Archive of John and Lucinda's Progress
June (Beginning with most recent)
Update June 30, 2003
Dear Friends and Family,
We had a really nice Monday. Home health early in the morning, David
Smith and Rick Scibelli both came up from Albuquerque as did Malinda and
Sheila. Maryanne and Roland were here later and Cafe Pasquale's
provided some great food.
Tull walked again with his PT and did so very well. Both Rick and David
were impressed with the progress he has made. So may fewer "oh"s and so
many more breaths. We have info on how to keep the pressure sores at
bay and look forward to getting the required equipment in the next few
days. Also, JHT realizes how much work he still has to build his
muscles.
Keep writing dear friends.
Love,
John and Lucinda
Update June 27-29, 2003
Dear Friends and Family,
It is Sunday night and we have spent a wonderful day in our home. We
are both so very happy to be here.
Kind of bad news first: We head to the doc's office on Friday afternoon
with our fabulous nurse (Karen) who agreed to help us get there...and
our now one and only car dies out on the highway and smoke pours out of
the vents. What do we do now???? Car starts back up, but must go into
the garage because something major seems to be wrong and we just drove
out the warranty by going to Albuquerque all the time.
Tull may be developing a new pressure sore. We are still dealing with
an old loaner wheel chair and awaiting the delivery of the new chairs.
It still takes two of us to move him and he probably needs to be moved
more often than we are able to do at this time. Lucinda will be on the
phone to deal with this in the morning.
Good news: JHT's doc thinks that he looks great. He is amazed that he
is even alive, but commented that he still is one good looking guy even
after all of this (Lucinda agrees). Tull is walking very well with his
PT and is so happy and proud that he could just about burst. He LOVES
being able to do this work at his home.
We are very in love with each other and are so very happy to be in our
house. We have some unbelievable friends who have been here during this
time when we have been so in need of help. We have had great caregivers
who we have hired. We are not sure how we can thank all of you.
Special thanks tonight to Talitha from the United Church of Santa Fe and
to Brenda and her church in Caribou, Maine.
Love,
John and Lucinda
Update June 25-26, 2003
Dear Friends and Family,
We have been so busy adapting to home that we have failed to update you
all. It is late Friday morning and we are awaiting our friend Kerri who
will help Tull move out of his wheelchair and into a regular chair.
Our days start with a home health aid who we have hired who helps
Lucinda get Tull out of bed. We still need two people to safely help
Tull transfer so we depend on the morning and evening home health aids
as well as friends who are scheduled to come by during the days or early
evenings. Our friends have proven to be invaluable to us as they help
JHT with exercises and often prepare meals.
A physical therapist is coming three days a week and we are hoping that
insurance approves an occupational therapist. This is a critical time
as we do not want to back-track on the great progress that we made while
in rehab in Albuquerque. A nurse comes every afternoon to start John's
IV antibiotic.
JHT is sleeping in a hospital bed which we rented as we found it
impossible to help him up from the much lower position of our own bed.
He has incentive to work on that particular move.
Lucinda has been more overwhelmed than ever, but we are both starting to
find a routine.
Keep the messages coming, dear friends.
Love,
John and Lucinda
P.S. The sign was made by Ginny and Brad who found the components while
hiking in the area.
Update June 24, 2003
We had a full day again. Tull was very tired from his doc appointment
yesterday and so slept a bit late. We had help today from Malinda and
Tom Joyce. We also had great help from our hired hand (Roland).
Lucinda got on the phone today to plead with Blue Cross/Blue Shield to
keep a nurse coming to start the daily IV therapy and to check John's
PICC line and skin bleeding.
This is perhaps the most joyous and yet frightening time of our journey.
It is very tricky to be at home alone after 24/7 care for 8 months.
Many thanks to all who have written and who have been here to help.
Love,
John and Lucinda
Update June 23, 2003
Dear Friends and Family,
Hectic day. Getting in to town to see the doctor was quite an ordeal.
He will now make house calls as he realized it is a bit much at the
moment for us to get to town and for JHT to sit up that long in a
wheelchair. Great doc who has treated more plague cases than anyone in
the country. We were so relieved to meet him and to know that he will
be caring for JHT for a while.
The in-house PT had Tull walking on the portal today. We had David Smith
here much of the day, Rick (the photographer) here to help with getting
to the doc, Roland (the home health aid) in the morning and the evening
and Karen (the IV nurse) here for a bit in the afternoon.
We are so grateful for the help. We are so happy to read all the recent
messages.
Love,
John and Lucinda
Update June 22, 2003
Dear Friends and Family,
Can you imagine Lucinda giving Tull his meds through an IV? Can you
imagine us calling our very dear friends and neighbors to come over to
help move Tull from one chair to another? Can you picture Lucinda making
jello?
Well, this is kind of the Tull/Marker life at this point. Mr. T. is
doing very well in terms of staying up and moving around. Tomorrow will
be filled with therapy and a doc appointment in town (we have friends
and Lucinda's sister coming to help).
Pictures will be posted soon. Special thanks tonight to Roy and Judy.
Love,
John and Lucinda
Update June 21, 2003
Dear Friends and Family,
We had a great day today. Wonderful friends have come in the last two
days to help with everything from cooking, cleaning closets, sweeping
floors, moving more furniture and helping to transfer Mr. Tull around
the house. We also had professional help for a couple hours a day who
we have hired to assist in showering, etc.
Things have stayed pretty busy and Tull has been up more than ever. He
just loves sitting in a chair or on a couch in our living room and
looking out the windows at the birds and the trees. Tonight we had
diner out on the portal and it was quite beautiful. We are both just
starting to realize that we really have come home.
Love,
John and Lucinda
Update June 20, 2003
Dear Friends and Family,
I write this as Tull sleeps. Today was extraordinary as so many days in
the last 8 months have been. It is scary for the two of us to be alone
with about 25 bottles of pills, IV therapy, blood tests, insulin shots,
and on and on and on.
There have been a few friends here who have been great support. Thanks
to all of them.
We will keep the website going......never fear.
Love,
Lucinda
Update June 19, 2003
Dear Friends and Family,
Just as our dear friend Judge E. said the other day, "Free at last, free
at last, thank God, I'm free at last." For all of you not from Texas
(like Lucinda) do check it out. This day is most significant.
We are both running on adrenalin. We are somewhat speechless.
Thanks to our very dear friends who made today so much easier than we
thought it could be. Thanks to all of you who helped bring us to this
day. We are humbled by all of you.
With more love and gratitude than you can imagine,
John and Lucinda
| Update June 18, 2003
Dear Friends and Family,
The test was unpleasant and long. Results were not conclusive, but
still positive. Tull will need to be on intravenous antibiotics for 5
more weeks....at home.
226 nights in hospitals, 5 or 6 major holidays, a birthday, an
anniversary, two graduations, one grand-birth, 8 months income-free and
unburdened of the associated bourgeois activities (paying bills on time,
shopping, etc.), not a drop to drink....we go home tomorrow and start
Phase 3 of Operation Plague-Be-Gone.
With much love and gratitude,
John and Lucinda |  |
Update June 17, 2003
Dear Friends and Family,
Much therapy today. Rick (one of the more aggressive PTs) had Tull
walking unassisted about 80 ft. down the hallway today while nurses,
other patients and therapists cheered him on. It was impressive.
Very early in the morning we will head to the hospital for an esophageal
echo cardiogram. We hope to have the results soon after.
Love,
John and Lucinda
Update June 16, 2003
Dear Friends and Family,
Jim Overton came this morning and made a video that we can use to train
any and all willing friends who might help with rehab at home.
Tull did five therapy sessions today and Lucinda learned a few more
things as well (like how to get a wheelchair up and over a curb).
Our target release date has been moved to Thursday as JT must go to the
big hospital for a test Wednesday morning which will confirm whether or
not his staph infection has affected his heart at all. The results of
the test will determine for certain whether we will leave the hospital
this week. We are preparing for release on Thursday.
Love,
John and Lucinda
Update June 15, 2003
Dear Friends and Family,
All three kids called JT for Father's Day.
He was spruced up by a nice haircut done by our multi-talented favorite
Nurse Fatima.
We were visited today by Julie Ann, Bill and Katherine.
|  |
A couple tests are scheduled in the next two days, but we are still
headed home on Wednesday (as far as we know)!!
Love,
John and Lucinda
Update June 14, 2003
Dear Friends and Family,
Resting, fighting infection, walked a bit today, feeling better.
Love,
John and Lucinda
Update June 13, 2003
Dear Friends and Family,
Tull is having phantom pain right now in his left leg. The rest of the
day, however, was much improved over yesterday. The docs confirmed that
he has a staph infection which was most likely caused by the previous
picc line. He is on very strong anti-biotics which seem to be working
pretty well. He felt quite a bit better today and was able to withstand
therapy.
We are still on target to be released on the 18th, although he will have
to continue the intra-venous meds for a few weeks. We will need to have
in-home nursing to attend to the picc line and IVs.
Love,
John and Lucinda
Update June 11 - 12, 2003
Dear Friends and Family,
We have had a couple bad days. Tull developed a fever Tuesday night and
did not feel great Wednesday morning. We had to go off campus for an
appointment and as we returned to the hospital he became nauseated and
very chilled. His entire body was shivering by the time we got back to
his room. They put him on oxygen and gave him a battery of tests. The
doc wanted to send him to the ER, but Tull insisted that he stay. It has
been determined that he has a bacterial infection which may have been
caused by.....you guessed it....the picc line.
So today we spent most of the day in the big hospital where they
re-installed a picc line so that they can give him some heavy duty
antibiotics and an IV and also draw blood. The infectious disease
doctor wanted him to go the step-down ICU, but he fought his way out of
that one as well. No one can blame him. Enough is enough.
No rehab until they get this under control. We are just hoping that the
anti-biotics kick in fast. Thanks to Shelby for spending the day with
us. We both really needed the support.
photo from earlier this week
Love,
John and Lucinda
Update June 9, 2003
Dear Friends and Family,
The therapists are working JHT to the extreme in order to prepare for
his release. He had five different therapy sessions today and had to
take a couple rounds of pain pills.
We still have a fair amount to do before June 18th. Quite frankly, we
can't quite believe that we will be leaving a hospital setting after
these 32 long, long weeks.
Al Rackstraw and Doug Hall came by today. Doug brought one of his new
photography books.
For those inquiring minds, a "pick" line is a fancy IV that entered
through Tull's bicep and went almost to the neck. They have a tendency
to get infected (like all other lines) and so we are really glad that it
is out of here.
Love,
John and Lucinda
Update June 8, 2003
Dear Friends and Family,
No visitors today. We spent the day reading in between therapy
sessions. Tull walked around 70 ft. with almost no complaining.
The pick line was removed today and so once again Tull is absolutely
free of artificial holes in his body!! Great relief.
The Santa Fe New Mexican ran an excellent article today about our
ordeal. Take a look at santafenewmexican.com.
Love,
John and Lucinda
Update June 7, 2003
Dear Friends and Family,
Tull was a slacker and only walked about 70 ft. today (it is the
weekend). Frank and Toni came by. Frank has been a truly great friend
by dealing with the mountains of insurance paper-work and trying to make
sense of it all.
We want to say a very special thank you to madame x (mdmx) who created
and has diligently updated this website for nearly 8 months. Her
efforts have been far beyond the call of duty. She was extra busy with
business this past week and her husband/business partner (dbx) was away
working on a movie.
We read, talked and did range of motion exercises. More walking
tomorrow.
Love,
John and Lucinda
Update June 6, 2003
Dear Friends and Family,
Many visitors today. Custis, Ben, Frank, Bill and Karen. Tull had 4
different therapy sessions today and was energetic throughout.
We've included one of Rick Scibelli's pictures. Tull hoofing it around
on the 2nd floor of the hospital.
Onward through the weekend.
Love,
John and Lucinda
Update June 4, 2003
Dear Friends and Family,
We love hearing from you first-time posters. Good to know you're out
there.
Another 100 ft. today plus weight machines and car "transfers". Tom J.
spent the morning at the hospital and learned care-giver techniques. A
tuckered out Tull this evening.
Picture is from Katy's graduation breakfast. Trey, Liza and Mona helped
celebrate.
Love to all,
John and Lucinda
Update June 3, 2003
Dear Friends and Family,
We have been reminded that as time goes on it is more difficult for people to stay connected.�There are times when we take people and help for granted.�Please know that we appreciate every bit of help we have received and that we love all of the messages on the website.�Thank you all.
Tull did well today.�Lucinda�s sister Malinda was the major assist today and so she did not have time to take a pic.���We are just so happy that Tull is moving forward and has done so very well.
Love,
John and Lucinda
Update June 2, 2003
Dear Friends and Family,
What a great Monday. Tull beat his record by walking 100 ft. and with
only a fairly nervous Lucinda holding onto his belt. She was amazed at
his strength. His progress has just been phenomenal in the last week.
Current ETD from this hospital is June 18th. We feel quite confident
about that date.
We spent some time with a writer from the Santa Fe New Mexican today who
is planning a story for next Sunday. We also had visits from Ken, Kelly
and her husband Ben.
Many thanks to those of you who have responded to our request for help
here at the hospital so that Lucinda can work. It is especially great
that some of you are coming in for training to help us out when we get
home.
Attached you will find a picture of the tough guy with some roses from
our garden.
Love,
John and Lucinda
Update June 1, 2003
Dear Friends and Family,
Tull walked 80 ft. today even though it was Sunday! He has now walked 6
days in a row. We worked this evening on many of his exercises and his
strength is almost improving by the minute.
Katy graduated from high school today and we were very sorry that we
could not attend the ceremony. We are very proud of her.
Love to all,
John and Lucinda
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