The diagnosis was bursitis. A prescription for an anti-inflammatory drug was prescribed and I picked it up, took it to Papa's apartment and filled his prescription containers so he would take it appropriately. The wrinkle with this was it was taken over 6 days with a declining dosage each day. And, it was taken 4 times during the day. Papa's regular medicines are taken at 6am and 6pm. We worked out adding the two additional times for meds and I called him each day at those two times to be sure he took what he was supposed to. The proof of his pain was he remembered and would sometimes call me to be sure when he was to take some of this new medication.
Sunday, May 17th, Claude and I were to speak in the Owingsville Ward (congregation). Papa loves to visit there so we invited him to tag along. There are three meetings. The first is priesthood meeting for Papa. Then there is a Sunday School Class. And lastly there is Sacrament Meeting in which Claude and I would speak. My plan was to have Papa enjoy priesthood meeting then take him to my car and let him sit there through Sunday School in the big cushy seat to give his hip a rest. Alas, Papa was just sure he was fine and could stay on that wooden bench through all the meetings.
He did just that. I did offer and suggest multiple times before Sunday School started that we go to the car and give his hip a rest. He assured me he was fine and intended to stay. Okay.
The result was that after Sacrament meeting and sitting on that bench for 3 hours (all three meetings were in the chapel for him) he could barely walk to the car. We got him in the car and home but he was very, very happy to get to his recliner and stay there.
We finished the medication regime and it really did no good.
Thursday, May 21st, we loaded Papa and Tiny up in my car and Claude and I took him on a road trip. We first dropped Tiny off at a Veterinary in Lexington for boarding. Then Claude drove us to New River Gorge in West Virginia. This was on Papa's bucket list and we were trying to provide him a great trip to see this beautiful spot of country.
We stopped along the way for Papa to use the facilities. While he was in the bathroom, I strolled along the Kanawha River taking a few pictures. Those honeysuckles had a heavenly scent. Could have stood there for hours and enjoyed the breeze over the water and the scent of honeysuckles. Brought me back to childhood in Shreveport, Louisiana. There was a hedge along the entire property line between our home and Buddy Seaton next door. Growing in that hedge at the front of our properties were lots and lots of honeysuckles. As children, we would pop the blossoms off and pinch the bottom off the blossom and suck the honey right out of the bottom. Maybe that is why they are called honeysuckles!
Our first stop was the Canyon View Visitor's Center. Papa went inside and toured the exhibits. There I noticed a marked change in Papa. All my life, when visiting any museum or visitor's center, he would pause to read every sign and plaque and digest the entire exhibit. This time he breezed through fairly quickly. This first picture is of the New River and Papa looking at it through the big windowed area.
There was a slight slant to get down the pavement to the boardwalk. I realized I really needed to be by Papa whenever he was going downhill even the slightest bit. He was able to maneuver his walker just fine, he applied the brakes to try to slow himself down, but his feet were not cooperating and he would get going a little faster and a little faster.
We made it to where the boardwalk begins and found a lovely white rhododendron. Papa paused for me to take a picture. Part of picking this time to go (other than it was a weekend when all three of us could travel together) was that mid-May is peek time for rhododendrons. Mimi and Papa loved them so much when they would drive the Blue Ridge Parkway. We really wanted Papa to have the experience of viewing them again. Unfortunately, most had already lost their blossoms, but we did see some that were in full bloom and totally enjoyed them. I even saw a deep red one which is a color I have never seen before.
Our other place to visit this first day was to drive the Fayette Station Road Tour. It is mostly a one way road that switches back and forth down the side of the canyon to the bottom. There you find a one lane bridge over the New River. At one point there were homes and people living along this road and at the bottom of the river. The train wends its way through the bottom of the canyon. Now it is just a road to drive and the bridge to cross the river with sandy bottoms under the trees along the river to put your kayak or raft in the water. I took this picture of the New River Bridge from the little bridge on Fayette Station Road. Claude parked the car and sat with Papa while I went back to get pictures. I waited on the little bridge for a kayak and a raft to float under the little bridge and then go down the rapids seen in this picture. I got video of the kayak and then another video of the raft going over the rapids. Papa enjoyed them when I showed them to him.
Friday, May 22nd, was our full day in the New River Gorge Park. There is a bit loop road that goes around the gorge. It is a beautiful drive, mostly on back roads. This was our goal for Friday. We left our hotel and drove back over the New River Bridge. Then we found the back roads and followed them. Papa loves this kind of drive so he was happy to enjoy the ride.
Our first stop was Babcock State Park. The material I read said there was a grist mill there that was the object of lots of photographers. We drove into the park and found this scenic wonder near the visitors center. We also found a beautiful rhododendron bush for a Papa photo op.
The first picture was what may have been a little beaver dam. There was signage describing the beavers and the dams they build. It was sure a pretty little place.
This completed the big loop and had us almost at the exit for the hotel we stayed at the night prior. We had reservations in a hotel the other side of Charleston so Claude pointed the Buick in that direction and he headed for the hotel. Papa was wiped out. Again, our rooms were on the first floor and next to each other. I had requested handicapped accessible rooms for Papa and I'm sure that is why they were on the first floor. It was good not to have to fight stairs or elevators with him. He headed to bed.
When it came time to get something for Claude to eat with his evening medicine, I asked Papa if he wanted to join us. There was a Cracker Barrel across the parking lot. Papa really didn't want to go. I told him I would bring him some dinner. That was fine with him. I brought him meat loaf and veggies.
Claude and I wanted to get a good night's rest before the drive back the next day. I was asleep by 9:30pm. Claude turned out the light about 10pm and tried to go to sleep. I awoke later and Papa's television, which was against the wall to our room where our television hung, was blaring. I thought, okay, he'll turn it off after this show is over. After a long while, it wasn't going off. I thought Claude was asleep and didn't want to wake him by moving around a lot. Then I realized he was tossing around trying to sleep with the loud noise. I rose up and looked at the clock. It was 12:45am. Yike!! I picked up the phone and tried to call Papa's room to tell him to turn off his television. The phone had a message saying service to this room was not available. What??? I got up and went to his room door and knocked and called his name. No answer. Fortunately, I had a key to his room. I opened the door and called around the corner for him. No answer. I peeked into his room. He had pillows piled on his bed and was stretched out sound asleep totally oblivious to the noise. I tiptoed to his night stand, picked up the remote and turned that television off. Back to our room and snuggled under the covers for a few hours sleep.
Saturday morning we wanted to be on the road by 7am. When we joined Papa in his room to collect his luggage, he said, "I had the strangest experience last night. There were people in my room moving things around." Claude and I just looked at each other and rolled out eyes. What can you do. I explained I came into his room around 1am to turn off the television which was way too loud for that hour. All I did was turn off the television. Nothing else was touched in his room. I'm not sure he understood.
We took bananas and muffins from the breakfast buffet and headed toward Huntington, West Virginia and then Kentucky and home.
When we got to Lexington and pulled up in front of Broadway Veterinary Clinic, Papa looked at Claude and said, "What are going to do here?" This from the man that had talked about his dog for two days and missed her terribly. He really didn't remember leaving her there two days previous. I went in an retrieved his puppy. They were so happy to be together again. But Claude and I really thought Tiny would have a coronary before we got them home. She hates riding in a car. And, being reunited with Papa was about all her little heart could handle.
Papa was very happy to have made this trip. He truly enjoyed it. But he was equally happy to be back in his apartment where his chair awaited him reclining in it.
Papa's hip is not better. I will probably be calling Dr. Weckman Monday to see if anything further can be done. This just might be what it is from now on.
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