Well the time finally arrived, dad said good bye to San Francisco...... He in a medical transport van, with mom and I following behind in my car made the long 400 or so mile journey to his new place of residence in Laguna Woods...
Surprisingly the easiest and smoothest trip down half the state I think I've ever had!! The two EMT's that accompanied dad were "nice young men" who were not at all thrown by the length of the journey. In fact one had just done a similar drive just a few weeks back for another patient from San Francisco to Santa Ana... Dad took the experience in stride, chatting with the EMT's and listening to his book on tape to pass the time... We made several stops along the way to stretch legs (sorry dad) and fuel up, us with In-N-Out and the vehicles with gas.... Making the complete journey in about 8 and a half hours!!!! Shocking but true...
Dad is all settled into his new residence and resting relatively comfortably, mom is home with her chatty kitties, and I am taking the week off.... Spending time with the family and one last week with dad before I drive back up to San Francisco and a new chapter of dad's recovery begins...
Monday, October 29, 2012
Monday, October 22, 2012
Bend and stretch.....
Exercise has never been a favorite of dads, now he is wishing he could.. If nothing else than to just MOVE.... Laying in bed for days has literally been a pain in the a**..... Sitting in the wheelchair has not been much of a relief, after a hour or so the pain sets in and laying in the bed feels like the more appealing option. We have tried various forms of stretching, but nothing seems to get to the root of the problem.... Due to dad's limited ability to move much with his left side, he finds himself twisted up trying to shift his body in an attempt to find a comfortable position... We can help him shift himself back if we are there, but if he is alone he finds himself stuck in awkward positions...
Today one of his therapists taught him some stretching techniques he could do while sitting in the wheelchair to help him, hoping to alleviate some of the tight muscles in his back.... Bending over to touch his toes, stretching his back in the process.. Again helped in the short term, but doesn't last very long.... Unless done on a consistent basis, ah exercise!!
He is also up to two sessions a day with the occupational therapist, partially because his stamina has significantly increased and partially because they are concerned with this left arm... The nerves and muscles are "coming alive" but he is still unable to move on his own and the muscles have become very stiff.... We are helping him by stretching his arm and hand daily, trying to soften and loosen the muscles... But the pain of the tight tendons and muscles in his hand limits how long we can work our magic.. To this end one of the occupational therapists has created a solid "glove" of sorts that he will wear for 15 minutes at a time several times a day, to straighten his fingers and stretch the tendons and muscles... The plan is after a few days she will have him leaning on the left hand while wearing said glove to further the stretch and hopefully alleviate the pain and stimulate the muscles.... Just another form of torture I am sure......
Today one of his therapists taught him some stretching techniques he could do while sitting in the wheelchair to help him, hoping to alleviate some of the tight muscles in his back.... Bending over to touch his toes, stretching his back in the process.. Again helped in the short term, but doesn't last very long.... Unless done on a consistent basis, ah exercise!!
He is also up to two sessions a day with the occupational therapist, partially because his stamina has significantly increased and partially because they are concerned with this left arm... The nerves and muscles are "coming alive" but he is still unable to move on his own and the muscles have become very stiff.... We are helping him by stretching his arm and hand daily, trying to soften and loosen the muscles... But the pain of the tight tendons and muscles in his hand limits how long we can work our magic.. To this end one of the occupational therapists has created a solid "glove" of sorts that he will wear for 15 minutes at a time several times a day, to straighten his fingers and stretch the tendons and muscles... The plan is after a few days she will have him leaning on the left hand while wearing said glove to further the stretch and hopefully alleviate the pain and stimulate the muscles.... Just another form of torture I am sure......
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Restless
Endless days and nights running together.... Minutes and hours slowly ticking by with the occasional outing to break up the monotony... A recipe for a restless body...
Dads progress is slow and steady, every day moving just a little bit more.. But he is tired of laying in bed..... Every inch is sore from muscles not stretching and joints not moving enough.. This past week the physical therapy focused on standing and trusting his balance.. His tendency to push or rely on this right arm is still a hindrance to his recovery... He understands that he needs to trust in his core while sitting or his legs while standing, but that darn right arm just wants to be there in the middle of everything!!! The torture device of the week (or so he thinks it looks like as such) is a table they can strap him to that has a foot rest. The table can then be raised head up to a full upright standing position, this allowing dad to stand safely and feel his full weight on his legs... He may say the table looks like a Medieval torture device, but he did enjoy standing feeling safe and secure on his own two legs...
Hopefully soon such standing will occur without the assistance of the table or multiple assistants, hopefully soon standing will be on his own two feet....
Dads progress is slow and steady, every day moving just a little bit more.. But he is tired of laying in bed..... Every inch is sore from muscles not stretching and joints not moving enough.. This past week the physical therapy focused on standing and trusting his balance.. His tendency to push or rely on this right arm is still a hindrance to his recovery... He understands that he needs to trust in his core while sitting or his legs while standing, but that darn right arm just wants to be there in the middle of everything!!! The torture device of the week (or so he thinks it looks like as such) is a table they can strap him to that has a foot rest. The table can then be raised head up to a full upright standing position, this allowing dad to stand safely and feel his full weight on his legs... He may say the table looks like a Medieval torture device, but he did enjoy standing feeling safe and secure on his own two legs...
Hopefully soon such standing will occur without the assistance of the table or multiple assistants, hopefully soon standing will be on his own two feet....
Sunday, October 14, 2012
PICC and push....
Wonderful surprise awaited us today when we arrived at the hospital, after a discussion with dads doctor Friday night they removed dads PICC line!!!! A heartwarming sign that dad is medically stable, and one step closer to freedom... For him not only is it one less reminder of how ill he was, it's also one less annoying itchy thing to deal with....
Recovery has been a long but relatively consistent process, gaining strength and stability as each day passes.. But dad has been coined " a pusher", a real term in the physical therapy world... His right side is so strong and he is so unsure of his left that he pushes with his right.. More than just leaning or favoring his right, he literally pushes with both his right arm and leg. Unfortunately this is actually a hindrance to his recovery....pushing his body to the left and finding it difficult to find balance in the middle.....
Sitting and scooting he does well, but the all important transition from a seated position to standing is his biggest challenge at the moment.... This transition, essentially doing a squat is essential in order for dad to move from bed to chair...or chair to chair for that matter. Something he needs to be able to do sooner than later, for independence in the long run.. But he will get there, with more work and persistence....
Recovery has been a long but relatively consistent process, gaining strength and stability as each day passes.. But dad has been coined " a pusher", a real term in the physical therapy world... His right side is so strong and he is so unsure of his left that he pushes with his right.. More than just leaning or favoring his right, he literally pushes with both his right arm and leg. Unfortunately this is actually a hindrance to his recovery....pushing his body to the left and finding it difficult to find balance in the middle.....
Sitting and scooting he does well, but the all important transition from a seated position to standing is his biggest challenge at the moment.... This transition, essentially doing a squat is essential in order for dad to move from bed to chair...or chair to chair for that matter. Something he needs to be able to do sooner than later, for independence in the long run.. But he will get there, with more work and persistence....
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Do it myself......
As a child this was my favorite statement... Mom especially heard her fair share of this from my lips.... The torch has been passed, to my niece who can be as stubborn as I and today my father....
He wasn't saying this as much as living the expression.... Today he was able with minimal assistance sit on the edge of the bed and do things we all do without much thought... Putting on a shirt, brushing his teeth, combing his hair..... Now he has done these acts before this, but he required more assistance or had to be sitting up in the bed or in a wheelchair... But today he was strong and balanced enough to accomplish these tasks nearly on his own.. Obviously a huge accomplishment, and one more step towards independence..
Therapists are thrilled with his progress and determination... Reminding him often of how far he has come, even though he has far to go....
He wasn't saying this as much as living the expression.... Today he was able with minimal assistance sit on the edge of the bed and do things we all do without much thought... Putting on a shirt, brushing his teeth, combing his hair..... Now he has done these acts before this, but he required more assistance or had to be sitting up in the bed or in a wheelchair... But today he was strong and balanced enough to accomplish these tasks nearly on his own.. Obviously a huge accomplishment, and one more step towards independence..
Therapists are thrilled with his progress and determination... Reminding him often of how far he has come, even though he has far to go....
Monday, October 8, 2012
The pleasure of food.....
Pureed, soft, squishy foods be gone.... Strange thickened beverages and creepy thickened water au revoir..... At long last, dad can have REAL food again!!!! Following a barium swallow test today the speech therapist signed off on dads upgraded diet plan.... Real coffee, real tea, whole pieces of protein and real side dishes..... At last I can bring dad my homemade food, healthy and nourishing made from the heart, although I did bring him homemade applesauce last weekend. But now I can do more....
As all of you know I love to cook!!! Really love to cook... I also am practically unable to cook in small amounts, leftovers are definitely par for the course at our house.... Even tonight a meal made of leftovers became a winter squash and kale soup, enough to feed a small army!! But hey more leftovers to share!! Speaking of which, I did share some homemade vittles a couple days ago to a fellow patient on the floor. Dad's next door neighbor, a gentleman I met a few weeks earlier while he was out walking the floor. A gentleman who I discovered has been a personal chef for years, and not surprisingly is not at all impressed by hospital food. After a lovely discussion I offered, if he was interested to bring in some food I had made for him to enjoy.. Yesterday was that day, and though I was not there while he ate.... He did leave a very lovely note for the "Spicer Family", thanking us for the "superb" food and how much our sharing meant to him. He has been in the hospital for 8 months now and a taste of home meant a lot to him...
Now that I can bring food for dad, I will be cooking up a storm for dad and others to enjoy....
As all of you know I love to cook!!! Really love to cook... I also am practically unable to cook in small amounts, leftovers are definitely par for the course at our house.... Even tonight a meal made of leftovers became a winter squash and kale soup, enough to feed a small army!! But hey more leftovers to share!! Speaking of which, I did share some homemade vittles a couple days ago to a fellow patient on the floor. Dad's next door neighbor, a gentleman I met a few weeks earlier while he was out walking the floor. A gentleman who I discovered has been a personal chef for years, and not surprisingly is not at all impressed by hospital food. After a lovely discussion I offered, if he was interested to bring in some food I had made for him to enjoy.. Yesterday was that day, and though I was not there while he ate.... He did leave a very lovely note for the "Spicer Family", thanking us for the "superb" food and how much our sharing meant to him. He has been in the hospital for 8 months now and a taste of home meant a lot to him...
Now that I can bring food for dad, I will be cooking up a storm for dad and others to enjoy....
Saturday, October 6, 2012
Watch out Rockettes!!!!!
Dad is kicking and ready to go!!!! Well almost..... He did "show off" to his physical therapist this morning, lifting and bending his left leg! Showing off his newly re-acquired skills..
In this past week he has been able to sit up on his own for 15 minutes, after being helped up to a seated position by his therapists!!! This is a HUGE improvement from just a few weeks ago, when sitting up on his own was not an option.. In addition he is able to right himself if he is not sitting centered, something that up until this point he had to be told to do. Now something he is catching and correcting in his own... This week was less about standing then "pre standing", working on and retraining the muscles for the transition from sitting to standing.. Essential to the future independence dad is working to achieve!
He still views his improvements as "fair" but, we and the those who have seen him since his first few critical days in ICU think he is doing astounding!!
In this past week he has been able to sit up on his own for 15 minutes, after being helped up to a seated position by his therapists!!! This is a HUGE improvement from just a few weeks ago, when sitting up on his own was not an option.. In addition he is able to right himself if he is not sitting centered, something that up until this point he had to be told to do. Now something he is catching and correcting in his own... This week was less about standing then "pre standing", working on and retraining the muscles for the transition from sitting to standing.. Essential to the future independence dad is working to achieve!
He still views his improvements as "fair" but, we and the those who have seen him since his first few critical days in ICU think he is doing astounding!!
Heart Strings
Karlene came to visit last weekend, necessary for her to be with dad and see his amazing progression. But also difficult, leaving her energetic babies for the weekend!! This was compounded by dad's daily question "Are the kids here?" when she and mom arrived at the hospital.. Understandably he was disappointed but said in the end it was probably for the best..
Dad missing his two amazing little grand kids, a welcome sign to the family.. motivation for him to work hard in PT!!! Logan and Kaileigh are too missing their Pappa, especially Kai who kissed the phone when Karlene showed her a picture of him last week.... Many cards and video's have been sent, and soon Facetime will be utilized so they can talk to and see their much beloved Pappa... But for now they remain in OC, in the capable loving hands of their father so Karlene can be with hers..
Dad missing his two amazing little grand kids, a welcome sign to the family.. motivation for him to work hard in PT!!! Logan and Kaileigh are too missing their Pappa, especially Kai who kissed the phone when Karlene showed her a picture of him last week.... Many cards and video's have been sent, and soon Facetime will be utilized so they can talk to and see their much beloved Pappa... But for now they remain in OC, in the capable loving hands of their father so Karlene can be with hers..
Memory serves......
Memory and cognitive assessments are a regular part of dads weekly treatments... Various therapists and nurses come through testing his ability to recall information and problem solve... Some of this to point out and make dad aware of his limitations, need to know the problem before one can fix it.... Some is to remind him of what has happened, and what he can remember of the situation....
From the begining dad has done quite well on these tests, able to remember most of his adventure in bits...and able to recall basic words, terms, skills..... He has been able to tell us some personal information and some business facts.. But he has had some difficulty finding the correct words to use, even if he could describe what the word would define.... This has been improving with time, and we imagine will continue to be so...
This week working with one of the speech therapists that has been with him since the begining, he was able to tell us the story of August 28th..... A day we will never forget... He can recall leaving for work, and feeling "off"..... Just two turns from his house in Visalia on his short commute to the office, he pulled over to the side of the road... Someone passing by on foot noticed him slumped over and called 911.... Thank you kind stranger you quite possibly saved his life!! He says he can't quite recall the various ambulance rides and the helicopter lift to San Francisco, but there have been times he mentioned he thought he was in a motor home before coming to the hospital. Perhaps this is his recollection of the ambulance...
Listening to his story his therapist was extremely impressed with his memory and ability to tell his story.... She explained how unusual this is, for many patients that suffer severe head trauma such as a stroke not only lose the memory of the "attack" but also the weeks leading up to the event... Amazing.....
From the begining dad has done quite well on these tests, able to remember most of his adventure in bits...and able to recall basic words, terms, skills..... He has been able to tell us some personal information and some business facts.. But he has had some difficulty finding the correct words to use, even if he could describe what the word would define.... This has been improving with time, and we imagine will continue to be so...
This week working with one of the speech therapists that has been with him since the begining, he was able to tell us the story of August 28th..... A day we will never forget... He can recall leaving for work, and feeling "off"..... Just two turns from his house in Visalia on his short commute to the office, he pulled over to the side of the road... Someone passing by on foot noticed him slumped over and called 911.... Thank you kind stranger you quite possibly saved his life!! He says he can't quite recall the various ambulance rides and the helicopter lift to San Francisco, but there have been times he mentioned he thought he was in a motor home before coming to the hospital. Perhaps this is his recollection of the ambulance...
Listening to his story his therapist was extremely impressed with his memory and ability to tell his story.... She explained how unusual this is, for many patients that suffer severe head trauma such as a stroke not only lose the memory of the "attack" but also the weeks leading up to the event... Amazing.....
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