Dee Hill, accidentally shot in the stomach May 16 by her husband, Darrell Hill, a retired sheriff and police chief who has dementia, is still hospitalized, but has improved to stable condition, a family spokesperson said.
There is no estimate of when she will be discharged from Mid-Columbia Medical Center, the spokesperson said. She had three surgeries at MCMC, and developed no complications or infections from them – which can be an issue with abdominal surgeries — and is healing well, she said.
“Right now she’s pretty tired and that’s just from recovery, I think. She’s very thankful for all the well wishes and she really is starting to talk future,” the spokesperson said.
Dee, 75, has gotten up to walk in her hospital room and is working with a physical therapist on rebuilding her strength.
Darrell Hill, 76, is staying at his home with family, the spokesperson said. Darrell was formerly
The Dalles police chief and was also Wasco County sheriff. “He’s doing well. He’s still at home with family. There’s really no way to tell his level of awareness” of what happened, the spokesperson said.
“He knows that Dee’s not there and he knows she’s in the hospital,” she said.
He knows that people have told him that he shot her, but she doesn’t know if he “comprehends or remembers or understands,” she said.
Darrell has a rare, aggressive form of dementia, she said, and he has already outlived life expectancy for it.
“It is the most sad disease I have ever witnessed, for someone who is so strong and caring to need so much help,” the spokesperson said.
Dee handed Darrell what both thought was an unloaded Glock pistol and he accidentally fired it, hitting her in the stomach.
The spokesperson said, “the family is so incredibly appreciative of everybody’s who’s stepped up to help, both family and friends.
That’s made it much easier for them. They’re doing ok. Family is still able to stay here so Darrell can stay at his home and that makes a huge difference.”
The Hills have two biological daughters, and a number of foster children.
“Dee is such a pragmatic person that she’s caring about and talks about what needs to be done that day,” the spokesperson said.
“She’s very pragmatic: ‘Did you get this done?’ ‘Yes, Mom, got that done.’ She doesn’t dwell on why she’s there. ‘Did the guy come and mow the lawn? ‘Yes, he came and mowed the lawn and yes we paid him.’”
Dee is still in quite a bit of pain. “But she wants to be alert, and the cost of being alert is pain,” the spokesperson said.
She said Dee doesn’t want a lot of visitors, “because even with just family there’s a lot of people coming and going, and she doesn’t want phone calls in her room because she would never get off the phone.”
Commented
Sorry, there are no recent results for popular commented articles.