Latest Update on Homecoming

I will be visiting my home on the 27th to do a Home Evaluation Visit. This allows the therapists to see my home, see whether I can function within it, make suggestions for any items which might be useful once I'm in residence, etc. If all goes well then I will most likely be discharged to Home on the 31st. Home has been explained briefly to me as "You are at home except for essential trips, such as doctor visits. You have in-home therapy visits and you have a set of therapy exercises you are expected to complete." I know while I am on my pain medications I will not be driving myself anywhere.

Possible Uh-Oh

"Courage is the art of being the only one who knows you're scared to death." Harold Wilson

The quote was in our daily chronicle for today.

This morning had a visit from Laura to let me know they had received an email from the insurance company setting a discharge date of 3/21. Yes, that is this coming Wednesday.

I spoke to one of the primary therapists on my case and she confirmed that they didn't really feel confident I was ready for discharge. She also suggested I call my case manager at the insurance company to discuss concerns with her. In addition, the rehab center is putting together a counter-proposal which involves a home evaluation on the 27th.

So I'm asking all of you to either hope that the insurance company delays the discharge or I quickly become proficient on stairs with crutches.

Beyond that, I am actually starting to reduce the amount of pain meds I take as the pain is reducing slowly.

Whew

Just finished therapy for the day. Walked with crutches, sat down on and got up from a sofa; used crutches to hop onto a 2" block twice, then a 4" block twice; and then worked on range of motion on the knee. Worked up quite a sweat, now icing the knee and then to work.

Jumping around on Friday

Hi all, it has been a busy week as crutches are introduced into therapy. When I get released and move home I will need to be able to navigate steps, which requires crutches. So this week I have been learning/practicing how to get around on crutches. I am a long way from confident or adept on them but I haven't had a yip moment the past two days. For those wondering, a yip moment is when you involuntarily yip as you momentarily lose balance, startle yourself and regain your balance with the help of those around you. I have gained a deep appreciation for gait belts during this week, they have kept me upright more than once.

The past two days have introduced jumping up onto blocks while using parallel bars. We started with two inches and progressed quickly to 4" and 6". Today was an 8" block and I would just like to say that that is a big jump one-legged. I am certain that once my left leg is a bit less swollen and more flexible this jumping will likely be a bit easier. Nor will I be spending part of my attention on how to keep it out of the way. We did try actual four inch steps early on, and I was very thankful for the multiple helpers as they kept me from pitching forward when my foot didn't quite clear a step on the down.

As my therapists work to increase my standing time we have been doing many things. One of the more enjoyable is playing the board game Sequence. I have also heated a "meal" in the microwave, "eaten" it and cleaned up afterwards. I have also folded laundry, done item retrieval in the kitchen area and some other items all designed to increase my single leg stamina. Who knows, perhaps when this is over I'll be able to hop buildings with the right leg.

Well, that's it for now, hope everyone has had a good week.

Kitty visits and other things

Happy coincidence, we came to visit Leslie at the same time as the famous Guy (her familiar, companion and cat) I had never met him before, what a great personality!  Although he is trying to make a break for it, between sniffing around the room and seeing Mama for the first time in 2 months, leaping up on the funny crank up bed, and generally charming all who he encounters, we did discover the door here doesn't actually latch, so all you late night visitors to Leslie, take note.  Well, Guy has an ingrown toenail and is going to the vet tomorrow.  More on Leslie now.  She is out of the immobilizing brace and sporting quite the gnarly, bodacious scar thanks to those three surgeries (full disclosure - it was there all along, but we could not see it before), but moving, a little walking, solo trips to the john (now *that's* freedom)...  

She enjoyed an excellent weekend with her gaming friends and in the knowledge that her house was enjoying a work party under the firm if reticent guidance of brother Keith - I hear I'm mistaken, and he was downright loquacious!  But, we have also discovered the first need for the money that you all have so generously donated (looking at about $4700 so far!), besides transportation for Leslie, transportation for goods and materials to her house to get it ready for her to move back into is all being handled by Keith's (overtaxed) truck, it needs some work, so that's the first chunk, looks like about $1500 will get it back on all four wheels...

So, we switched widgets and are looking for donation testers, if you've been thinking you would but haven't until now, now is the time to see if the switch we made worked.  You shouldn't notice any difference, but your donation goes directly to Leslie, I am no longer the middleman (and just in time, that ticket to Barbados was looking pretty good...)

Anyway, it's a long post. keep the love and attention coming.

Penelope

Sunday and Sleep

Took a day off from therapy and did some client work, some house cleaning, and some sleeping. Looking forward to Guy coming to visit tomorrow evening for a couple of hours.

Thursday andThings that go bump

As the days go by and I realize how far I have come, and how much further I have yet to go, I dream of designs for a tattoo for the knee. To avoid the appearance of a giant millipede crawling up my leg - or enhance it?

Family and staff had a care conference today to go over what has been going on, introduce all the parties, get questions answered and concerns addressed. My stay at Glade Valley has been approved through March 15th, so BlueCross must feel I am making sufficient progress to justify the stay, and am not yet ready to be released without the very real risk of further injury. I heartily concur with this assessment, We did find out that the best we can hope for is a few days notice for a release date, that it is not unheard of for 24 hours notice. The OT staff here is interested in doing a home visit, but want to wait till they feel confidant I can do stairs.

Today I walked on crutches twice, both times for 30 feet. I say walked but this is not the free swinging move you may have seen others use. This is the "move the crutches out a bit and hop the leg out to them" move. I'm just not certain enough of my balance and strength yet to go further. We also worked on range of motion of the knee - whew, that took it out of me. I'm sure there is a lot of scar tissue in there to break up, and some very stiff muscles.

I have bumped the leg a few times and been reminded of just what I'm dealing with.

Keith has been working on the house quite a bit, and with Felicia, Paul and Cam's help this past weekend got quite a bit accomplished. He is planning to work on it this weekend as well as he is concerned that it be ready to move in when I get released. If you are interested in helping out please let him know. He is the first to admit that he does poorly at coordinating a lot of folks with a lot of work, so if you have specific skills you would like to offer that would be helpful information for him. keithwins@gmail.com

I am working although it goes more slowly than I had thought it would. This is due in part to computer glitches, and in part to body hitches. I am learning that when it comes to therapy you can really wear yourself out in just an hour. I had thought that while I might have a sore muscle I would still be able to work. This is not always true I have discovered. There are times when the best I can do is try to find a position where the ice pack stays where needed while the pain eases. I keep plugging along though.

Some folks will be coming out this Saturday to Walkersville to play board games starting around 1pm and continuing till somewhere around 9pm. It's nice to get some mental stimulation and a slew of visitors as well. Any and all are welcome.

Well, I think that's it for the updates. Hope you all are well and enjoying the adventure you are on.