April 23 and before

Today Nathan and I spent most of the day at the VA Hospital.  He had an appointment at 10:30 a.m.  Before he left his physical therapist came here to the apartment.  When we got there I was able to drop him off at the front but then I drove around for 20 minutes looking for a parking place. They usually have valet parking but there is construction going on at the entrance so that is not available right now.  It was a good thing we got there at 10:00 a.m. because I would have been late if I had arrived at 10:30 a.m.!!

Nathan went into his appointment almost immediately after we got there.  It was an evaluation for counseling.  Initially the had me come in but then Nathan got upset when I answered a question and so I was asked to leave.  I went to his Wounded Warrior advocate to talk to him and to fill out some paper work.  I got some things off my chest talking to him and I was able to fill out an application for help with care giving there and also the pay voucher for travel time.  Then I was able to talk to the the Dr. for a few minutes later.

Then we went with the WW advocate and he helped Nathan get his VA ID and showed us where to sign up for care giving and he had him fill out an application for what he called a clothing allowance but it is really an allowance to be reimbursed for your assistive devices like the wheelchair and a leg brace.  While Nathan waited for them to get to him in to get the ID I went down to talk to the lady about care giving support.  I filled out the application before so I just turned it in and she said that it would probably process by summer.  So until then I guess we are just doing what we can do.  I should not be ungrateful however.  I am just lucky that the program is there to help, but it is frustrating because we could use the help now.

By the time that Nathan finished up his application for the ID it was 2:00 p.m.  I was hurting and hungry but I thought we should drive to the next appointment and then find something to eat.  We got to where it was according to the GPS in my phone and so I went to look for something to eat.  There was nothing so we started to drive back.  Nathan gets upset with me if I do not follow his directions so he was upset with me when we went back because I did not turn where he told me because I did not understand his directions.  When we got to the place we could not find the suite so I called the office number and she said that they were in a building 5 exits down on the freeway.  So we got back in the car and went to where she told us. 

When we got there it was another psychiatrist that had been set up for us by Warm Springs.  Nathan talked to him and I called to get hold of Nathan's advocate to see why he was going to two psychiatrists in the same day.  It seemed like a waste of time to me and seemed like there are too many people trying to stir the pot to get the help that Nathan needs.  I couldn't get the advocate on the phone so maybe I will find out something later but it seemed like a useless visit to me.  The Dr. came out to talk to me for a while and when he went back in he said something that made Nathan mad and he has been kind of mad all evening at me so I don't know what the problem is but I am supposing the Dr. said something about needing my help and Nathan likes to be independent as much as possible.  He told us that he only had a receptionist part time and that she doesn't often answer as we were leaving so I felt like it was a blessing that she had answered when I called to find out where we should be.

Nathan wanted the address of some friends so we drove to their home to get the address after that.  I insisted that he stop and get something to eat as I was starving.  We got some smoothies at Jack in the Box because it was almost time for dinner.  I was glad that I had taken two sodas and some fruit in my purse to eat because I do not feel well when I do not eat regularly and it helped me to survive the marathon.

After that we went back to the apartment and I had several calls to return to missionaries with problems for me to solve or with referrals for me to enter.  Luckily the referral system is on line so I was able to get those in while dinner was cooking.

I was so tired I wanted to go to bed after dinner so I layed down to take a nap.  Larry went grocery shopping because we were getting low and Nathan spent time texting trying to find someone who could help him run some errands tomorrow that still needed to get done.  He said that he found someone so maybe that will work better.

Yesterday I finished most of my work in the first hour that I was at the mission except for updating the war board (a diagram of cards showing where each Elder and Sister are and what their assignment is.) President Slaughter came in and we had a meeting together with him and the other couple in the office.  That lasted until about 1:00 p.m.  Larry and I then went home and got some lunch and then I had to go with Larry to get a new car that was in and drive our car back to the office.  When we got back I had a baptism to enter and Larry was working on getting the car out to who needed it and trying to solve the problems for three accidents that have occured in the last two weeks.  No one was hurt but the cars were damaged and needed to be fixed.

Nathan and Larry in front of the San Antonio Temple

At four we had to leave and go home because Nathan had volunteered to help with the baptisms at the temple for the youth in our ward.  We helped him get dressed.  We teased him because his pants were so tight they were hard to get on.  I told him they must have been bought when he was skinny last July, but of course that is not true.  We did get them on him in a fashion and they looked okay but he is going to have to lose weight or buy some new ones.

We arrived at the temple and the people determined that Nathan could confirm some and that he could be a witness.  They didn't need us so we went and did some initiatory while he was helping with baptisms.  It was a good feeling to be able to leave him in loving hands and he did so well.  I enjoyed the initiatory ceremonies but it was surprising that they only had two rooms for the ordinances.  It felt good to be in the temple.

After the temple I told Larry that I wanted to go somewhere to eat where we could relax and sit and eat.  Nathan suggested a Brazilian Steak house that he had been to so we went there.  It was a wonderful experience.  Much like Rodiso but with much more emphasis on service.  And the food was wonderful but they do not have grilled pineapple so I missed that.  It was really a fun thing to do to top off the night at the temple.

Monday was a typical day at the office.  It feels good to be able to get my work done with time to spare.  Although after lunch I began to wonder because I had several referrals coming in and there were some baptisms that came in the mail.

Maren had her nose operated on and she was really in pain and the pain pills made her sick.  She called me at the end of the day and I was so sorry for what she was having to go through.  I was so glad that Shirley was able to go back and help her.  Maren has wanted the work done on her deviated septum for a long time and Shirley is a very competent Grandmother and worker.  I told Maren to let her take care of things and rest.  I hope that she listened.

Monday night we did not so anything special we were all so tired that we just went to bed.  I find myself exhausted at the end of the day so if I am not doing something to contact you I am sorry.  It is a good tired because we know that we have worked hard each day but we are learning a new level of work that we have not experienced for several years.