Extremely Urgent Phred Needs Our Prayers

[lbaker]

You are soooo loved Phred/John/Dad. That must help, at least I hope it does. Being loved by so many of these totally wonderful people *cough cough* that appreciate everything you have done and will continue to do must, and I hope will, give you strength. You are a precious gem among rough stones

[Cinder & Smoke]

"Loved by Many" ...

Yuppers; you don't know how much that helps!!!

Furry Family, Pet Talk Family and Fire Family ... couldn't ask for more!
---------------------------------

Sunday 5:30 AM, ~6 hours after Sir Jury, still groggy ...
Open my eyes and see a tall shape in the doorway ...
"HI! How ya feeling!?"

Leave it to Brian to sneak his way into ICU! He'd just said he was "Family".

12:45 PM ... Pat & Joan, Tracy & Deb, Jason & Amanda arrive and form up around
da bed ... Nurse Bobby has to *fight* his way in ...
He reminded the "mob" that visits were SUPPOSED to be limited to TWO "Family Members"
at a time ... I said I could only see two - what's da problem?
He and told "the Family" that I HAD *perked up* since they arrived;
then pulled the curtain across to cover the doorway on his way out.
"Family" stayed till about 3pm when another nurse looked in and "suggested"
the Mob might want to "leave for a while".

And then there were the PT Phone Calls ...

SORRY, to ALL who called and never really "got through" ...

Sometime on Saturday night I'd "X'd" a Contact Form - the THREE people the
Hospital would "talk to" about me ... Pat, Tracy, & my Sis were listed.
I didn't know they'd be almost *rude* to everyone else!

There were at least two or three Pet Talkers who "made" it to the ICU Desk phone ...
only to be "forgotten" between the Desk and my room! (All of 25 feet!)
I sorta remember hearing a few reports of "some lady" calling from a "Pet Place" ...

There were at least two "Lucky Ones" who got to Nurse Bobby - a really Nice Guy!
Johanna had a conversation with him that was immediately "reported" to me -
Bobby came in and said he'd had a long chat with "your friend from Cincy ...
Joe - JoeAnna - Joe?? ..."

How bout JoHANNA?
"Yeah! THAT's who she was! She sounded pretty worried,
I told her you were doin realy well!"

The other "Lucky Dawg" was Randi. - She got to Bobby, too.
He came in while the Fire Crowd was hiding inside the curtain ...
Bobby: "Scuse me; but I've got a Friend of yours on the phone -
says she's form DENMARK!
Anyone like to speak with her?"

I quickly filled Unka Pat in: "That's RANDI - a Pet Talker!
She really DOES live in Denkark! ... Please tell her I'm *OK*!"

Pat rushed out to do the honors and returned to pass Randi's Get Well Wishes!

Bobby later said THAT was a First for him - he'd never had an overseas caller
asking about an ICU patient before!

And Many THANKS to Miz Staci for taking the LATE-nite call from
Tracy & Pat on their way home after I'd been tucked into my ICU room!

I remember trying to tell Pat HOW to sign onto PT as "Cinder & Smoke" ...
then thought to suggest he might just CALL Staci and let her handle it ...

THANKS, Staci!! - You Did GOOD!

{{{HUGS}}} to ALL!

/s/ Phred

[shais_mom]

THANKS, Staci!! - You Did GOOD!

{{{HUGS}}} to ALL!

/s/ Phred

No Problem!
They can call me ANYTIME to put me to work on a PRAYER PAWTROL!

[Cinder & Smoke]

Introducing ~

"Mr. Bear" ...

My Walking Coach and Traveling Companion >>>





Mr. Bear arrived with a Volunteer just before lunch on Tuesday ...
as I was *waiting* for the Doc to come and change my "orders" from
"confined to bed" to "allowed to WALK".

The Volunteer only said I'd "Like It" and left with a Big on his face ...

"IT" was "Mr. Bear" - a Bear-Gram from The Vermont Teddy Bear Company!

He carried a Card that said:

Get Better Soon!

With big hugs & prayers from
Paul, Karen, Miss Hoppy
and All of Pet Talk


He's wearing a Checkered, Piped Bathrobe with a Sash and pocket,
removable Blue Slippers - with EYES,
has a Hankie on his right paw,
and a Chawklit Bar tied to his left paw, and the Bear Tail Story Book.

He's *NEAT* - THANKS, Gang!!!

We shared Lunch and curled up on the bed together to *wait* for the Doc.
She never came, but two "Interns" arrived and said I was allowed to"walk" ...

Mr. Bear said he wanted to come along ...
so we bagan an afternoon of Hiking in the Halls.

After a couple "laps" up & down "MY" hall -- I asked the girl watching the
"radio pack telemetry monitors" if she could "see me" in the ICU ward?
She said she "thought she could" ... so Mr. Bear and I haeded off to visit with
Nurse Cindy (Gud Buddie & wifey of a Fire Guy) in my old ICU ward.

The ICU Gang had a good *laff* at our expense ...
Cindy said I looked like a *Dork* in my drafty "dressing" gown - WHY didn't I get a
pair of PANTS on?
Bear and I left to requisition a pair of scrub bottoms!

[Barbara]

My five cent:
I would prefer beer to chamomile tea all the time and if you go to your local drugstore you should find a bath that says "relaxing, calming down" or something. If you first have that bath- rather hot- plus a beer afterwards (I think 3 would be too much if the size is a pint ) you should sleep rather well.

Make sure Mr. Bear gets a bed of his own or he'll have to go to hospital after Cinder and Smoke introduced themselves

[jenluckenbach]

WHY was there no camera handy for the walk with da bear???

How are you feeling today?

[Cincy'sMom]

Glad to hear things are going well for you Phred! We have returned from our journey in the desert, so if you need anything at all, we are just a short drive away!

[Vermontcat]

Phred, thanks for posting a picture of Mr Bear.
If he ever gets tired of running around in his bathrobe and fuzzy slippers he can always get another outfit to wear from the Teddy Bear Co.
They even have a firefighter uniform that he can wear.
Have you looked at their website yet?

Tell Boots that Samantha was not happy when I brought my first bear home either.
I think because there are airholes in the box that cats are afraid that there might be another cat in there instead of a teddy bear.

It sounds like you are feeling better now that you are home with your furkids again.

[Rachel]

I'm thinking that Bear no longer has his Chawklit Bar, and those fuzzy slippers are just the kind I'm imagining Dad wears.

Hope you are reading up on just what is the *good stuff* to eat. If you want to treat yourself, some pomegranite juice might even be better than that beer.

[trayi52]

Hey Phred, Just want to know how you are doing today? Hope all is well with you and that you are getting stronger with each passing day.

Get well soon!

With love,
Willie

[gini]

The "left" coast has been making calls to God often too. When I first got the phone message to call Zip - and it was about Phred - and she wanted to tell me in person - not leave a message - my own heart stopped a beat or two as well!

You've got lots of good nurses here who are giving you good advice, so I will leave any suggestions to them.

As for me, I am going to leave that line open to God and continue to ask Him to take good care of you.

So sorry that you got one of those "air conditioned" gowns - but probably everyone was looking at the bear anyway

You are well loved, Phred. I just wish that we could be expressing that under better circumstances.

Love, The Mom

[Cinder & Smoke]

"I would prefer beer to chamomile tea all the time"

Yeah ... I forgot about the Chamomile Tea caper ...
Y'all "forgot to mention" that stuff TASTES like Yuck!

Friday night I brewed a cup ... *smelled* like ???
Staci said I cooked it wrong - I Dunked & Heated in one step in the nuke box.
"Proper Method" = hot water First, THEN dunk da bag ...
First *sip* was an eye-opening experience!
By the Last *sip* I was convinced this was a cruel joke!

Dunno if it helped with sleep or not -
spent half the night runnin to the poddy getin rid of it!
Memo to Self: Smaller cup & start earlier!
Me thinkin the BEER might be the way to go!

"I'm thinking that Bear no longer has his Chawklit Bar, and
those fuzzy slippers are just the kind I'm imagining Dad wears."

Mr. Bear STILL has his Chawklit Bar!
Sadly, his BLUE Slippers with the EYES are too small for me ...
I eyed them up in the Hoppsbittle as replacements for the classy "slipper/sox"
(short, thin sox wiff "traction bars" on the soles) that I was issued.
Bear still has his Slippers with the *eyes*!

As for Mr. Bear and the Three Amigos ...[/b]

Mr. Bear is watchig over me from the relative safety of On Top of the puter monitor.
Kat did a *double-take* the first time he passed by; Bowser prolly can't see that far;
and Cinder & the SmokeMutt are playing it - showing no *interest*.
And there's a few Bear Dens available in High Places that da Kat can't get to!

But if the WORST should happen ... The Bear Tail Flyer sez:
"If your Bear is ever injured,
even if the family dog gets a little too friendly with your Bear,
just call (1-800 #) for instructions on admitting your Bear to
our Vermont Teddy Bear Hospital.
We will repair the damage or replace your Bear at no charge.
Talk about a great healthcare plan!"
Wonder if I could slip into his robe & slippers and sneek into Bear General?


"WHY was there no camera handy for the Walk with da Bear???"

Thankfully, only Cindy's Big Kid has a camera/cell ...
She was betting I wouldn't *get out* on Tuesday ... and had promised ALL
her ICU Buddies she was bringing the camera/phone on Wednesday!
(Some photos should never be *snapped*!)

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Introducing ~
He's wearing a Checkered, Piped Bathrobe with a Sash and pocket,

....Uuummmm....did Mr. Bear come with his very own descriptive catalog or is Dad amazingly up on describing bear wear?

Glad to hear things are going well, Phred. Getting out and shopping is a good thing - I prefer "pink sugar" with my cammy tea. Celestial Seasons also makes one called Tension Tamer that is supposed to be relaxing with no caffeine. I don't know about that Klam Juize.....might want to have the amblance waiting in the driveway if you decide to try it though.

As for the beer or brandy as Slick suggested, 11 years ago now my mom had a heart attack and had 5 bypasses. Having a dry hacking cough after bypass surgery is common (I guess) and the only thing she could find that would stop the coughing was whiskey. My mom maybe drinks a beer or two a year, so I was quite surprised when she told me she was drinking shots of brandy for her cough but she said it was the only thing that helped and coughing was so painful she tried everything to stop it. Soooo....as long as the beer doesn't mess with your meds, I don't think one will hurt.

Which brings up another thing which most "heart patients" don't realize at first - if you do catch a cold, there are certain cold meds that you shouldn't take. I don't remember exactly what ingredient you need to look out for, but a pharmacist should be able to tell you.

Anyway, again, so glad to hear you're up and about and things are going well. Hoping and praying it stays that way!