday evening we dined at Chops steakhouse upstairs of the Lobster Bar. Chops is pricey. The food, atmosphere and service are worth the price. We shared a lettuce wedge covered with fresh blue cheese, a 26 oz. porterhouse, rare, green beans and their special crispy hash browns. Before dinner Rollie enjoyed a gin martini, extra dry, straight up with blue cheese stuffed olives and I had s special Margarita. We've been members for several years and eaten at all their locations. We can't do this very often. When the occasion warrants the reward is special

Indian Lunch

I greatly enjoyed lunch today at Haveli Indian Cuisine at 490 Franklin Rd SE, Marietta, GA on the northwest corner of Lower Loop 120 at Franklin. It was my first experience there, and I'm sure I'll be back. I tried dishes for the first time: Mutton Curry, Goat meat (with bones) cooked in our sauce, Daal Makhani, Lentils cooked with spices & herbs in creamy sauce, Raita, Whipped yogort with tomatoes & cucumbers, Onion Chutney, Garlic Naan, Indian bread, Chicken Tikka Masala, Diced tandoori chicken in creamy sauce, Cheesy Spinach, with Indian Rice Pudding for dessert. There were so many items I wanted to try so I put a spoon full of each on my plate, passed on the spicy and enjoyed almost everything. Highly recommended.

Atlanta Metro hosts many ethnic eateries, Mediterranean, Greek, Italian. Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Mexican, Cuban......... I've yet to find a good German restaurant, but I'm still looking.

My Brother Jack

There has been little in my blog about my brother Jack.Growing up in Chicago, we shared a bedroom, went to the same schools. We had few friends in common. As a matter of fact, we were opposites. I had many friends and was always interested in baseball, high school band, fishing and photography.  He had friends but did not share my interests.We spent our summers in Wisconsin, both having a wonderful time.

After high schol, I was awarded a state scholarship and was very excited about college where I did well. Jack had no such interest and went to work. Soon he was married while I was enjoying teaching and grad school. Afterwords , I too went to work and got married. We each had children and unfortunately, they hardly knew each other. His two sons finished high school and went to work while each of my three have each finished graduate school. I have no idea why we chose such different paths. He is a good husband and father and always seemed happy. We are just different.

About ten years ago, Jack fell ill and was soon required to live in a rest home where he could get daily care. We speak as often as possible and I stay in contact with his wife and children. I love and miss my brother.

Never Alone

The seats were filled. Around me I saw many friends, many that I hadn't seen since last Rosh Hashanah. It became obvious that there were many fathers in the crowd. I think that's wonderful, but I was jealous. Where was mine? My father would be 98. He passed 40 years ago. How many high holidys have I celebrated without him? There's a lot of sorrow here, but no anger. He didn't choose to get big C, it just happened. I sometimes get this same feeling at morning minyan. What would it be like if he were putting on Tefellin with me? I can tell you. It would be a fabulous dream. My family is mostly gone. Only my wife and children are left to pray with..

I'm really very lucky, surrounded by my wife and a load of friends, many of which have stood by me as I've healed. May Hashem bless and inscribe them for another year of apples and honey.

Life

L' Shanah Tovah

TO FRIENDS AND FAMILY,     May your hair, your teeth, your face-lift, your abs, and your stocks not fall .   And may your blood pressure, your triglycerides, your cholesterol, your white blood count and your mortgage interest not rise.   May you get a clean bill of health from your dentist, your dermatologist, your cardiologist, your gastroenterologist, your urologist, your proctologist, your podiatrist, your psychiatrist, your plumber, and the Taxman.    May you find a way to travel from anywhere to anywhere during rush hour in less than an hour, and when you get there may you find a parking space.    May this Yom Tov, find you seated around the dinner table, together with your beloved family and cherished friends, ushering in the Jewish New Year ahead.   May what you see in the mirror delight you, and what others see in you delight them.     May the telemarketers wait to make their sales calls until you finish dinner, may your checkbook and your budget balance, and may they include generous amounts for charity.    May you remember to say "I love you" at least once a day to your partner, your child, and your parent(s). You can say it to your secretary, your nurse, your butcher, your photographer, your masseuse, your seamstress, your hairdresser or your gym instructor, but not with a "twinkle" in your eye.   May we live as intended, in a world at peace with the awareness of the beauty in every sunset, every flower's unfolding petals, every baby's smile and every wonderful, astonishing, miraculous part of ourselves.    Bless you with every happiness, great health, peace and much love during the next year and all those that follow. Lifted from Fred Taylor

Shabat Shalom

Gunslinger

Peace to All

What -- Me Worry!

Sighhh!!!

Chana & Penina

Golly, it's quiet here. My family has gone home, daughter Kerry, son in law Evan and granddaughters Chana (4) and Penina (5). My dog is walking around looking for her friends. Who's going to sneak her food, pet her and show her the juvenile love that any dog would love. The kitchen is getting back to normal without the foods and sippy cups, I can almost get into the fridge, Can you imagine what it's like to open the door to two extra gallons of milk, bottles of apple and grape juice and out-of-place leftovers. I even have my office back, the escape all for me and my dog. The girls slept in here. I could hear them getting into everything in there. Fortunately they didn't break the TV or the DVD player. I'd like to know how they figured that machine out when I need help to use it. And they didn't screw up my computer too much. I wonder how long it will take me to get rid of the kids' stuff left behind.

Am I complaining? Not about the noise, the mess and the crap left behind. It's just too quiet around here, and I miss my grandbabies. They make me feel wonderful and proud of the legacy I'll leave behind.

Mitt

Mitticulous means that what Romney does is thoroughly ridiculous yet in its own way very precise — that is to say, Romney is literally “meticulous” in his inanity.

Good Shabbos

I just witnessed something beautiful. It's Friday evening just before Shabbos and my daughter, Kerry, visiting from Toledo is preparing to light Shabbos candles with three year old Chana and four old Penina, The girls' excitement is overwhelmed by their sincerity. It's so obvious that this festival is a weekly highlight for them. Even Chana is given a lighted match to light a candle with. Penina follows suit. They continuously ask, "Is it Shabbos yet." And as soon as they're told "It's time," they turn off the TV's, showing the appropriate respect.

These are the same girls who have little attention span. They're loud, always asking questions, always playing.
Their lack of attention span and obvious love for each other work well together. They seldom go to bed at a reasonable time. They're about the same size as our dog, Mandie and my daughter Stephanie's Harley. Still the dogs wait for them to get up and are as eager to play as the kids, but tire more easily.

Shame

"Numerous states under Republican control have passed strict voter identification laws. Pennsylvania, Texas, Indiana, Kansas, Tennessee and Georgia require specific kinds of ID; the laws in Michigan, Florida, South Dakota, Idaho and Louisiana are only slightly more flexible. Wisconsin’s law was struck down by a state court. Ticking off Republican achievements in Pennsylvania’s House of Representatives, their legislative leader, Mike Turzai, extolled in a talk last month that “voter ID . . . is gonna allow Governor Romney to win the state of Pennsylvania.”   By Harold Meyerson, Published: July 24, Washington Post

What is wrong with our nation! How is it that too many states have enacted laws that make it difficult, or impossible, for minorities and other less able citizens to cast a vote? Voter fraud in the US is negligible. The real motive is to elect Romney. Shame on the villains. If we see through this bull, so will the Supreme Court.

Lunch at Ray's

Monday noon Rollie and I were invited to a luncheon of condo owners. The setting was new to us and it was wonderful, Rays on the River in Sandy Springs. We drove up to complementary valet parking and uniformed attendants. Ray's is pricey, and in my opinion, worth every penny. I've been enjoying martinis for many years. The problem is they're mediocre. My choice is Beefeater gin, extra dry and straight up with olives. It was a large martini, and it was great. I chased my drink with Southern Shrimp and Grits, a little spices but very good. Rollie had a monstrous salad surrounded with Calamari.

We've been to wonderful restaurants all over Atlanta for 25 years. Ray's is one of the best, and I'm sure we'll be back. It is located at 6700 Powers Ferry Road.

Farwell Andy

Will the Real Ten Stand UP!

Tomorrow sundown starts the Jewish holiday of Shavuos. This day is the anniversary of the day Moses and the whole Jewish People received, on Mt. Sinai, the Ten Commandments from G-d. We've been waiting for this day since the second day of Passover. That's 49 days ago, and we've been counting down each day since them. The practice is called the "Counting of the Omer," an omer measure of barley, the idea of counting each day represents spiritual preparation and anticipation for the giving of the Torah.

Tomorrow is special to me for another reason. It is our custom to go to our synagogue late tomorrow evening and study all night. Some of us make it until four or five in the morning, praying, talking, eating and partaking in l'chiams. Those of us that make it reward ourselves and our drunkenness with breakfast.

L'chiam!

Farwell Aunt Jean

Sixty six years ago my family went to Turkey Run, a resort in Indiana. With us was my parents' good friend, Aunt Jean.She was a fun loving single young woman. As we walked past small animal cages, She would tell me about the animals until we got to one and I blurted out "raccoon." I was two, precocious and wouldn't shut up.

That was the start. She was always a very intelligent, wonderful and close friend. She was an x-marine and had served several years on Guam during the war. She and my father took flying lessons together. I guess that's why I always wanted to learn to fly.  One of the first things I did after I earned my license was to take my father up. I was sad when Aunt Jean got married and moved to Denver. Later on when traveling for business I visited her as often as possible. She loved to travel and went on a new venture every year up to about ten years ago when age had slowed he down. Jean ,made a point of flying to Chicago for my childrens' bar and bat mitzvahs and to Atlanta for Aaron's and Kerry's weddings. She spent her last years in a home in Denver where she had many friends. In the end, she suffered from a persistent staff infection and severe neuropathy. I called her often over the years.

Aunt Jean passed last Wednesday. We will miss her.

Home Again

March 16 was the day I left the rehab center and came home. As son as I arrived, I put the last two years behind me. Moving around the house was easy for me, albeit using a cane as much as possible and backed up by a walker and wheel chair. Grooming and dressing are not a problem and nothing ever kept me away from the table.

I had several doctor appointments for which hiring a driver was necessary at $60 or $70 a round trip. This certainly could not continue. I bought a car, a new Hundai Elantra. It has everything imaginable on it and is fun to drive. So far, I've been to four doctors, the airport and out to dinner with My Prize.

No more falls!

Road to Wellness

Here I am again, just finishing up rehab at the beautyful DelMar Gardens in Smyrna GA. It's been a rough two years. In July 2010, I had a bad fall resulting in a compound fracture of my right foot, ankle and leg. After several surgeries, the doctors ran countless tests on my heart, lungs and kidneys, only lenghthing my hospital stay. I was transferred twice to two smaller and less intensive hospitals. I was transferred to a rehab center the end of October. My muscle tone was all but gone. After two months I was back in the hospital for one more surgery to fuse the bones in my foot and ankle. Back to another rehab center, I stayed until April fourth, our fortieth anniversary. I lived out of a wheelchair and had to learn to eat, wash, dress and walk all over again.

In June, I fell again, suffering a bad gash, again in my right leg and had to spend two months in out patient wound care. And in September, I fell again and injured my left arm, no stitches, just a mess. Life was smooth for a while until I was told I needed a correction to the leads on my pacemaker resulting in heart surgery through my ribs. I was weak again, and compounded with a mishap getting into a car, I'm on the ment. Physical therapy is helping. I'm starting to walk again without a walker.