Rehab Lunch

Dinah's friend Kay and I joined Dinah for lunch today at the Rehabilitation Hospital of Southern New Mexico cafeteria. Dinah continues to do well, and should be home in nine days!

Today is the100th anniversary of Dad's (Herb Downs') birth

If Herb Downs, my father, were alive today, it would be his 100th birthday.

He was born 30 March 1912 in Fitchburg, MA, the first of five brothers.  He grew up in a single parent home in Reading, MA and with relatives in Fitchburg, MA.  After working for the Reading Chronicle Newspaper, he decided to go to college, graduating from Fitchburg State Teacher's College as one of the oldest members of his class.  .

 

In June 1942 he married Eleanore Dort, of Rockport, MA.

His career was as an industrial arts teacher at Weeks Jr High, but in addition to his day job, he had a print shop in his basement, and he was a children's entertainer, doing magic shows at children's birthday parties, holiday parties, and other events.

He personality was that of an entertainer, and he loved to get a hold of someone new on whom he could pull all of his jokes and tricks. 

When anyone showed him pictures of their kids or grand kids, he would admire the pictures then offer to show a picture of his pride & joy!

One of my favorite pictures was taken on the day my family delivered me to Worcester Polytechnic Institute to begin my freshman year of college.  It is of Dad and my youngest sister, Lois.

In the late 1960's, dad returned to school evenings and weekends to get his Masters in education.

Herb Downs family in 1968

Brothers Stew and Herb Downs

Dad died in October, 1982. Thirty years have passed since then. I find it hard to believe that in two years I will have reached the age at which he died.  We miss him.

Dinah's doing well

Yesterday was a busy day for visitors - Between visitors and phone calls, Dinah's social life is picking up!  She is doing well with daily physical therapy and not too much leg pain.  And she is looking forward to going home.

Lily visits & an end date is set

Monday was Lily's day to visit Dinah, out on the patio - no dogs in the hospital. It was a happy reunion.

Dinah's wound is healing, but looks angrier than it did after the first operation. Some of the discoloration is due to bleeding which is in turn due to the blood thinner to reduce the clotting danger.What look like stitches are actually metal staples.

Dinah called this evening to say that a release date has been set for her to leave the Rehabilitation Hospital; she should be coming home on Monday, 9 April!

Noodle Visits Dinah

This morning Noodle & I visited with Dinah outside (Noodle is not allowed inside). This was the first time they had seen each other in 3 weeks and it was a happy reunion.

Dinah did not get therapy yesterday because her blood is not yet thick enough, and today is so far undecided.  She is holding up well, and looking forward to getting home.

Noodle & Dinah in front of the Rehabilitation Hospital of Southern New Mexico

Rehab all over again

Dinah is back again at Rehabilitation Hospital of Southern New Mexico located in Las Cruces.  She is wearing clothes for the first time in a week and is getting around by wheel chair; no longer stuck in bed. They found her blood a little too thin to risk therapy so her first day back was a day off. She should be starting therapy tomorrow.

She is located in room 620 and would enjoy hearing from you.

After seeing her off to the ambulance yesterday, I was to follow in the motor home. But I had put down a hydraulic jack to level the motor home and could not retract it. After fiddling with the control panel, and trying to jumper the solenoid valves directly, I ended up loosening a hydraulic line to bleed off fluid and raise the jack.  Worked OK until I loosened it too much and got bathed in a spray of red hydraulic fluid!

She's on her way to rehab!

Dinah was wheeled out of her room with all her baggage 5 minutes ago headed toward the ambulance.

In an hour or so (Say 1:30PM MDT) she should be moved into her room at the rehab in Las Cruces.

Progress!