F
FriendForLife
WOW! What a wonderful group of people you all are! I am ever so grateful for all of the advice I have received here. I have already taken care of some of the items... We replaced the glider with a more stable, but still comfortable, chair from our living room. I have purchased several cases of bottled water, some pill boxes, extra pairs of button up the front pajamas for her & another extra set of sheets in case she sweats through the ones on her bed.
Her bed is a double bed, but very low. She has slept in it before and concurs that it will be easier to get into and out of than her own bed at home. I will put one of our baby monitors in her room (we have several!) and I am also borrowing some walkie-talkies. I can wear mine on my belt and she will have hers with her...she can call me if she needs me and I'm not in the room with her.
We live in Minnesota....cold! But we live right in the city of Minneapolis, so we have sidewalks and "destinations" (ie. coffee shop and deli) within 2 blocks. She is hoping those will give her a goal.
Debbie and I have been friends since I was 2 and she was 3. This is her 4th open heart surgery, but her last one was 30 years ago when she was 5! She is in incredibly good shape....an outdoorswoman and athlete. So hopefully this will aid her in her recovery. She is a vegetarian, also, so she will be subjected to some new recipes that I've never tried before. I will buy tons of fresh fruit and yogurt...she loves smoothies.
I've got some other things to do in the next couple of days to prepare for her....pick up a shower stool from my mom (she had half of her lung removed a couple of years ago), rent a bunch of videos (I also had cable installed in her bedroom last week, so she can watch TV in there if she would like) and buy some more pillows. I have 8 pillows on her bed right now....is that enough?
We'll do everything to minimize contact with the kids. They have their own bedrooms and a playroom that they LOVE to play in. I have limited their playtime in the playroom lately so it will feel special when they "get" to play in it all the time when Deb is here!
Well, I must run. Debbie is in surgery as we speak. She is at the Mayo/St. Mary's in Rochester right now. Please keep her in your thoughts today. And thank you again for all of your wonderful help and advice!
Bridget - Deb's Friend For Life
Her bed is a double bed, but very low. She has slept in it before and concurs that it will be easier to get into and out of than her own bed at home. I will put one of our baby monitors in her room (we have several!) and I am also borrowing some walkie-talkies. I can wear mine on my belt and she will have hers with her...she can call me if she needs me and I'm not in the room with her.
We live in Minnesota....cold! But we live right in the city of Minneapolis, so we have sidewalks and "destinations" (ie. coffee shop and deli) within 2 blocks. She is hoping those will give her a goal.
Debbie and I have been friends since I was 2 and she was 3. This is her 4th open heart surgery, but her last one was 30 years ago when she was 5! She is in incredibly good shape....an outdoorswoman and athlete. So hopefully this will aid her in her recovery. She is a vegetarian, also, so she will be subjected to some new recipes that I've never tried before. I will buy tons of fresh fruit and yogurt...she loves smoothies.
I've got some other things to do in the next couple of days to prepare for her....pick up a shower stool from my mom (she had half of her lung removed a couple of years ago), rent a bunch of videos (I also had cable installed in her bedroom last week, so she can watch TV in there if she would like) and buy some more pillows. I have 8 pillows on her bed right now....is that enough?
We'll do everything to minimize contact with the kids. They have their own bedrooms and a playroom that they LOVE to play in. I have limited their playtime in the playroom lately so it will feel special when they "get" to play in it all the time when Deb is here!
Well, I must run. Debbie is in surgery as we speak. She is at the Mayo/St. Mary's in Rochester right now. Please keep her in your thoughts today. And thank you again for all of your wonderful help and advice!
Bridget - Deb's Friend For Life
