April 4-25, 2020 Marina Life/ sv Joybird

Here are a few highlights of the month.

Since Jimmy Buffett’s concert tour was canceled this summer, he started showing past concerts on margaritaville.tv online.  I guess it’s usually a paid service to live stream concerts.  But he is showing past concerts for free.  They also have fans send in photos or videos of themselves, so we decided to send one in.  We took our dinghy out for a ride and made a video.  There were dolphins in the area, but I messed up on the first take.  So a friend put two videos together for us to send in. 
!! Video on desktop

We later made a shorter video and it was used online during one of the concerts.


We took our boat for a day sail April 7.  We took the boat out into St Simon’s Sound, but not out onto the ocean.  We saw dolphins several times that day.  We checked out the wreck of the Golden Ray cargo ship in the sound.  We even saw people working on the Sidney Linear Bridge.  Interesting day. 

On April 9, Dave and another boater friend, Lilley, made cookies on the grill.  She wants to sell them at the marina.  Dave showed her an easy recipe for ESP cookies.  The recipe is one Egg, one cup of Sugar, and one cup of Peanut butter, hence the ESP.  They put the cookie sheets directly on the grill which caused them to burn.  They should have had a diffuser of some sort.  They still tasted awesome.  She planned to hand out samples, but she ended up making $10 from boaters that wanted to pay her for the cookies. 

Lilly's mom, Trish, was working with gloves on, but wanted to taste the cookies

Dave and I are eating a low carb diet.  So for Easter dinner we had a Greek dinner.  I made tabouleh with cauliflower instead of couscous.  I made a “pita bread” with cheese, almond flour and egg.  We had chicken with homemade tzatziki sauce.  Yummy!!  It was strange not going to church because of the COVID 19 virus.  I think my mother must have been rolling over in her grave.  I watched mass live streamed from our local Catholic Church on Facebook.  On Palm Sunday, I watched the Pope say mass at St Peter’s Basilica.  That was great to see. 


Dave taught Pete how to make an eye splice in a rope.  It forms a loop at the end by splicing the end back into the rope itself.  This was a double braid eye splice.  Every type of rope has it’s own instructions for the splice.  Dave added a stopper ball onto the halyard rope to keep the halyard from jamming at the top of the mast.  He had to cut off the old splice, add the ball, then make a new splice.  

In April, several people in our marina helped save a boat that was taking on water at the dock.  I wrote up an article for the Facebook group Women Who Sail that I included here.  Great story. 

I would like to share how a boat that was taking on water at Brunswick Landing Marina in Brunswick, GA was saved by many helping hands at the marina, but especially by the help of one of our members, Hood on Symbiont.

Early Tuesday morning April 14, 2020, the sailboat JoyBird started taking on water.  The owner, 88 year old George, was trying to handle it himself, but called 911 at about 4:00 am.  The Fire department didn’t have much help to offer other than waking up other boat owners on the dock.  The first person to arrive was Hood, from Symbiont because her dog woke her up.   George refused to leave his boat.  Hood climbed on board and was able to start his manual pump, since he wasn’t strong enough.  They realized that the manual pump alone wasn’t going to remove enough water.  Hood went for more help.  She woke up Rich on Ohana who brought a hand pump.  Hood contacted Matt and Trish (who works at the marina) next on Alfitairie, who were already awake and on their way to help. They contacted Bjarne, another employee that lives at the marina on Lantz-alot with his wife Deby (WWS).  Bjarne was able to bring the marina’s pump to the boat.

The trash pump arrived about 4:45 am when the water was over Hood’s knees.  Once the water level was down, they were able to access the hole.  George knew every inch of his boat.  He explained to Hood where he thought the hole was.  She was like an extension of his hands finding the hole in the water that was now about a foot deep.  Hood held her hand over the hole and kept the pump clear.  Another boater, Mark, arrived with bung plugs.  They used wooden and rubber plugs, a cut up t-shirt, tar filled gauze and an ultra sized tampon to slow the incoming water. 

Once the boat was stable enough to be moved, they had to wait about 2 and a half hours to be hauled out.  They had to wait for the boat yard to open at 8:00 am to be towed to the lift.  On the way from the slip to the haul out lift, the generator running the pump stopped working.  Hood went back in the water to hold her hand over the leak around the plugs for about an hour.  When they arrived at the lift, it was low tide.  JoyBird has a 7 foot draft and was sitting on the bottom, which added to the delay.  Haul out was finally done about 10:30 am.

The good news is that the boat was hauled out safely with the hands of many people at the marina.  George has moved JoyBird to a DIY boatyard where he can make the necessary repairs.  We need a big shout out to Hood for spending several hours in the water in the early morning hours to help save this man’s home.  She deserves the MVP award.  Even though she has her own boat issues, she is always willing to step up and help others.,

Lessons learned: know what equipment and tools you have on board should you start taking on water.  Take some time to get to know your dock mates.  And keep an eye out for what looks normal or unusual on your dock.  Boaters have always been known to come to the aid of others. 

A Go Fund Me page has been set up to help George through this rough time, should you want to contribute.  JoyBird is a 103 year old sailboat that George has lived aboard since the 1960’s.  www.gofundme.com, Friends of JoyBird and George.  Thank you. 

March 13-April 3, 2020 Condo on St Simon's Island

Pete and I spent 3 weeks at a VRBO condo on St Simon’s while he regained his strength and mobility.   Dave would join us overnight a few times.  But Dave continued to work on boat projects rather than sit around a condo.

Pete's first outing with borrowed walking sticks for support

St Simon's Pier was closed due to the Covid 19 virus

We were just at the beginning of the COVID 19 virus.  We felt pretty isolated at the condo.  I would go out for groceries.  Pete and I would go to his doctor’s appointments.  And in between appointments, we found a few places to walk on the island.

I enjoyed having a dishwasher and laundry at our disposal.  We watched movies and played cards.  I did most of the cooking, working out Pete’s new diet.  He has to stay away from fried foods and butters, wheat and nut breads and preservatives.  So back to fresh baked white bread.  No spicy food or processed foods with lots of preservatives.  He needs to eat carbs with his meals.  So it’s trial and error as to what affects him. 

Entrance from parking lot

view of kitchen towards door

view of kitchen from the entrance foyer

view of dinging room/living room with door to deck. stairwell on the right to the bedrooms/bathroom upstairs

back towards window to the kitchen, half bath on the left then foyer to entrance

Pete and I found the Wesley Memorial on St Simon’s Island.  It was built in memory of the Reverends John and Charles Wesley who lived in this area in the early 1700’s.  We returned with Dave on the weekend.

February 18- March 12, 2020 Pete's hospital stay

I have shared the details of Peter’s hospital stay with many family members and friends.  Therefore, I will give an abbreviated version for my own memory/records.

In the early hours of Tuesday, February 19, the CT scan determined that the pain was not from his appendix.  They could see an abscess in his ilium, lower section of his small intestine.  Not sure at this point if surgery was necessary.  First mention of possible Crohn’s disease because it affects this part of the intestines.  Spent most of Tuesday and Wednesday waiting for different doctors to check him and come up with a treatment plan. 

On Wednesday, February 20, GI Dr ordered another CT scan, Pete started feeling worse, ended up in emergency surgery from 10:00-11:30 pm with Dr Tsai.  They removed 10cm of necrotic tissue in the small intestine and the connection to the colon.  He has had digestive issues for years that had gone untreated, just dealt with it in his diet.  He had an open wound with a wound vac that helped with internal healing vs just closing the surface.  Before sending us home for the night, they told us they moved him to ICU because of his breathing.  He needs to be on a ventilator until he is stable.  We kissed him goodnight and tried to get some sleep.

On Thursday, February 21, we were told that his right upper lobe of his lung was collapsed.  When a patient is on a ventilator, they take a chest x-ray daily and discovered the collapsed lung.  It was hard to know if it had been that way or if it had happened during the surgery.  A bronchoscopy was done and a mucous plug was removed.  It should re-inflate on it’s own, but would be monitored.

He had a hight fever and was on Tylenol and antibiotics.  Infectious disease Dr was monitoring antibiotics and watching for sepsis.  GI Dr said a biopsy was done to see if Pete had Crohn’s Disease, which will take 3 days.  His blood pressure was dangerously low 85/40, so they started him on fluids, then put in a pic line to give him a vasoconstrictor to increase his blood pressure.  Took blood culture to see if septic, but takes several days.  That can lower the blood pressure.


Friday, February 22, Dr Tsai said they were no longer concerned about his renal failure.  That was news to us.  He will need a second surgery to close his wound in about a week, but they won’t keep him on the ventilator until then, probably only a couple more days on vent.  He was kept on high dose of pain med and sedation because of the ventilator tube.  The Respiratory therapist lowered the dose when she cleaned his vent tube.  He opened his eyes and I was able to assure him that everything was alright.

Wound care changed his dressing, looked good.  No longer on blood pressure meds.  Lung re-inflated.  Will wean him off of the ventilator by decreasing the oxygen and the pressure.

Saturday, February 23, Infectious Disease Dr said blood cultures didn’t show signs of sepsis.  But his lungs could be infected, which is prolonging the use of the ventilator.  Dr Tsai said that long term infection in his intestines forced bacteria across the diaphragm and into his lungs, which increased the infection there.  Plus the intestines were swollen, which crowded the space for the lungs making it more difficult to fully inhale and clear infection. 

CCU DR/pulmonologist said they would remove fluid off his lungs to help them improve.  Pete had a CTA, computed tomography angiogram to check for a blood clot about 3:00pm and was given blood thinners.  I waited until 7:00pm for the Dr to tell me the results.  Finally, the RN on duty said he wasn’t coming back that evening, but the test was negative for a blood clot.  Whew!!

Sunday, February 23,  started on steroids and bronchodilator to help with lung infection.  Fluid wants to settle in back of the lungs when the patient lays in bed for many days.  Started reducing the % of oxygen.
Dave and I both visited Pete today.  Usually, I would sit at Pete’s side all day talking to the various doctors, therapists and nurses that came and went, and making notes.  I had a little table set up with my computer in a corner.  Dave continued to work on the boat and stay busy. 

Monday, February 24, still on ventilator.  Dr Tsai confirmed that Pete does have Crohn’s disease.  He had cardiac, renal and pulmonary failure!  Heart and kidneys are doing fine.
His body was very stressed going into the surgery, so just taking longer for lungs to improve.
Started Pete on IV nutrition, one week after being admitted to the hospital.
Dr said I should take time for myself, not stay here so much.  Dave and I went to a movie that night, The Call of the Wild, thinking it would be light hearted and scenic.  Harrison Ford’s character headed into the wilderness because his son had died.  Not what we wanted to see at the time.

Tuesday, February 25, continued to drop the oxygen %.  Before leaving, Pete gave my hand a squeeze.  I asked him for a squeeze for his dad and he lifted his middle finger.  I asked if he was flipping him off and he nodded yes.  Later he told me it was because I had told him we were going to a Mardi Gras party at the marina. 

Wednesday, February 26, Dr Tsai thought Pete’s wound looked good and was ready to close, but he wanted his lungs to be more stable first.  He won’t start him on tubal feeding or real food until he is off the ventilator and can tell him whether he is passing gas and how his abdomen feels.

Thursday, February 27 my sister, Janice Moore, and niece, Sherri Zeller Hansen, arrived to spend the day.  Janice is spending a couple months at a condo in Florida south of Tampa.  Sherri lives in Key Largo, but was returning from work via airplane.  They met in Tampa and drove here overnight.  We went out for breakfast then to the hospital.

We talked to Dr Tsai at 9:30 am.  About 5 or 6 am, RN Jeanette noticed feces in his JP drain from his abdomen, indicating leakage from his anastomosis-the connection of his intestines.  Dr came in early and decided to schedule surgery.  They will open him, wash the area and stabilize.  Will go in again tomorrow to wash again and reconnect or place an ileostomy.  Worse than a colostomy, because fluids don’t get absorbed in the colon, dehydration and lack of electrolytes. 

Surgery was from 1:00 to 2:30.  It was called exploratory laparotomy bowel resection with possible ileostomy.  After surgery, Dr Tsai said the anastomosis had not connected at all.  Probably because of the severe inflammation at the time.  He removed about 5cm of small intestine and about 10cm of the ascending colon to the proximal end of the transverse colon -right semi colectomy.  He stapled the ends and will go back in tomorrow to wash again.  He’ll either reconnect the ends or place the ileostomy. He was feeling more confident that the ileostomy wouldn’t be needed.

It was really nice to have Janice and Sherri here.  It gave us something else to visit about instead of just staring at each other from 9:30, when we found out the news, until the surgery was completed at 2:30.  After seeing Pete, we took Janice and Sherri to St Simon’s Island for BBQ and to see the pier at the inlet.  Then we drove over to Jekyll Island for a quick tour right about sunset. 

dirty oysters and lobster nachos with Sherri and Janice

Janice and Mary at St Simon's Pier with lighthouse in the background and Dave's shadow in the foreground

Mary, Janice, Sherri, Dave on Jekyll Island

better view of the sunset on the ICW west side of Jekyll Island

They stopped to see Pete one more time and took off for Florida.  It was a long day for everyone.  But so thankful they were here.

Friday, February 28, lungs were stable after first surgery at 50% oxygen.  Blood sugar has been high, possibly because of being on steroids for the lungs.  Started a long acting insulin.  White blood cell count was high, added another antibiotic.

Surgery 1:00-2:00 Dr Tsai-NO ILEOSTOMY!!  2 JP drains, hoses with little bulbs about the size of a pear.  The wound vac is now different.  This one will allow the wound to close naturally.  Will probably take about 30 days.  So will probably leave the hospital with a traveling wound vac.  Asked why so much more colon was removed.  The ascending colon was more diseased.  And the position of the transverse colon will promote healing better for the anastomosis than in the position of the ascending colon with the first surgery.  (FYI, the appendix is now gone, too.)

Saturday, February 29, started Pete on trials of spontaneous breathing without the aid of the ventilator.  By 1:00 he was OFF OF THE VENTILATOR, 10 days!!  He was less sedated so was able to converse, even with a face mask for oxygen.  Dave come up, and we spent some time updating him on the last 2 weeks.  He had ice chips for the first time and was in heaven. 

Sunday, March 1, moved Pete to a surgical recovery room.

Monday, March 2, Pete gets a nebulizer treatment every 6 hours, including during the night.  Rough time sleeping.  Physical and Occupational therapists helped Pete stand for the first time, pretty weak.  May need to go to in patient therapy after leaving the hospital. 

Tuesday, March 3, Nasal tube out and started on clear liquids.  PT had him up and down more today.

Wednesday, March 4, Pete had chicken broth and apple juice and thought he was in heaven.  Later that day he had his first BM and called it a “religious experience”.  Great day.

Thursday, March 5, White Blood Cell count has been high, but may be from steroids, will monitor.  PT walked around the 2nd floor!  Eating soft solid foods.

making an escape

Friday, March 6, Was able to walk to the bathroom and wash up.  Blood sugar is still high, but may be from other medications.

Saturday, March 7, count was normal.  PT said he probably won’t need to go to rehab after dismissal, just out patient PT.  Played guitar for about an hour.  Good therapy for his hands, lungs and mind. 

Sunday, March 8, Surgeon gave ok to remove all IV’s/hoses.  Made 2 laps around 2nd floor twice today.

Monday, March 9, lots of visitors, hospitalist, surgeon, PT (walked again), OT, Infectious Disease Dr, dietician, GI Dr.  All checking him out for dismissal and plans for after dismissal.  Started him on IV iron.


Tuesday, March 10, Dr Tsai arranging for mobile wound vac to be set up.  More iron and tapering off steroids.

Pete's loving all the attention

Wednesday, March 11, Dr Tsai gave ok for dismissal.  Hospitalist wants him to have more iron and will give discharge orders tomorrow.  Setting up care for after dismissal.  Wound care twice a week at Dr Tsai’s office.  PT at the hospital’s PT as outpatient. 

Thursday, March 12, hospitalist came in about 10:00 with discharge orders.  Wound care reviewed wound vac care.  Nurse reviewed meds.  Dressed with a belt for the first time, uncomfortable.  Out the door by 2:45pm.  He was almost in tears being able to see the sunshine and breathe fresh air. 

We had rented a VRBO condo on St Simon’s island since it was difficult for Pete to walk and bend, let alone climb on and into a boat.  We ended up with one that had the bedrooms on the second floor.  The stairs were actually good therapy for Pete. 

first meal at the condo

What a journey!!  We feel very fortunate that Pete was living in Georgia, and we were able to help him through all of this. Thank you to everyone that supported us through this whole ordeal.  And thanks for the many prayers for Pete’s recovery.  He has a lot to learn about Crohn’s disease and how to live with it.  He will be receiving infusions of immunosuppressant drugs after his wound is healed.  But for now, he is out of the hospital!!!

February 13-17, 2020 Weekend in Florida

I spent Thursday unpacking and doing laundry.  On Friday, Dave and I drove to Fernandina Beach, FL for a boating class for docking on Saturday.  Since it was Valentine’s Day, we drove to the beach to have an early dinner to beat the crowds.  Our class was at the city marina on the intracoastal waterway from 8-5:00.  Actually, part of the morning was a written test.  Then the rest of the day was spent practicing on a sailboat a little smaller than ours.  There was only one other student, the 2 of us and the instructor. 
After class, we drove to St Augustine.

 
 
 
On Sunday, we met Gene and Colleen Schneider for brunch.  They are South Dakota friends that spend a few months at an RV park north of St Augustine.  We drove to their campsite that afternoon to visit longer.  They cooked whiting fish for us that Gene caught in the ocean off the beach.  Very good!  We spent another night in St. Augustine before heading home on Monday.  We had to stop in Jacksonville, FL to pick up chain and 2 anchors that Dave had taken there to be galvanized.  We stopped in St Mary’s, GA to have a late lunch/early dinner.

Our table was on the second floor deck at O.C. White's

Gene and Colleen's RV site

Dave, Mary, Colleen, Gene

moving the chain from the fork lift to the trunk of the rental car

We returned to the boat about 5:00pm to find Pete with severe and constant abdominal pain.  It had started on Friday after we left town.  He was able to work Friday and Saturday.  He had Sunday off.  But on Monday, he had to come home from work about 10:00am and had been laying there in pain all day.  We took him to an Urgent Care clinic.  They decided he should go to the emergency room for a CT scan to determine if it was appendicitis.  We arrived there about 7:00pm, but he wasn’t examined until 11:00pm.