He did it!! He is home! 10 1/2 weeks later, Marion arrived home about 3pm this afternoon. He promptly settled in for a little nap after checking out the house. But so good to have him home again! Now we get the tub transfer bench set up, Todd comes tomorrow to attach the bars on the tub walls, and what ever other little adjustments we need, but the new phase has begun.
Thank you all for the prayers and support. That is what it took for this to happen. We are so grateful for the physical and emotional generosity sent our way, it is impossible for me to express what it has meant to us. Thank you again. Love, Sue
PS Marion starts Outpatient Therapy and I will keep sending updates if you'd like.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Friday, February 27, 2009
Thursday, February 26th
Big News!! Tentative discharge date: next Thursday, March 5th! Marion mentioned discharge yesterday for the first time, so I think that he is ready. I just hope that I am too.
By the time he goes home we will know whether he will have therapy at home or go to out patient therapy. That may well depend on how well we can transfer him into our car, his is too low, and the Pilot seat may be too high, but the therapists will work with him next week on that. Also, for long excursions, or where he might be jostled and sustain a fall, we will have a wheel chair, but the walker will do for short jaunts. Todd has offered to come and put support rails in the bath tub as needed, so necessary arrangements are being handled as they come up it seems.
The word each day at the hospital is how hard he works, not any surprise to those of us who know him is it? That is certainly part of what has gotten him this far! However, the prayers are the biggest part of the true miracle in his recovery. We are so grateful for the continuing love and support from our family and friends and it appears as though the hospital part of this journey may be drawing to a conclusion. Thank you again, love, Sue
By the time he goes home we will know whether he will have therapy at home or go to out patient therapy. That may well depend on how well we can transfer him into our car, his is too low, and the Pilot seat may be too high, but the therapists will work with him next week on that. Also, for long excursions, or where he might be jostled and sustain a fall, we will have a wheel chair, but the walker will do for short jaunts. Todd has offered to come and put support rails in the bath tub as needed, so necessary arrangements are being handled as they come up it seems.
The word each day at the hospital is how hard he works, not any surprise to those of us who know him is it? That is certainly part of what has gotten him this far! However, the prayers are the biggest part of the true miracle in his recovery. We are so grateful for the continuing love and support from our family and friends and it appears as though the hospital part of this journey may be drawing to a conclusion. Thank you again, love, Sue
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Saturday, February 21st
Hello, Renown Rehab is terrific! Marion receives 3 hours of therapy, broken up into 1/2 hour sessions per day. What a work out, and learning experience. This includes everything from eating and relearning to chew and swallow without choking, to walking using the weaker leg, to using an over the bathtub chair. We both are learning what we have to have when he comes home. The therapists are very professional, but compassionate at the same time.
Yesterday was a special day in the Ralston and Condie households, Sydney became a teenager!, and Marion and I celebrated our 27th anniversary. We have shared that day for 13 years! I have not yet reached her on the phone, but she is in our thoughts, and we miss that birthday dinner we have always shared with her.
Marion had the Roseborough's shop for him as my birthday is next Tues also, and they arrived last night with flowers and candy, so we had a festive anniversary, the 5 of us, Karen, Jeff and Spencer with a gorgeous bouquet of roses and Marion's and my favorite See's candy! Maybe this accident has brought out the romantic in him. In all these years I do not remember flowers and candy for my birthday, however, we were to have been at Disneyland next week. A ride on the tea cups and the matterhorn IS Marion's style!
He is coming along very well, and while we have not been updated as to any discharge date, safety is the issue, and his lack of balance is the key issue, as well as swallowing. We are here for a while. He is not unhappy with any of the paces that they are putting him through. He is doing better about calling for nurses when I am not here instead of just moving himself from the chair to bed, or chair to toilet, which had become quite a problem. But it is just that stubbornness that has assisted in his recovery, so it is definitely a double edged sword.
Thank you all for your love and support. The prayers, the food for me, the calls the ask about Marion and me, just knowing that you are continuing to care for us is keeping us afloat. It is humbling to be the recipient of so much help, I look forward to be of service to others. Thank you again, Love, Sue
Yesterday was a special day in the Ralston and Condie households, Sydney became a teenager!, and Marion and I celebrated our 27th anniversary. We have shared that day for 13 years! I have not yet reached her on the phone, but she is in our thoughts, and we miss that birthday dinner we have always shared with her.
Marion had the Roseborough's shop for him as my birthday is next Tues also, and they arrived last night with flowers and candy, so we had a festive anniversary, the 5 of us, Karen, Jeff and Spencer with a gorgeous bouquet of roses and Marion's and my favorite See's candy! Maybe this accident has brought out the romantic in him. In all these years I do not remember flowers and candy for my birthday, however, we were to have been at Disneyland next week. A ride on the tea cups and the matterhorn IS Marion's style!
He is coming along very well, and while we have not been updated as to any discharge date, safety is the issue, and his lack of balance is the key issue, as well as swallowing. We are here for a while. He is not unhappy with any of the paces that they are putting him through. He is doing better about calling for nurses when I am not here instead of just moving himself from the chair to bed, or chair to toilet, which had become quite a problem. But it is just that stubbornness that has assisted in his recovery, so it is definitely a double edged sword.
Thank you all for your love and support. The prayers, the food for me, the calls the ask about Marion and me, just knowing that you are continuing to care for us is keeping us afloat. It is humbling to be the recipient of so much help, I look forward to be of service to others. Thank you again, Love, Sue
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Tuesday, Feb. 17th
He did it! I got the call after 9am this morning that he was to be moved at 10am. Yesterday, the news was probably this afternoon after the discharge was written. Things change. I arrived as he was being wheeled out of the unit, so got to kiss him good-bye before I went to sort through what would go to the new hospital, and what would go home of all the things we had accumulated during the 4 weeks that we "lived" at Tahoe-Pacific Hospital.
We are settled in room 118W at Renown Rehabilitation Hospital after a false start in room 107. That was a room with the bed next to the door, VERY claustraphobic, at least for the visitor, if not the patient!! Not to mention as dark as the black hole of calcutta! His new room is at the end of the hall, farthest from the startion, with the bed next to the window. He had to promise to not climb out of bed himself. Tomorrow he is evaluated by the therapists (me too) and we hope that we gain back priviledges for me to help him to the bathroom, and even to stand at the side of the bed as necessary. For today, he could not set even a toe out of bed without a nurse there.
Very exciting, the Physicians Assistant that interviewed him today seemed to feel that he would be home in about 2 weeks. So the end appears to be in sight. Thank you again for all the prayers and support. We are seeing answers. Love, Sue
We are settled in room 118W at Renown Rehabilitation Hospital after a false start in room 107. That was a room with the bed next to the door, VERY claustraphobic, at least for the visitor, if not the patient!! Not to mention as dark as the black hole of calcutta! His new room is at the end of the hall, farthest from the startion, with the bed next to the window. He had to promise to not climb out of bed himself. Tomorrow he is evaluated by the therapists (me too) and we hope that we gain back priviledges for me to help him to the bathroom, and even to stand at the side of the bed as necessary. For today, he could not set even a toe out of bed without a nurse there.
Very exciting, the Physicians Assistant that interviewed him today seemed to feel that he would be home in about 2 weeks. So the end appears to be in sight. Thank you again for all the prayers and support. We are seeing answers. Love, Sue
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Saturday, Feb. 14th
Happy Valentine's Day! What a day, Marion walked and walked! They joked at the hospital that I was a slave driver, but the truth was that Marion just wanted to keep walking after every meal and nap. I was the one that wanted the rest periods!
I took Marion his cell phone 2 days ago, that might have been a mistake. The calls started at 8:30am this morning. How soon was I going to be there? As you can imagine, staffing is never overdone, and it always seems short on weekends, especially when there are no therapy's working as well. After he called again at 9am and 9:30, I realized that Sunday was going to be spent at the hospital as well. But I have to admit, that Marion, as well as the nurses, do appreciate the time spent with him. As he gains control back, and has all the tubes gone, it does help to have a family member available (on short notice) to give him a hand. He has no privileges in terms of getting out of bed, or moving around, out of a chair or with a walker by himself. That will come in Rehab. The 2 falls have everyone very gun shy about him falling again, and possibly injuring himself.
Karen and her family have been battling "bugs", so they are not visiting and sharing them with
us. Jim came today and we three spent some nice time together.
Tuesday morning the doctor for Renown Rehab meets with the staff at Tahoe-Pacific and the final decision is made determining where Marion goes when he is discharged that day. The Rehab choice is Renown, so hold a good thought for us. Thank you for your prayers on Marion's behalf. Love, Sue
I took Marion his cell phone 2 days ago, that might have been a mistake. The calls started at 8:30am this morning. How soon was I going to be there? As you can imagine, staffing is never overdone, and it always seems short on weekends, especially when there are no therapy's working as well. After he called again at 9am and 9:30, I realized that Sunday was going to be spent at the hospital as well. But I have to admit, that Marion, as well as the nurses, do appreciate the time spent with him. As he gains control back, and has all the tubes gone, it does help to have a family member available (on short notice) to give him a hand. He has no privileges in terms of getting out of bed, or moving around, out of a chair or with a walker by himself. That will come in Rehab. The 2 falls have everyone very gun shy about him falling again, and possibly injuring himself.
Karen and her family have been battling "bugs", so they are not visiting and sharing them with
us. Jim came today and we three spent some nice time together.
Tuesday morning the doctor for Renown Rehab meets with the staff at Tahoe-Pacific and the final decision is made determining where Marion goes when he is discharged that day. The Rehab choice is Renown, so hold a good thought for us. Thank you for your prayers on Marion's behalf. Love, Sue
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Wednesday, Jan 11th
Hi, More good news that came from a round about way. Marion is going to go to Renown Rehab instead of Manor Care Rehab next Tuesday. But that is because he fell yesterday, which was his 2nd fall in 5 days. So his lack of balance made him a candidate for the more intense rehab center.
There have been no big physical injurys that we are aware of, but he is going to be seen by Dr. Louie, the Neurologist that Marion saw last year. The "fiesty" part is certainly why he is recovering, but not listening to "do NOT walk or get out of bed by yourself " could lead to serious injury or having to be restrained again at night. Not fun!
Please keep the prayers coming, we still have a long way to go. Thank you, Love, Sue
There have been no big physical injurys that we are aware of, but he is going to be seen by Dr. Louie, the Neurologist that Marion saw last year. The "fiesty" part is certainly why he is recovering, but not listening to "do NOT walk or get out of bed by yourself " could lead to serious injury or having to be restrained again at night. Not fun!
Please keep the prayers coming, we still have a long way to go. Thank you, Love, Sue
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Sunday, Jan 8th
Hello, it has been 2 days because there were no big events to report, so I took a couple of days off. But today I walked in to room 110W, and it was empty! I knew that he was not at home, so the big news was that Marion had graduated from the ventilator corridor to the non ventilator, less intensive care, corridor of the v-shaped unit. Big move! That came after one day short of 3 weeks there. In fact, 1 day short of 7 weeks total. His new room is 120 and is a private room. It is just as small as the double, but he can play his classical music loud enough to hear, or the book on tape that I brought him from the library.
Well, that's the news for now. I'll keep you posted, perhaps on a less frequent basis as the progress has slowed down, but continues to be in the right direction. Please keep the prayers coming, they are the reason for the success that he has had!! Love, Sue
Well, that's the news for now. I'll keep you posted, perhaps on a less frequent basis as the progress has slowed down, but continues to be in the right direction. Please keep the prayers coming, they are the reason for the success that he has had!! Love, Sue
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)