My Father - Larry Flanigan

[Lisa Salberg]

Re: My Father - Larry Flanigan

Update -Sunday August 27

Dad walked across his room today! YEH! He is getting ready for his road trip back to NJ. Let the count down begin! Mom and Dad had a visit today from Mike who had his myectomy last week and looks like he will be heading home tomorrow! It was very nice of him to stop by and say hello to mom and dad.

I will take the drive out on Tuesday and return home the next day.

More later,
Lisa

[shirleymahoney]

Re: My Father - Larry Flanigan

Lisa

Glad to know your dad is doing so well that he gets to go home and I bet you are relieved your shoulders i'm sure have dropped, be careful on your next trip and look forward to hearing mom and dad are home and comfy in their own home

take care

Shirley

[Debbie]

Re: My Father - Larry Flanigan

Lisa and family,

I'm so glad! I hope your dad gets home with no problems and then home heals him.

Lisa, be careful heading back.

Debbie

[Linda]

Re: My Father - Larry Flanigan

Safe travels - Linda

[THW]

Re: My Father - Larry Flanigan

So glad to hear he is doing well enough to be released soon!

Just a tiny bit of advice if I may, and maybe you've already thought of it....I don't know what kind of vehicle he'll be riding in, but if it is an SUV, take along a little step stool for him to use to get in and out of the car, since you'll need to stop every hour or two to allow him to walk a bit. That step up into the SUV didn't seem so large to me until I had my myectomy. Luckily, my husband (or someone) thought of it and had a step-stool on board with us. Our normal 8 1/2 hour drive took about 12 hours with all the stops, but oh how great it was to be HOME!

God bless you guys as you travel!
Theresa

[Lynn Perry]

Re: My Father - Larry Flanigan

No worries about what type of vehicle will be used to get him home.

As might have been mentioned on this thread earlier, my dad has been a member of the local volunteer fire and rescue squad for approx 50 years. He was still "going on calls" the week before the surgery. His buddies from the rescue squad offered to bring out the ambulance if it was needed to get him back to New Jersey. And since he is not going directly home, but rather to a rehab facility to work on getting more mobile, he does need the ambulance. He was so touched when we told him that his guys were willing to make the 7 hour (one way) trip to come get him.

Lisa has been working with the rescue squad buddies to set up a team to drive out on Tuesday and back on Wednesay. He will no doubt be barking orders at his crew the entire trip, which I underestand he is very good at durring the rescue calls.

So how is this for timing, for those that don't know, Mom and Dad have a "winter" home in Key Largo, Florida. Anyone been watching the weather channel this weekend? But like my mother has stated numerous times, they understand the risk of having a place in the Keys. Whatever happens, happens. But, gee the timing could not have been worse - Tuesday into Wednesday is when the storm is projected to come through the Keys.

Today's goal is to figure out which rehab facilty he will be coming home to on Wednesday. For you local folks, did you know that Dover General (St. Clairs - Dover, or whatever else they may be calling it these days), has an 18 bed rehab facility now??? That was news to me? Anyway, the choice appears to be between the facility in Dover or the facility in Morristown. Depends on bed availability and his specific needs.

Meanwhile, we need to start finding some "cow" related welcome home decorations for when he actually gets HOME in a week or two.

Lynn

[Lynn Perry]

Re: My Father - Larry Flanigan

TODAY IS THE BIG DAY!!!

A slight change in plans, but dad is coming home to New Jersey today. However, instead of going directly to a rehab facility the decision has been made that he needs to work up his eneregy level a little before the rehab facility can take him. Rule of thumb is that the person must be capable of 3 hours of physcial therapy a day and although he has been making great improvements over the past week he is not at that point yet. So we have found a place for him in a short stay nursing home that is geared to situations like his. They will work with him to get the energy level up and as soon as he is ready he will transition over to the rehab facility.

Lisa and Stacey drove out yesterday so they can drive mom home and also help coordinate dad's release from the hospital. And dad's crew from the rescue squad drove out the "rig" yesterday. The plan is to leave Cleveland first thing today. The hospital is supposed to have him ready to leave by 8:00 a.m., but we all know that hospitals are rarely on schedule...

They left for Cleveland on July 16th and his surgery was on July 20th. Been a long 7 weeks, but they are only hours away from being back in New Jersey!!! And to help top off a great day, the hurricane wimped out from the sounds of things so the Key Largo house should be ok!!!!!!!!!!! So the goal now is to get dad ready in time to make their annual migration to Key Largo in January!!!!

Lynn

[Stuart Schwartz]

Re: My Father - Larry Flanigan

Lynn,

Looks like dad is headed in the right direction.. EAST.

Stuart

[Pam Alexson]

Re: My Father - Larry Flanigan

So very happy that today has arrived. Luck to all as you migrate back to New Jersey. My best to your dad as he begins his homeward journey. There truley is no place like home!

Pam

[Larry]

Re: My Father - Larry Flanigan

Tranquiltity base, the eagle has landed.

[Reenie]

Re: My Father - Larry Flanigan

Yay! I'm so happy for your whole family.

Reenie

[THW]

Re: My Father - Larry Flanigan

Congrats!
Theresa

[Lisa Salberg]

Re: My Father - Larry Flanigan

UPDATE - August 31, 2006

We arrived back yesterday at about 5:00pm. I had left home around 11:00am on Tuesday - rolled in to Cleveland by 8:00pm and back on the road at 9:00am the next morning and arrived in Parsippany at 5:00pm (needless to say stayed in bed until 9:00am this morning!) The ride out was mostly raining and nasty the road home basicly smooth sailing all the way and no read traffic back ups to speak of.

Tuesday morning between 9 and 10:30 were about the most tense times I can recall as the rehab centers had turned us down due to his inability to do the 3 hours of work and we had NO PLACE to bring him home to. Then I remembered my sister-in-law had taken a new position with a large nursing home firm and I called her. It happens that the company she worked for had a bed for him and a rehab program geared at post cardiac surgery patients! TA DA! By 11:15 we had the room locked in and records sent. This place looks like a hotel -and a nice one at that! It looks nothing like a 'nursing home' but more like a spa!

Dad hit the bed in his private room with a private bath. I met the staff, they processed the papers and we took mom HOME. I do not think she had ever been so happy to see home in her life.

MANY MANY MANY thanks to Adam, Bob, Bob, and Brandon who took there time to come out and pick up dad and bring him back to NJ. Dad teared up as we turned the corner and hit the big windows at the temporary enterance at CCF and he saw the rig and his guys waiting for him. It was a very emotional moment and one that my father has given a lifetime of work for. When I have the time and the emotional strength to tell you more about it I will.

Today I will head over to see dad and help get him comfortable. Local friends feel free to visit starting this weekend he is at Care-One on MazdaBrook Dr. in Parsippany (near the Sheraton Tara Hotel)Please do not send flowers as he has allergies.

It has been a long road to get this far, but it is not over YET.

Thanks to everyone and I will write more later,
Lisa

[Largehearted]

Re: My Father - Larry Flanigan

Lisa.

We are all so happy with you for your dad's recover this far. Thanks for letting us take this journey with you.

Peace,

Leon

[Midge Rollins]

Re: My Father - Larry Flanigan

Lisa, I am so glad he is back close and home is getting even closer.