Sick Kid but BACK on the Bike!

14 miles, 1,079 ft of gain, around the hood tonight. As much as I wanted to ride this past weekend, I was a bit worried about doing distance only having been on the bike like 2 times in 2 months so I opted for the shorter but hillier ride around home. My usual midweek evening ride when I start riding at night.

Another month off, NEVER have I been off the bike this much in the last 20 years. But as some of you may know, my stepson fell ill again. Gina's older son on dialysis for 18 years now. Gina donated a kidney, it failed after a year. I won't go into that, I get upset. 6 months ago open heart surgery. Doing well at age 36 and has learned the importance of taking care of himself so he's good for a while.

Then Gina's younger son also ends up on dialysis. Been doing it for 5 or 6 years now. Not very good at taking care of himself. Age 31, Plenty of strokes, a few mild heart attacks, seizures but still doesn't take care of himself very well.

4 weeks ago he starts feeling bad so he goes to the ER. Doc says he's having a heart attack. So they insert a couple of stents. His heart is doing better but all of a sudden, he has a massive stroke. BLIND, can't see a few minutes after the stroke. Then he has a shower of strokes, 20 smaller strokes in various parts of the brain. Major stroke was at the back affecting motor skills and sight.

Thinking he may bet better over the next few days, he gets worse. So now he can't move, can't talk, can't even move his thumb at the end of the first week. Things don't get any better. I don't know if it would be paralyzed or a coma. But he can not respond, can not answer, can not eat.

He moved his thumb a couple times during the second week, that's about it. Then the docs said he was not doing well and may not recover. So they tell Gina prepare for the worst. May have to make a decision if his heart stops, to revive or not revive.

But he has seemed to pull through so far but last week the docs said he is not breathing on his own properly. So they insert all kinds of tubes down his throat so he can breath on the machine. the docs say he is not getting better but not getting worse at his point,

But he can not breath on his ow, can not eat, can not move and can not see. He has tubes down his throat to feed him, rectal tube for the out process, and now a tracheotomy so that he can breath with the aid of a machine as they plan to place him in a home sometime this week.

Gina just replenished her 4 weeks vacation at the beginning of January, bone. Week of sick leave, gone! Plus she has been at the hospital 24/7 for 4 weeks. I think I have had dinner with her twice in that time. Make that 3, I forgot about last night.

So if you are wondering why we have not been on the bikes, that pretty much explains it!

I will tell you I feel sorry for Gina.

Anyway, felt good to be back on the bike in the fresh evening air!

Yeah, I am thinking my tights are nearing their end!