General Update #180 - October 6, 2020

Dusty arrived to farmhouse ~8 a.m., finding Joyce rolled forward on her recliner with oxygen line in place. Joyce semi-responsive, becoming more alert after ~15 minutes of prompted dialogue. Joyce stated she had already taken herself to the bathroom earlier in the morning "when it was still dark out." Dusty cleaned bathroom floor and toilet riser as there was evidence Joyce had released her bladder as she had moved to sit and attempted to clean up the mess herself. Joyce insisted that she was not hungry for breakfast and declined food options offered. 

8:25 a.m. - Breakfast (1 slice whole wheat toast with butter, 1 hard boiled egg, 1/2 banana, chocolate Ensure). Morning medication (Carvedilol, Metformin, 2 Tylenol, Multivitamin, Potassium, Iron). Breakfast finished around 9:25 a.m. Removed lidocaine patch and Tiger Balm patch which was applied yesterday.

9:43 a.m. - Bathroom trip without incident. Urine passed. Wounds cleaned. Noted Joyce walking on the side of her right foot more often. Joyce returned to chair ~9:55 a.m.

Craig arrived ~9:55 a.m. to visit, departing shortly afterward.

Dusty shared with Joyce how one of his colleagues refers to this season as "Septober" and is the last hurrah before she cannot go golfing until the spring. Joyce thought that should become an official month as she liked that idea of adding a month that covered the transitional weather period we experience on the Palouse.

11:04 a.m. - Arleen and Trish arrived to visit Joyce at the farmhouse. Arleen brought out violets for Joyce (Joyce appeared to forget Arleen, and so referred to her as "the violet lady"). Discussed Joyce being cancer free, Joyce could not recall who had declared her cancer free ("the state or some commission, but someone of authority"). 

Joyce confirmed that it was good to be home when asked. Trish updated Joyce about Arleen working with her at her business and that Arleen was their farm and timber expert. Trish discussed how difficult it seemed to be to find good training for her preparers on farms and timber, so Arleen is invaluable with her experience now that Joyce is out of the game. Discussion was had about the 2020 tax season (April 15, June 15 deadline for Idaho, July 15 deadline rushes and the extensions) and how odd the year has been. Trish provided updates on her business and her staff and their trainings. The three had a good laugh about the books "getting thicker, and thicker, and thicker." Arleen suggested that they should stop changing the rules which elicited more laughter. Discussed the upcoming elections and the potential outcomes for taxes depending on who wins. Trish reported that she heard through the grapevine that Mollie had her knee surgery, finally. Trish asked about Courtney and Joyce said that she thought she was down in Oregon. Dusty confirmed when Joyce asked for confirmation that was what Craig had shared. Joyce asked Arleen and Trish if they knew Dusty, as he used to come into the office quite frequently with her when she worked there. Trish and Arleen had a good chuckle and confirmed they knew Dusty. Arleen stated that she hasn't been out to the farm since Dusty was 5-years-old. 

Arleen asked about Phil's sawmill and Joyce was able to answer, providing a brief overview of Phil's operation. Arleen shared her "entertainment" over the last two weeks has been watching her neighbor selling and cutting their timber - must be taking advantage of the high market demand for timber. 

11:20 a.m. blood glucose level at 168 before Trish shared small slice of cheesecake with Joyce. Joyce ate one bite, remainder placed into fridge. Trish and Arleen left remaining cheesecake in fridge "for Craig and Dusty." 

Arleen asked Dusty about UI COVID-19 testing, as her daughter works at the campus daycare facility, she was interested in the current procedures and random testing mentioned in the latest issue of the Daily News. Trish talked about how she "had become Mollie in so many ways" and how she did not realize that Mollie did so much behind the scenes when they all worked at H&R Block. Trish shared how she had once approached Mollie about one year when she had clients contacting her constantly about their returns taking so long in being processed and that she should call her clients ahead and let them know they were going to be delayed and Mollie agreed but did nothing, and how this year Trish was humbled when one of her preparers approached her about the same topic in the same manner. 

Arleen and Trish asked about Joyce's tomatoes and Joyce lamented that her tomatoes did not survive the summer as Derik had promised to keep them watered but didn't take the responsibility he took on and seriously and they all died. Trish offered to bring Joyce some tomatoes and Joyce accepted as "she had some people who have been asking for tomatoes." Arleen shared that she was having difficulties with deer eating her tomatoes. Trish provided updates on her youngest daughter and that she is at the UI now, following her two oldest children who have already graduated from the UI. Her youngest is a sophomore in high school now, and Trish reminded Joyce and Arleen that they had held her youngest when the H&R Block staff threw her a baby shower years ago. "Time flies when you're having fun!" Trish said.  

Joyce asked if Arleen had a frost at her place yet and Arleen said that it has come close, most likely next week according to the weather report. Weather should start changing Friday night. Trish asked about how harvest was this year for Craig, as last year she knew Craig had a hard time. "He doesn't come in sad, and so I take it to be a good year." Joyce stated that she "looks at him as her son and can tell when he has had a good season." Trish shared that they were having to chase cows last weekend at their place and that she told her husband they needed to get horses "because it is hard to chase the cows down on foot." 

Joyce asked if Trish and Arleen were going to do taxes in 2021 and they confirmed they were planning on it. Trish is teaching a class for 3 people and the software has been purchased. 2020 tax season was doubled and Trish had concerns about how she was going to pay her staff...but the PPP Loans helped so they managed. They talked about how the road construction caused some headaches while the city was redoing that section of Almon. The continuing road work on "A" Street and Line Street has been causing continued traffic issues that are still being navigated. "But they are adventures, and gives us something to complain about," said Trish.

When Trish asked if there was anything they could do for Joyce and Joyce responded, "Just looking at your faces has meant a lot. You guys are H&R Block to me." Arleen reported that she runs into Carol quite often and so "checks up on Joyce when she doesn't know it." Trish stated that Marjorie had been the one to let her know Joyce had fallen down the stairs at the farmhouse back in June and she had reached out to learn more at that time. Trish and Arleen departed ~12:03 p.m. after visiting briefly with Dusty about Joyce and Arleen's time at UI Steele House 1957-1959 and Trish asking about scheduling future visits with Joyce.

1 p.m. - Joyce woke from napping in her recliner to suddenly ask about the portable oxygen bottles stowed near her entertainment center. Dusty informed her of their purpose and Joyce asked if she needed to put them somewhere else. Dusty recommended they remain where they were in case people needed them in a hurry and to help remind people who might remove Joyce from the farmhouse for transportation of Joyce that portable oxygen was needed. Joyce resumed sleeping.

1:25 p.m. - Joyce was roused enough for a bathroom trip. Joyce had minor issue with urinary incontinence requiring diaper pad insert change, however, she released her bladder as she moved to sit on the toilet riser which soaked her diaper. Dusty assisted with diaper and diaper pad insert replacement, then cleaned and sanitized the floor and toilet riser. Dusty asked Joyce if her right leg was bothering her as she was using both of her hands to reposition it. Joyce stated that she thought it was not working right but could not articulate why she thought so. Joyce was able to walk to and from bathroom under her own power with only minor difficulty.

1:38 p.m. - Joyce had a coughing fit, expelling some mucous. Dusty attempted to get Joyce to consider eating lunch but she repeatedly declined. Joyce agreed to eat 1/2 a banana with 2 Tylenol. Joyce ate 1/3 of the 1/2 banana and set the rest aside. Joyce napped until ~3:30 p.m. citing fatigue. 

3:35 p.m. - Bathroom trip without incident. Joyce happy that she had no issues with incontinence. Urine passed, wounds cleaned by Dusty. Joyce reported that her buttocks felt better now that the wounds were healing up. Returned to recliner ~3:59 p.m. Dusty provided explanation about the pillow being moved from one side of the recliner to the other to help prevent pressure sores and alleviate irritation of wounds as they heal when Joyce asked. Joyce declined having new Tiger Balm patch applied to her left knee as it was feeling pretty good and stating she would rather have it put on tomorrow morning when a new lidocaine patch is applied to her back "so they are on the same schedule."

Dusty departing farmhouse to work at his office on campus ~4:10 p.m., Connie arriving to provide evening care for Joyce. Joyce told Dusty to wish Jess a happy birthday for her when she asked what Jess was up to today.