September 2019 we went to Hastings House (http://www.hastingshouseweddings.com/) to make plans for our wedding on June 20, 2020. But several things would prevent it from happening.

Last thing we did together was to visit my daughter in SoCal in September 2019. We had tickets to the Hollywood Bowl to see Earth, Wind & Fire in concert for their 50th Anniversary.

Medical Hell: FEB - OCT 2020

2020 would become the worse year of my life. Our birthdays are 9 days apart. We went to Shabuya in Concord that serves shabu-shabu. I must have ate something there that did not agree with me because the following happen to me. I will never eat at a place like that ever again.

Friday, Feb 7, 2020 I left work feeling a pain in my lower back. Saturday & Sunday I was not able to get out of the bed on my own. Angie had to help me to get out of bed. On Monday I asked Angie to take the day off from work and take me to Urgent Care at the VA Martinez Outpatient.

Spent all day at Urgent Care and was sent to John Muir Concord Hospital. Come to find out where we ate for our birthdays caused me to have E. coli which turned to blood poison in my colon. Finally, it caused a heart and lower back infection. I had 2 MRIs and one CAT scan. They put a pic line in my left arm to give me antibiotics for my heart infection. They then decided to send me to a Rehab center to continue IV of antibiotics. That was on Feb. 22 to Vale Healthcare Center in San Pablo, CA. Where I stayed for 4 months during that time I had to go to VA Martinez for MRI. My infection doctor at VA ordered a MRI and come to find out my lower back infection had gotten worse and was in the bone so it meant more antibiotics. Since my pic line had been removed from my left arm after my heart infection antibiotics was done. I had to have another pic line put in my right arm for antibiotics to be administer for lower back infection. While there the CNA did not remind me about dental hygiene so I broke one tooth on the top and 3 on the bottom in the front. I look like a redneck if I smile with my lips parted. I will only smile with my mouth close now.

There were weekly blood checks in how the antibiotics were doing. The apartment we were living in with was on the second floor Angie found out a first floor apartment in our small complex became available in March. She was able to move to the first floor with the help of her 2 younger sons. The youngest lives with us.

My infection doctor at the VA Martinez wanted another MRI done. I was sent to John Muir Concord after that test. I was then sent to John Muir Walnut Creek where I had a procedure done between L2 & L3 in my back bone to check my lower back infection plus a CAT scan. They wanted me to use what they called HBO (Hyperbaric Oxygen) chamber. The hospital wanted to send me back to Vale but I didn’t want to go back. They couldn’t send me back since someone there got covid-19 so it was closed to anyone going there. They sent me to another Rehab, Bay View Nursing & Rehab Center in Almeda. They administer more anti-biotics to me and took blood from me weekly to monitor the anti-biotics.

After a month my infection doctor ordered another MRI. This was on a Friday and by the time I got done she wanted me to be transferred to the VA Hospital in Palo Alto. It was too late so I had to wait for transport back to Bay View and spend the weekend there. I hated it there because of my roommates I had were not all there.

Monday, I went back to VA Martinez and when I got there they got me another transportation that took me to VA Hospital Palo Alto. While there they did a lot of test on me. They did a CAT Scan, PET Scan and another procedure on my back between L2 and L3. It came down that there was nothing they could do to get rid of the infection and I would have to live with it. Come to find out I have a heart murmur that I never knew about but Angie did since she has one and she would lay on my chest and heard it and she thought I knew. They also saw that had a fluid build up under my left lung. They did twice draw fluid from me. First time time .5 liters and second time .8 liters for a total of 1.3 liters. I still have fluid and they want me to go up to Sacramento to have done but having a hard time deciding whether to do it or not. They keep saying they want to make sure it is not cancer yet what they took from me did not. I'm noticing that anything going wrong with me they want to make sure there is no cancer.

Aug. 22 I was sent to the VA Martinez Inpatient Care Unit where I went through intense Occupational and Physical Therapy. I was released on Oct 22.  Once home I got occupational therapy for one month and physical therapy for 2 months. I spent a total of 8 1/2 months in 3 different hospitals, two private & VA and 3 different rehabilitation centers, two private & VA.

Below pics are what I have around the apartment from the VA. Top left is the walker I use around the apartment. I have had it since my motorcycle accident in 2013. When I was leaving the VA Martinez In Patient Care they gave me a four wheel walker I use outside with Angie pushing my wheelchair behind me. Bottom left is my table VA sent me so I can have somewhere to sit at, eat at and watch TV. Bottom right is the tiny bathroom where VA had installed and provided everything at no cost to me. Far right against wall is a pole I use to help get me on the chair that partly hangs out of bathtub/shower so I can sit on it and swing myself into bath/shower. They installed the bar on the shower wall and have special seat for the toilet. I got a wedge for the bed so I can sit up more in bed.

Jan 16th, 2021 we celebrated 10 years of knowing each other and 5 years of being engaged. We have no idea when we will get married. Imagine staying at home sitting in a wheelchair due to my situation and try to figure out things to do to take up time. My State Disability Insurance ran out in February. I'm looking for some kind of work so I can do it at home.

Angie and I signed up with the Neptune Society https://www.neptune-society.com/location/walnut-creek-ca/ is a cremation service and will take care of all arrangements when you pass away. You are able to make monthly payments.

Top pic on the left is a Veteran urn kit. The pic on the right is the top shelf with different things needed. The bottom pic is a wood urn with American flag on it. I got cremation jewelry for my daughter and Angie. My ashes would be put in them and worn around their necks. 

April 16 I called my old work and talked to the owner to let him know I was ready to come back to work. I let him know I was in the wheel chair still and used a walker. He told me he wouldn't make his business handicap friendly just for me.

April 30 this came in the mail today from my daughter. She said it was a late birthday present and early Father's Day present. She remember that I love this Mickey Mouse from Fantasia, Sorcerer's Apprentice.

In March Angie took me to the bank to get a paper notarized to get a copy of my birth certificate. The bank wanted my drivers license and when I got it out I noticed it had expired on my birthday. Went home and went on the computer to renew it and pay for it. After 2 months still had not come yet so I called the DMV and was told it was mail to our old address since that was on the driver license. May 7 Angie took me to the DMV and filled out a change of address. Now waiting for it since I'm trying to get a handicap placard and apply for Unemployment. It came today, May 15 trying to finish up my filing for unemployment.

May 10 my HP LaserJet 1380 printer that I have had for over 15 years had a flashing light. I replaced the toner cartridge but the light still was flashing. I turned it off and then turned on and still was flashing. I decided to get a new printer since I use my HP OfficeJet 3830 for scanning and copier. May 13 Angie picked up the new printer, HP Neverstop Laser 1001. Reason it is called Neverstop because it doesn't have a cartridge but you buy a toner injector. This way you save money since it is a lot cheaper than the cartridge. Just inject the toner into the printer.

When Angie moved from second floor to first floor my old computer desk would not fit since it was L shape and it would block the sliding glass door. It was over 15 years old and time for it to go. While I was in rehab I ordered the computer desk to be delivered to our apartment. She put it together. The above pic is what it looks like. Bottom shelf is the HP Neverstop 1001 Laser, next shelf is the keyboard, the next is my HP laptop, Bose speakers, desk lamp and the top is my HP OfficeJet 3830.

In late March Angie took me to the VA Martinez Outpatient Physical Therapy so I could be evaluated. I then started do Physical Therapy by video. Once I was approved ParaTransit by Tri-Delta Transit. I go to VA Martinez twice a week for Physical Therapy.

July 14 I went to VA Martinez Outpatient Occupational Therapy to see if I qualify for an electric scooter. I had to read what is required when using the electric scooter. They had me drive to see if I could handle it. I figured since I drove a motorcycle this would be easier. The guy who tested me ask me what color I like and said blue so that is what color it will be. It has a little head light and back lights. It has a key to turn it on and uses a regular charger. It has switch to go forward and another to go backwards light plus shows how much it is charged, It would also have a basket in front and two side mirrors, a Navy emblem on the back of the seat and orange flag since it is low to the ground. I forgot to ask for a cup holder and a seat belt. July 16 VA sent out a contractor for putting a threshold for the front door. They will submit the results to the VA for approval and the contractor will get permission from the owner of the apartment to install. Once it is all approved I will order the electric wheelchair.

I saw a recent pic of my second ex and she is not aging well. Her husband looks like he has put on weight where I have taken the weight off. I'm so glad Angie is in my life and is a very strong woman inside and out. I cannot imagine my life without her. She is so intelligent and enjoys life. I need to find that in me again because of my lower back infection has taken that from me.

July 29 my former boss called me to see if I was walking or not. I told him no and that I was going to outpatient physical therapy at the VA Martinez twice a week at that time. Reason for his call was that the bookkeeper he hired after I ended up in the hospital and rehab had been screwing up and hiding mail from him from IRS and Calif Sales Tax. He was wondering if I was willing to work part time from home. I recommended that when I wanted to work from home but he said no and now he wants me to.

July 31 my former boss called me again and asked me about working from home and he is trying to figure it out. He said he would have someone from work that lives in our area to drop it off and pick it up. I made him aware I would not work at what he was paying me. I told him what I like to be paid and he had no problem because he had to find out what I did and had no idea how much it was. 

Week before August 9th he set me up with his computer guy so I could get into the server at work. Last year they had a Ransom Ware attack and he lost everything from it. It takes a lot to get in now. The bookkeeper he hired to replace me was not a Full Charge Bookkeeper which I am since I take care of all aspects of the business. The main problem is 2020 payroll payments and reports. Her knowledge about doing payroll is very weak plus accounts payable. He also got a CPA to help set up with accounts

Monday, August 9th was my first day back at work at home and first day I spent most of it figuring out how to sign on and started looking on what had to be done with the payroll plus other problems. Over the weekend I had to buy a monitor since my laptop screen was too small. Got a 24" Samsung Curved monitor and a HP DeskJet for scanning and copying. It took me several weeks to get it straighten out. He is giving me more responsibility in handling the money. Sep 2 I ordered a HP Deskjet so I can have a faster and more powerful computer. It was delivered a week later and last weekend I could not set it up. Hopefully this weekend I will be able to set it up.

Sep 25-26 I spent getting my new desktop set up. The bottom is an HP Neverstop Laser 1001. Next up is the power strip and next up is a keyboard shelf that moves out. Main shelf to the left is my new HP Slim Desktop PC and my 24" Samsung Curved Monitor. Top shelf is my HP DeskJet 4100 All-in-One Printer (Scanner & Copier).