J Claud Wallace Final Update

9/13/2011
Now that Claud is home and on the road to full recovery, this log will close out. 

Claud reports he still tires easily and his "thinker is slowing down a bit".  He is working on getting some home health care to support his on-going physical therapy. He is also struggling with getting his internet connection back up and running, but we should expect to be hearing more from him soon.  His biggest disappointment is that his doctors are not cooperating in his desifre to make the October cruise he and Virginia had planned.

9/8/2011
Great news!  Claud will be coming home from the rehab facility this Saturday.  He is upbeat and in good shape, still insisting that he and Virginia wil make their upcoming cruise toward the end of October.

Claud said he wanted to thank all of those who sent cards, letters, and prayers.  He very much appreciated all of the support from his many friends.

8/30/2011
More good news!  Spoke with Claud today by phone. His surgeon has released him to the cardiologist now.  He has finally turned the corner on the MERSA infection, with a clean bill of health on the latest reading.  He continues the pace in his daily PT, still needing a little help negotiating turns and corners.  But he is getting good marks there (although his style points could improve a bit).

Claud and Virginia are still on a good glide path to their cruise scheduled in the month of October.  Claud's biggest complaint lately is that the convalescent clinic in which he is ensconced has absolutely no internet capability for patients.  He is anxious to get back on the computer and wade through the 2,000 + emails Virginia counted up the other day.

He is thinking he can get out and back to home sometime in the next week or two.

8/28/2011
Picture from Claud's birthday party on 19 Aug:
 

8/22/2011

Last Friday, Claud celebrated his birthday with Virginia, his son (COL) Roy,  and daughter Carol.  His condition continues to improve by leaps and bounds.  We should have a birthday picture later.

Today, the long awaited move from the intensive care rehab facilities in Tyler has occurred.  In true Army fashion, the day was a "hurry up and wait" affair, with Virginia, punctual as ever, having to miss lunch because of the hospital's delays in getting the discharge completed.   

By late in the day, Claud finally arrived back in Kilgore and will be in a rehab facility much closer (5 minutes) to home.  He is in:
The Willows of Kilgore Rehab Center
Room 307
1911 Whipperwill
Kilgore, TX 75662

8/16/2011
This just in from Claud's daughter, Carol:

"Just found out that Dad has a MRSA staph infection. :(  Please keep him in your prayers.  He sure doesn't need this!"

8/9/2011
Claud continues to improve and grow stronger. He spent quite a bit of time on the internet today, plowing through the 1,000+ emails in his inbox and reviewing the RAFINO site.  He is still scheduled to be discharged on 22 AUG, but is really lobbying for an earlier discharge.  He wants to get out on the 19th - his birthday - so he can celebrate appropriately with family.  His son, COL Roy Wallace, will be coming in to Kilgore for the event.

8/6/2011
Short update.  JC now walking without assistance - very good sign.  Not yet ready for PT test, but getting there.

8/5/2011
Here is a picture of Claud, taken and provided by his daughter, Carol (for those of you who may not know Claud, he is smiling - how much is due to his improved condition and how much due to his two lovely therapists is a matter of conjecture).

8/4/2011
More good news. Claud is much more alert now and walking more every day.  Virginia feels he has really turned the corner, although he still has a long road to full recovery from the surgery and the attendant stroke(s).  More good news ... he is scheduled to be discharged from the in-patient rehab to what will likely be out-patient rehab or low-intensity in-patient rehab.  In any event, he will be leaving the East Texas Medical Center on the 22nd.

8/1/2011
Quick note fromVirginia:  Claud had the staples removed from his chest.  Feels much better after they were gone, but still tired.  Appetite is picking up.

7/30/2011
Yesterday was not terribly eventful for Claud.  Today, though, he began his rehab work in earnest.  Turns out Nurse Ratchet is a very nice ex-Airforce nurse who is taking great care of Claud.

He is now into serious rehab.  Did some exercises, to include a reclining "bridge" and some leg exercises using pedals on a chair.  Of course, walking is the number 1 event.

Tomorrow will be an off day of respite from the rehab (although some more walking may be in order).  Monday they are going to remove the staples from his chest wall. 

He is still having some after effects of the stroke(s) he had, but retains that great sense of humor.

7/28/2011
From a text message from Carol, Claud's daughter:

"Day 11 -
Dad has been moved to Rehab and it took only 3 hours to cross the street!  We got him settled in and then went for lunch  ... at 4:45!  We were starving!
All the staff we met at the rehab center have been really nice so far.  He is exhausted from the transition, so they will let him rest today.
Mom and I are going to Walmart to buy a few things that Dad will need and we are going back to check on him.
Please continue to keep Dad and all of us in your prayers.  We all need strength, but especially Dad.  I do think he is gaining strength little by little every day."

7/27/2011
Well, we knew that posh room wasn't going to last very long.  After Claud entertained a number of visitors and well-wishers - well, he did doze off on more than one occasion -  Claud's doctors have decided to "promote" him to in-patient rehab (Still in the East Texas Med enter).  His "promotion" came as a reward for walking over 200 steps today.  Some kind of reward!  He moves, probably tomorrow,  from posh digs to the rehab ward, where nurse Ratchett and numerous pieces of rehab (aka "workout") gear await him.  This is good news and great progress.  Way to go, Claud!

7/26/2011
Claud has been moved to a new room (rm 5816) in the "intermediate care" ward of the East Texas Medical Center (ETMC) in Kilgore. 

Virginia reports that he is much, much better today, but still weak. Can do light fduties, but things like cutting the meat on his plate are still a strain.

His new room is quite posh.  He will remain there for a day or so and then be transferred into the Rehab facility at ETMC.  Then he will begin the supervised exercises and activities that will help him build his strength back up.  There is a treadmill in the room, possibly a harbinger of things to come.

He told Carol, his daughter, to be sure to bring in his laptop computer and is already trying to figure out how best to participate in the Rotary Club's mass "flag planting" exercise coming up on labor day.

Throughout all of this, he has not lost his sense of humor.  When Carol came into his room and she asked him, upon seeing him laying back with his eyes closed and his mouth open, "Are you catching flies?", Claud immediately came back with "Who wants to know?"

All in all, a good day!

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7/25/2011
MRIs were done and showed there had been some minor storkes.  In addition, Claud was having to take medications to combat atrial fibrillation that has set in.  The a-fib has gone back into a level pace.  Claud still tires very easily and will nod off now and then, but when he nods back on, is as lucid possessed of his wry wit as ever.  Neurologists and cardiologists are guardedly optimistic.  Let us keep Claud in our thoughts and prayers.

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7/24/2011:
Claud still tires quickly, but is still quite cognizant of surroundings and visitors. Still in ICU. Doctors have recommended an MRI to be sure there was no stroke associated with the surgery.