Adversity Paves The Way To Adventure

With a feeding tube in her nose and an IV in her arm, an eleven-day hospital stay was not how we wanted to spend these precious days. We faced the next step in the progression of her condition. Little did we know this event would invigorate our lives and provide us with our next adventure.

Hard To Swallow

Colleen’s swallowing challenge has been ongoing for several years. Before we left Wisconsin, she had a swallow study done. These had become relatively routine over the years. Although she was not in danger of aspiration, her doctor asked her to consider a PEG feeding tube. Colleen would not have it! She would eat solid food as long as it was safely possible. We have been able to accomplish this through creative food preparation until now. The time had come to take this dreaded step.

The doctor admitted her after the second visit to the ER in as many days. As we sat in the examination room, waiting for the hospital staff to complete Colleen’s intake, I experienced a sense of relief. I had long questioned the need for medical attention. Colleen’s food and liquid intake has been sporadic at times which seemed to hinge on her energy level. By the time this day arrived, I was emotionally and physically exhausted. 

Short-Lived Relief

My sole focus has been caring for Colleen for the last four years. Her care is a 24/7 job and my responsibility has increased since I assumed this role. When they decided to admit her, I thought this would allow me the time to recharge. After finishing their paperwork, I kissed her and walked out the door. 

The relief I felt 20 minutes before was gone. As I was pulling away from the hospital that night, a wave of emotion came over me that I had not anticipated. The thought of losing her was overwhelming. At that moment, I felt alone and scared. I wanted to call someone, but it was late. I did something I had not done in past years and felt the emotions instead of reacting to them. I heard something recently “Emotions are not emergencies.” My emotions did settle down when I arrived home to see two wagging tails greet me.

Much of our life today is about routine. Over the coming eleven days, life would be different. Tonight we would not walk through our usual routine before bed, nor would I be woken up by the alarm she uses to let me know she needs to use the bathroom in the middle of the night. I would not have to work the “time puzzle,” balancing her care with chores and errands I need to run. I was a bit disoriented.

The Long Wait

The following day I drove to the hospital. When I arrived on her floor, I asked a nurse which room was hers. They asked if I was her husband, to which I answered I was. She said, “Thank God you are here.” She has been uncomfortable, and we do not know what she is trying to tell us. As I entered the room, she flashed that smile that lights up any room. My heart was once again whole. 

They were running a dextrose IV drip to take care of her hydration and stabilize her blood sugar. Shortly after I arrived, a speech therapist entered the room. After her evaluation, she recommended having a Dobhoff feeding tube inserted (through the nose) until they can arrange for a permanent PEG tube to be placed. By this time, Colleen was ready for the feeding tube. 

The procedure is a simple one, but the scheduling of the procedure was long. I will not bore you with the details; however, it took as much patience and acceptance as we could muster. Colleen does not fancy going to the doctor, much less laying in the hospital uncertain of her discharge.

New Adventures

During this time, we sold our travel trailer. With that stage of our lives coming to a close, I asked myself, what is next? We are adventure seekers. We needed a new adventure. As Aristotle put it, “Nature abhors a vacuum.” A vacuum was created and was about to be filled. Shortly after, I came across the Extreme Motus X3 offroad wheelchair.

At first glance, this looks like a beach wheelchair, but it is also designed for rocky trails. This design is perfect for the trails around Tucson. I watched some of the TikTok videos of Ryan from Extreme Motus taking his friend Sam on adventures navigating some crazy trails. My first reaction after watching these videos was, “We need this!” I showed Colleen some of these videos. Even though she had little energy and adventure was the furthest thing from her mind, she flashed that iconic smile at me. I told her when she felt better, we would buy that chair.

After Colleen was discharged and recuperating at home, we adapted to her new meal routine. Her PEG tube put me at ease, knowing that she received the proper hydration and nutrition. The beauty of the PEG tube is that she will receive the appropriate nutrition, but she can also eat and drink what she wants (given she can swallow safely). 

After a few weeks, Colleen did start eating solid food again. Since her feeding tube supplied the nutrition she needed, she could eat the desserts she had long had to give up. With the concern about her nutrition aside, we could now focus on our new adventures. 

Many IBMs

A friend recently introduced me to the acronym IBM – Itty Bitty Miracles. During Colleen’s stay, there were many IBMs. The nurses that tended to Colleen could see her powerful spirit shine in the face of adversity. Our marriage strengthened during this experience. It became clear how fragile life truly is. It is so easy to get caught up in the minutia of life that we lose focus on what is truly important. For us, it is living life to the fullest every day.

Time: Our Most Precious Resource

We decided to travel in 2018 because our time on this earth is short. As Thoreau said, “I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life.” This whole experience reinforced how precious time is. We believe time cannot be bought, borrowed, or stolen. Time can only be enjoyed in the present moment. We intend to maximize our time on new adventures with our Extreme Motus X3.