18 Years Today

Doug is an 18 year stroke survivor.  God bless this man.  

On July 30, 2025, Doug had kidney infection that was sepsis and was hospitalized for 9 days, then was sent to a terrible nursing home rehab for 22 days.   He was not able to stand up at all and unable to use his legs.  He came home and needed an electric lift with a sling to get him from the bed to his wheelchair or recliner.  He was hospitalized again on September 27, 2025 for a UTI infection for 5 days.  And then again on October 19, 2025 for another kidney infection that was sepsis for 6 days.  He had an emergency stent put in his left kidney for kidney stones too big to pass.  And he had a PICC line put in before being sent home for continued antibiotics on the 2nd and 3rd visit to the hospital.  One was put in his right arm and then one in his left arm.  Towards the last 2 doses on the 3rd PICC line, he had 3 tremors.  I thought he was having seizures but the E.R. said they were tremors.  After the PICC line was removed, he didn't have any more.  Doug finally got the kidney stones removed on March 10, 2026.  It has been a long 8 months since Doug's kidney problems started.  The past week, Doug hasn't seemed to feel too good.  His appetite has been very bad and he sleeps a lot.  And he is uncomfortable too.  Tomorrow we have an appointment to see an APRN that took over Dr. Love's patients over 2 years ago.  We want to go back to seeing her because the doctor Doug was seeing passed away.  I pray we can get to this appointment, and get Doug to feeling good again.  We are living one day at a time for sure during this difficult time for Doug.

Wheelchair Bound

On May 2, 2024, Doug couldn't put any weight on his feet without causing him severe pain.  It was so bad he couldn't stand on his feet when he tried to get up from the waterbed.  So, we called 911 and he went to the emergency room.  From that day on, Doug has been using his wheelchair that he got when he got out of the hospital in 2008.  Life is not easy for Doug, and everyday is a challenge.  We have made adjustments and are learning ways to accommodate being totally disabled now.  Business has slowed down, and we are trying to close the law practice and sell our building.  God has blessed us and we are leaning on Him as we plan Doug's retirement from being a successful attorney after 34 years here in Norman. I don't know what the future holds, but I do know who holds the future.  And, we are still living one day at a time, always.

My nephew Jason Rovenstine died the day before Thanksgiving in Peru while on his motorcycle traveling down to the tip of South America.  He was living his dream, but now he is with Jesus.  

Life happens, and I pray we are being used by God to show the world that Jesus is real and our savior.  Jason was doing that.  Amen!

"Go tell it on the mountain, over the hill and everywhere.  Go tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born!"  🌲

Adapting and Still Going

We did not sell our building.  And we don't want to let go totally by moving out to rent the whole place to another attorney that wanted to.  

Doug has adapted to being in a wheelchair and he has done well adjusting to this new life.

The thought of not going to the office anymore is not what he or I wanted.  If Doug didn't have our office to go to, he would be home all day sitting in the bedroom recliner, the living room recliner or be in the waterbed.   We like to have somewhere to go.  Doug only has 17 cases left, and Eddie Wiley has been a real blessing helping us out by going to court for Doug.  We are coasting out of the law business slowly until Doug has all the cases closed.  We are letting Eddie have the new cases and get a referral fee to help pay the operating costs to keep the law office open for business.  Eddie will be our only renter starting August 1st.  Mr. Harris gave us notice that he will be out the end of July.  I'm not sure where he is moving to.  He and his three staff will be moving to another location.  I really do wish them all the best.  I am feeling good about starting over again.  If we do get new renters, it will be someone that was meant to be there.  God has always taken care of us and we continue to live one day at a time.  Amen!  ♡♡♡

16 Years

This year, March 2024, was the 16 year milestone since Doug had his stroke.  It has probably been his most challenging year so far.  He is sitting in his recliner almost all the time and only goes to work when he has court or an appointment.  It is getting more difficult for him to walk every year.  We don't know how he can keep on going but somehow he does.  I get him to the courtroom and hope he can manage from there.  I myself am slowing down since we sold our house on Nancy Lynn Terrace last August 2023.  We continue to live one day at a time. 

15 Years

On March 31st, Doug reached the fifteen year (15) year mark since his massive stroke in 2008.  Doug has been using his quad cane for over 2 years now.  The back procedure Doug had done in October, 2022, did not help eliminate his left leg pain.  He was finally referred to an orthopedic doctor, Dr. Kirkpatrick, but we only saw the physician's assistant, not the actual doctor.  After looking at x-rays, the P.A. said he Doug's knee was bone on bone, and he needed a knee replacement.  He got scheduled to have it done in June 2023, next month.  BUT, we decided to go to another doctor, Dr. Myrin, to have another opinion on Friday, May 19th.  He told Doug he would not recommend a knee replacement because the recovery would be difficult for Doug since he sits so much.  He told Doug about an ablation of the nerves procedure to block the pain in his left leg.

Left Leg Pain & Walking

Doug has been experiencing a lot of pain to his lower left leg.  It seems to be sciatic nerve pain because it moves around a lot.  In June 2022, he had an x-ray of his spine, and then an MRI in July.  He couldn't get in to see Dr. Cochran until November to go over the results.  But finally, after several phone calls, we got in to see him and talked about his MRI.  He said that there was a cyst on his S1 area that may be the culprit that is pressing on his spinal cord and giving him the nerve pain.  So, on October 18, 2022, Doug had a back procedure to remove the cyst.  The procedure was only an inch cut into his skin, and they used super glue to close it.  He had to lay flat the rest of the day and watch for head aches.  The doctor said he could go to court the next day if he felt good enough and didn't have a head ache.  Evidently, if he had a head ache, that means there was spinal fluid leaking somewhere.  But he didn't have a head ache, so Doug went back to the S. B. Jury Trial in Purcell for day #7.  This was the final day and the verdict came in at midnight.  Doug sat for 15 hours the day after his back procedure.  I'm not sure this was a good thing to do, since he was still healing.  Anyway, we are 3 1/2 weeks out from the procedure and Doug is still having a lot of pain to his left leg.  On Wednesday, November 9th, Doug wanted me to get the brown steno chair and push him into the house.  When we got to the area carpet, the chair stopped and Doug lost his balance because he was holding his cane with his right hand and not holding on to the chair.  We both ended up on the floor on our backs.  I was laying under Doug with his back on my legs and his head on my lower abdomen.  I got up and called Kalen to come help me get Doug up.  Kalen and Gaby came and we were able to get him up.  So now I am sore and Doug is even more sore.  Doug said that when he falls, he loses his confidence in his ability to walk.  I see everyday his struggling with walking.  I feel so bad that he is in pain.  On Thursday, November 10th, he went to the Genesis Back & Neck for a free Spinal Decompression.  They just opened up a facility in Moore.  He had good results with the one in North OKC, but didn't want to drive so far away.  Plus, the cost is a bit steep because they want you to pay in advance for 24 sessions.  I don't understand why you can't pay as you go.  The treatment didn't seem to help much.  They didn't have one of the belts that goes on the top part of the body.  But they said it was on back order.  So, for now, we continue to live one day at a time.  We still have hope that we can get some answers on the cause of all Doug's pain real soon.