The move on Thursday went well and both Dick and I felt the Lord had put him in the right place. The therapists came that day and started evaluating him. He hit it off with the PT who was a big guy that also works out at Dr. Phillips Hospital where Dick is a pool chaplain. They had not met but the connection was there. I was very impressed with the therapists for PT and OT. I have not seen the ST but will try to touch base this week.
I have some concern for the aides and their ability to do the transfering. I kept having to tell them to brace Dick's left leg as he has no use of it or his arm. They nod yes but go ahead anyway and I have had to help hold him up. I am going to talk to the PT's tomorrow and ask them to instruct the aides again. They do not seem to get the message and rather use a lift. He needs the exercise of getting up with assistance and not depending on a lift. I can almost do him but he is too solid and we need two people at the moment.
I have worked all shifts in a nursing home and in a rehab unit and have observed how the staff reacts to suggestions or corrections. I have been asking the Lord to give me the right words to approach this because I have seen the patient get the brunt of the "complaint". Pray for my patience and tact as I get pretty tight in the jaws when I see slip shod nursing care. Another lesson in leaning on and the Lord and letting the Holy Spirit take over from the flesh.
We had a good talk with another PT who was very direct and up front. She said it would probably take 3 months to get Dick to the place where he will be strong enough to transfer himself and get from the bed to the chair and to manage the parallel bars himself. She was encouraging and said she had many clients who did walk out on their own and felt Dick would be one of them. We appreciated her honesty and gave us a goal to aim towards. I would really like to bring him home for Christmas but we will have to wait and see. I do have a peace about all this and know that deep down Dick does too. This was so unexpected and he frequently comments how he feels as if he were lifting his leg and arm but nothing. Some real processing going on.
Today's sermon was on Psalm 43 and 42 was referenced also. I went back and started with Psalm 40 and read through 43. What a word for Dick and me today. We do know the steadfastness of the Lord and praise His name through the nights and days, now and ahead.
Blessings and thanksgivings to all of you who are carrying us on wings of prayer.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
THE NEXT STEP
Dear Friends,
Tomorrow, October 27th, is Dick's scheduled discharge from the in-hospital rehab to an outside rehab facility.
My sister in-law Rosemary and I took on that task this past week and toured four places near our area of town. I had my brother,Roger, working on the computer to check the ratings , so we have made this a family affair.
I have to say it is interesting to go into these places and observe the overall atmosphere and personalities of the staff and clients. We came away knowing Dick needs to be in an "up" place that presents the feeling that those there are aiming to go home. I realize many are long term but only two gave me a feeling of hope and not resignation to what life has handed them. At first I was drawn to one that is not more than 4 miles away but had a " niggly" feeling about it that I could not really identify. The other one is The Health Center of Windermere . It is only 7 miles away, the same distance from the hospital only a more direct route out I-4.
I generally go in the afternoon and stay until he is ready for bed, so will miss the traffic that highway generates. The place is very nice, has two therapy rooms that are large and bright, and a positive feeling.
Dick is improving. He can now get himself up to a standing position with minimal help and is beginning to stand alone for a short minute or two. He still has no use of his left side but has greater trunk strength which will help him in the walking and strengthening of his legs and hips. He is able to pivot into his wheelchair and get to a sitting position on the bed with minimal help. His speech is improving in volume but needs to slow down when he reads out loud. He continues to be very tired so the therapists have been doing the strenuous work in the afternoon so he can rest in the morning and do the ST first.
The best news of the week was that he can now eat regular food, so I went out and got him some cheese enchiladas, refried beans, and guacamole. He ate it all and grinned the whole way through. Then Rosemary brought him some of her homemade applesauce which really tastes like pie without the crust.
We continue to be encouraged and blessed by all the prayers, cards, and visits that have come our way .Thank you for being a major part of the Lord's healing heart and mercy.
Dick will be at the Health Center of Windermere
4875 Cason Cove Dr.
Orlando,FL 32811
407-420-2090
Tomorrow, October 27th, is Dick's scheduled discharge from the in-hospital rehab to an outside rehab facility.
My sister in-law Rosemary and I took on that task this past week and toured four places near our area of town. I had my brother,Roger, working on the computer to check the ratings , so we have made this a family affair.
I have to say it is interesting to go into these places and observe the overall atmosphere and personalities of the staff and clients. We came away knowing Dick needs to be in an "up" place that presents the feeling that those there are aiming to go home. I realize many are long term but only two gave me a feeling of hope and not resignation to what life has handed them. At first I was drawn to one that is not more than 4 miles away but had a " niggly" feeling about it that I could not really identify. The other one is The Health Center of Windermere . It is only 7 miles away, the same distance from the hospital only a more direct route out I-4.
I generally go in the afternoon and stay until he is ready for bed, so will miss the traffic that highway generates. The place is very nice, has two therapy rooms that are large and bright, and a positive feeling.
Dick is improving. He can now get himself up to a standing position with minimal help and is beginning to stand alone for a short minute or two. He still has no use of his left side but has greater trunk strength which will help him in the walking and strengthening of his legs and hips. He is able to pivot into his wheelchair and get to a sitting position on the bed with minimal help. His speech is improving in volume but needs to slow down when he reads out loud. He continues to be very tired so the therapists have been doing the strenuous work in the afternoon so he can rest in the morning and do the ST first.
The best news of the week was that he can now eat regular food, so I went out and got him some cheese enchiladas, refried beans, and guacamole. He ate it all and grinned the whole way through. Then Rosemary brought him some of her homemade applesauce which really tastes like pie without the crust.
We continue to be encouraged and blessed by all the prayers, cards, and visits that have come our way .Thank you for being a major part of the Lord's healing heart and mercy.
Dick will be at the Health Center of Windermere
4875 Cason Cove Dr.
Orlando,FL 32811
407-420-2090
Thursday, October 20, 2011
A RED LETTER WEEK
This has been a week of improvement from few headaches, ability to stay awake, and really work hard. The schedule for Dick has been to let him rest in the AM and start the disciplines of OT,PT,and ST around 11AM. This gives him the opportunity to get through the morning ADL's--breakfast, dressing, and plain waking up. He passed his swallowing test to allow him to have plain liquids instead of the honey thick drinks that were not very appetizing. He still is on soft so has not gotten his Krispy Kreme yet but that will come.
He has been on the parallel bars and can stand straight with his left knee supported and looks into a mirror to see his alignment. He is beginning to help with the transferring from bed to wheelchair using a sliding board. The therapist,Sean, is working with me to do it with Dick. W are all hoping to see alot of progress this next week because he is to be discharged the 27th.
The doctor and team feel he needs to go to another rehab center for more therapy as he will be too much for me to handle alone. So, Rosemary ,my sister in-law is going with me tomorrow to check out some places near us. We were advised by the caseworker to go unannounced so we can get a real feel for the places. We need to check for patient/nurse ratio, how much therapy they receive a day, general attitude, etc.
Dick has a new roommate who is a 50 yr. old man who had a brain tumor removed last year and has been on chemo therapy. He had a stroke last week that they feel is due to the chemo and radiation. He and his family are lovely and believing Christians. Right away he asked if he and Dick could pray together and set the tone for some special moments of thanksgiving and prayer. I have been reading God's Blessings by Sylvia Gunter and Arthur Burke each evening before I leave and saying a prayer of protection and peace over them. What a blessing this has been for me as I leave them knowing they are safe in the arms of Jesus and will get the much needed rest they require. I also come home with peace and the assurance all is well. What a wonderful Lord we serve.
He has been on the parallel bars and can stand straight with his left knee supported and looks into a mirror to see his alignment. He is beginning to help with the transferring from bed to wheelchair using a sliding board. The therapist,Sean, is working with me to do it with Dick. W are all hoping to see alot of progress this next week because he is to be discharged the 27th.
The doctor and team feel he needs to go to another rehab center for more therapy as he will be too much for me to handle alone. So, Rosemary ,my sister in-law is going with me tomorrow to check out some places near us. We were advised by the caseworker to go unannounced so we can get a real feel for the places. We need to check for patient/nurse ratio, how much therapy they receive a day, general attitude, etc.
Dick has a new roommate who is a 50 yr. old man who had a brain tumor removed last year and has been on chemo therapy. He had a stroke last week that they feel is due to the chemo and radiation. He and his family are lovely and believing Christians. Right away he asked if he and Dick could pray together and set the tone for some special moments of thanksgiving and prayer. I have been reading God's Blessings by Sylvia Gunter and Arthur Burke each evening before I leave and saying a prayer of protection and peace over them. What a blessing this has been for me as I leave them knowing they are safe in the arms of Jesus and will get the much needed rest they require. I also come home with peace and the assurance all is well. What a wonderful Lord we serve.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
SMALL SIGNS OF PROGRESS
I put Susie on the plane this morning and greet a new week with just Dick and me. We were so blessed to have our girls come and walk with us these three weeks as we began adjusting to our new journey.
We learned alot about asking questions, following up on orders written, and checking to make sure Dick was being given the correct care or finding out why not. I can truly say it is difficult being on the other side of the nurse/patient relationship as I was definitely one of those intrusive family members and yet observed a real change in nursing care. There is a sense of non relationship between families and staff. Almost a fear to connect. The therapists and techs are more involved and seem to try to understand the whole patient needs.
The doctors, not all, hesitate to make eye contact and rush in and out before questions can be asked. There is a very personable neuropsychologist on the floor that has been my contact person and I feel comfortable going to him with my concerns and questions.
`I have seen some improvement in Dick's ability to stay more alert. Friday the therapists really worked him hard and he stuck with it. Saturday was a rest day but he stayed awake, was up in the rec room, and seemed more relaxed. Today some friends brought their dog Muffin for a visit and he was able to go outside to visit. That really perked him up.
Now that the girls have gone home we are changing the schedule so I go in to visit in the afternoon while he has the morning to totally concentrate on therapy . We have a week to catch up from the lost time with the headaches and general weariness. I think we have made a turn and look forward to better days.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
UPDATE - 10/13/11
Hi all,
This is Susie, bringing the update on Daddy, as Momma is too tired to write. Since the weekend, we had a run of three good days with Daddy at the rehab unit. He was more alert, didn't have hiccups and was able to participate actively in all his therapy. Monday's highlights included celebrating the Eucharist with Daddy. He reads pretty well, though slowly. In addition, that day he got his long awaited shower, which turned into a comedy routine, so I've been told. On Wednesday we were visited by Nancy & Jerry Everett (Daddy's "oldest" friend from El Paso) and John Dugan (from our Navasota days). Daddy's eyes fairly danced with the pleasure of reminiscing old times.
Despite this progress, Daddy has continued to experience headaches and some of them severe. This morning I arrived to find him still abed and suffering a particularly bad headache that ibuprofen failed to resolve. The nurse had to give him something stronger, even though that meant he couldn't stay awake and would miss therapy. They decided to do another MRI this evening and a chest x-ray to make sure his lungs were clear, after hearing some wheezing. The chest x-ray was clear, so that was good. We hope to hear about his MRI tomorrow. He has continued to complain of pain in his shoulder and hip, which we think is his muscles making noise about the unusual strain they are under. They did an x-ray to make sure he hadn't broken his left collar bone that has suffered spontaneous fractures in the past as a result of his cancer. The x-rays came out clear.
Thank you to everyone for the cards, calls and visits. They do amazing things to lift Momma & Daddy's spirits. We covet your prayers for healing, patience and discernment as we continue to navigate this difficult path.
Much love,
Susie
This is Susie, bringing the update on Daddy, as Momma is too tired to write. Since the weekend, we had a run of three good days with Daddy at the rehab unit. He was more alert, didn't have hiccups and was able to participate actively in all his therapy. Monday's highlights included celebrating the Eucharist with Daddy. He reads pretty well, though slowly. In addition, that day he got his long awaited shower, which turned into a comedy routine, so I've been told. On Wednesday we were visited by Nancy & Jerry Everett (Daddy's "oldest" friend from El Paso) and John Dugan (from our Navasota days). Daddy's eyes fairly danced with the pleasure of reminiscing old times.
Despite this progress, Daddy has continued to experience headaches and some of them severe. This morning I arrived to find him still abed and suffering a particularly bad headache that ibuprofen failed to resolve. The nurse had to give him something stronger, even though that meant he couldn't stay awake and would miss therapy. They decided to do another MRI this evening and a chest x-ray to make sure his lungs were clear, after hearing some wheezing. The chest x-ray was clear, so that was good. We hope to hear about his MRI tomorrow. He has continued to complain of pain in his shoulder and hip, which we think is his muscles making noise about the unusual strain they are under. They did an x-ray to make sure he hadn't broken his left collar bone that has suffered spontaneous fractures in the past as a result of his cancer. The x-rays came out clear.
Thank you to everyone for the cards, calls and visits. They do amazing things to lift Momma & Daddy's spirits. We covet your prayers for healing, patience and discernment as we continue to navigate this difficult path.
Much love,
Susie
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
AN UP AND DOWN JOURNEY
I am taking a break this morning from the early shift of visiting Dick. Susie is here for the week and is going in to follow His progress and learn as much as she can to pass along to me. Since the girls have been here I am able to get their opinions and help when things seem a bit overwhelming.
Dick's weekend was not very good as he had the hiccups so much that the doctor put him on a med that zonked him. He seems to make some progress and then a step back. Yesterday, however, was much better and he had some good PT, OT, and ST. He is still significantly impaired on his left side and does not have the use of his arm and leg. He is very much aware of this and tries hard but gets discouraged. I continue to set our sights on our friend Bud Brakmann who had the same thing eight years ago and is a testimony to the healing power and grace of God. We are very aware of the presence of Jesus in all this.
Thank you one and all for the cards, prayers, calls and visits. We truly cherish our family in Christ and know that this would be so much harder without your support. 1John4:16.
Dick's weekend was not very good as he had the hiccups so much that the doctor put him on a med that zonked him. He seems to make some progress and then a step back. Yesterday, however, was much better and he had some good PT, OT, and ST. He is still significantly impaired on his left side and does not have the use of his arm and leg. He is very much aware of this and tries hard but gets discouraged. I continue to set our sights on our friend Bud Brakmann who had the same thing eight years ago and is a testimony to the healing power and grace of God. We are very aware of the presence of Jesus in all this.
Thank you one and all for the cards, prayers, calls and visits. We truly cherish our family in Christ and know that this would be so much harder without your support. 1John4:16.
Friday, October 7, 2011
A BETTER DAY
I am sitting in Dick's room while he rests after a busy morning of therapy. He looked the brightest I have seen him in two weeks. He still has little stamina and either rests in the morning and works all afternoon or vice-versa. He has been on the parallel bars twice but has no strength on the left side and is dead weight. He did stand in the standing table today and said it felt good. His therapists are wonderful and he has charmed them with his sense of humor and good nature.
We had a team meeting yesterday with the doctor, case manager, and representatives of the therapists. They are hoping for Oct.27th as the discharge date but I really doubt if he will be ready. I know they have to set a goal for Medicare but he must be able to do 75% with 25% assistance. Right now it is just the opposite.
Susie flys in tomorrow for a week and Becky heads home on Sunday. One of the things the doctor emphasized is my need for help after Dick gets home. The girls are planning to return after we get him home and settled.
He likes to get tucked in at night with a prayer and blessing that holds him in the arms of Jesus and the sure knowledge of his safety in the Lord.
We had a team meeting yesterday with the doctor, case manager, and representatives of the therapists. They are hoping for Oct.27th as the discharge date but I really doubt if he will be ready. I know they have to set a goal for Medicare but he must be able to do 75% with 25% assistance. Right now it is just the opposite.
Susie flys in tomorrow for a week and Becky heads home on Sunday. One of the things the doctor emphasized is my need for help after Dick gets home. The girls are planning to return after we get him home and settled.
He likes to get tucked in at night with a prayer and blessing that holds him in the arms of Jesus and the sure knowledge of his safety in the Lord.
Monday, October 3, 2011
FIRST DAY OF TRAINING CAMP
This past weekend was a bit of a set back as Dick was very lethargic and having a hard time focusing. He complained of a headache most of the time and then said his right side felt numb too. He was bright early this morning but the doctors wanted another CT scan and doplar on his legs. There is a concern of emboli but the doplar came back all right. The CT however shows more of an evolving stroke that may be affecting the left side of the brain. He was able to get some rest and then given permission to have therapy. They really worked him in OT,ST, and PT. He continues to keep his humor and has charmed the therapists. The interesting thing is that his Spanish has come flowing out and much better than I have ever heard it. He delights in using it and we have so many Hispanic staff that they have a ball.
The hardest thing for me is to see him unable to move around and nnot have any control of his left arm and leg. I can tell he is frustrated but he has been very compliant and so far is willing to try whatever te staff ask him to do.
Becky is here now and Katie went home Sunday. Becky is right in there asking questions and another of our blessings the Lord gave us in our three daughters.
The hardest thing for me is to see him unable to move around and nnot have any control of his left arm and leg. I can tell he is frustrated but he has been very compliant and so far is willing to try whatever te staff ask him to do.
Becky is here now and Katie went home Sunday. Becky is right in there asking questions and another of our blessings the Lord gave us in our three daughters.
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