August 14, 2006
Today Gary met with the local OT Shepherd had hooked him up with. When we got to the rehab place, first he had to fill out a form asking about his medical condition and what he could or could not do. “Think I should check this box?” Gary joked when he got to the line “Difficulty walking.” After a bit of a wait, we met the OT – I had been worried I wouldn’t be able to come in with Gary into the rehab area because there was a sign on the door that said “Patients only,” but I wasn’t stopped. I hope they continue to let me accompany him during his rehab here – I find watching (and helping, preferably) with his therapy fulfilling, and that helps me cope with the aspects of his recovery I don’t enjoy – namely, extra domestic chores and getting up during the night. Gary said he hopes I can come, too, that he liked having me there during his therapy sessions at Shepherd and is glad I want to continue to do it here.
The OT had gone over Gary’s records from Day Program, so it was more a “get-acquainted” session than a “start from scratch.” She asked him details about how much of the tasks of daily living he could do now, what his flap restrictions were, what his goals were. She tested the muscular strength of his arms, then had him transfer onto a mat. She wanted to see how we did the transfer on our own, so we did one where I would just supervise unless my help was needed; my help wasn’t needed that time – these days it usually isn’t in cases like this where the mat is lower than his chair. On the mat, she watched him get his feet up on his own and get into a prone position; she showed him a back exercise she wanted him to do, and he showed her “the terrible threes.” She might have had him do more, but he needed to do an IC, so she had us do a transfer back to his chair. Gary didn’t get much lift during it, not completely clearing his seat cushion upon “entry” into the chair so I had to help him over the cushion. I thought that was all right, though, because it gave the OT an idea of what his level of proficiency is.
Though it is hard to judge just by meeting her, we are hopeful that he can continue making progress with her – as Gary says, she wasn’t thrown at all by him having an SCI. She also mentioned that with some of the goals he can’t yet meet because of his flap restrictions, he could make use of adaptive aids, for example, a leg reacher that would enable him to bring his leg toward him when he is lying in bed, which might enable him to do more of his own dressing and which could be used to help him get his legs untangled when they cross over each other when he turns over, which impedes his ability to move about the bed. I know Shepherd wanted him to avoid getting dependent on external aids, and I mentioned that to her, and she said he could try to do the tasks without the aids but if he got stuck and couldn’t make any progress he could use the aids. That sounded reasonable to us.
He is going to go to rehab again this comingThursday, and next week he is scheduled for three times, MWF.
It had started to rain when we left the rehab place, and by the time we got home it was raining a goodly amount. I had picked Gary up a sandwich at Paneera’s, and since it takes him awhile to make the transfer out of the car, rather than get soaked he decided to just eat in the car and wait out the rain (we never had rain in Atlanta during any therapy sessions, so it never really came up how people confined to wheelchairs handle the rain – assuming there were any tips to be had). When the rain died down a bit, we got him inside (after I threw a rain poncho (which unfortunately had no hood) over him and tried to prop up an umbrella on the car door so his wheelchair seat wouldn’t get wet); the first thing he did was go on the internet and find a rain poncho made for use in a wheelchair.
So, that’s about all we accomplished today. We did a few things in the afternoon – Gary started sorting our accumulated mail, I screwed on a new cat barrier “hook-and-eye” latch that hopefully Blackjack isn’t strong enough to pull out. I also spent time staring at bookcases and bags of clothing wondering how to reorganize – I know this is a good time to get rid of a lot of stuff, but I have not yet become inspired to do so.
In fact, what I am inspired to do is take a nap. Since that is what Gary is up to right now, Tigger with him, this would be a good opportunity for me to catnap too. :-)
Zzzzzz. Okay, naptime over. Before our evening routine, I moved a few books around, and while I stretched Gary in the evening, he got in a call to his brother Bob and his mom.
All for today, except to say that Gary saays some day soon we hope to actually have time to turn on the TV and have “leisure” be something other than shopping or going to appointments ;-).
Today Gary met with the local OT Shepherd had hooked him up with. When we got to the rehab place, first he had to fill out a form asking about his medical condition and what he could or could not do. “Think I should check this box?” Gary joked when he got to the line “Difficulty walking.” After a bit of a wait, we met the OT – I had been worried I wouldn’t be able to come in with Gary into the rehab area because there was a sign on the door that said “Patients only,” but I wasn’t stopped. I hope they continue to let me accompany him during his rehab here – I find watching (and helping, preferably) with his therapy fulfilling, and that helps me cope with the aspects of his recovery I don’t enjoy – namely, extra domestic chores and getting up during the night. Gary said he hopes I can come, too, that he liked having me there during his therapy sessions at Shepherd and is glad I want to continue to do it here.
The OT had gone over Gary’s records from Day Program, so it was more a “get-acquainted” session than a “start from scratch.” She asked him details about how much of the tasks of daily living he could do now, what his flap restrictions were, what his goals were. She tested the muscular strength of his arms, then had him transfer onto a mat. She wanted to see how we did the transfer on our own, so we did one where I would just supervise unless my help was needed; my help wasn’t needed that time – these days it usually isn’t in cases like this where the mat is lower than his chair. On the mat, she watched him get his feet up on his own and get into a prone position; she showed him a back exercise she wanted him to do, and he showed her “the terrible threes.” She might have had him do more, but he needed to do an IC, so she had us do a transfer back to his chair. Gary didn’t get much lift during it, not completely clearing his seat cushion upon “entry” into the chair so I had to help him over the cushion. I thought that was all right, though, because it gave the OT an idea of what his level of proficiency is.
Though it is hard to judge just by meeting her, we are hopeful that he can continue making progress with her – as Gary says, she wasn’t thrown at all by him having an SCI. She also mentioned that with some of the goals he can’t yet meet because of his flap restrictions, he could make use of adaptive aids, for example, a leg reacher that would enable him to bring his leg toward him when he is lying in bed, which might enable him to do more of his own dressing and which could be used to help him get his legs untangled when they cross over each other when he turns over, which impedes his ability to move about the bed. I know Shepherd wanted him to avoid getting dependent on external aids, and I mentioned that to her, and she said he could try to do the tasks without the aids but if he got stuck and couldn’t make any progress he could use the aids. That sounded reasonable to us.
He is going to go to rehab again this comingThursday, and next week he is scheduled for three times, MWF.
It had started to rain when we left the rehab place, and by the time we got home it was raining a goodly amount. I had picked Gary up a sandwich at Paneera’s, and since it takes him awhile to make the transfer out of the car, rather than get soaked he decided to just eat in the car and wait out the rain (we never had rain in Atlanta during any therapy sessions, so it never really came up how people confined to wheelchairs handle the rain – assuming there were any tips to be had). When the rain died down a bit, we got him inside (after I threw a rain poncho (which unfortunately had no hood) over him and tried to prop up an umbrella on the car door so his wheelchair seat wouldn’t get wet); the first thing he did was go on the internet and find a rain poncho made for use in a wheelchair.
So, that’s about all we accomplished today. We did a few things in the afternoon – Gary started sorting our accumulated mail, I screwed on a new cat barrier “hook-and-eye” latch that hopefully Blackjack isn’t strong enough to pull out. I also spent time staring at bookcases and bags of clothing wondering how to reorganize – I know this is a good time to get rid of a lot of stuff, but I have not yet become inspired to do so.
In fact, what I am inspired to do is take a nap. Since that is what Gary is up to right now, Tigger with him, this would be a good opportunity for me to catnap too. :-)
Zzzzzz. Okay, naptime over. Before our evening routine, I moved a few books around, and while I stretched Gary in the evening, he got in a call to his brother Bob and his mom.
All for today, except to say that Gary saays some day soon we hope to actually have time to turn on the TV and have “leisure” be something other than shopping or going to appointments ;-).
posted by Peg Daniels at 8:56 PM
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