Jim has gotten a reprieve from the doctor. He has been having lots of pain in his left hip. The doctor ordered x-rays and more tests to figure out how to ease the pain. This is a medical necessity so now Jim's official dismissal date is next Tuesday, January 25th.
I'm happy that he will get a few more days of intensive therapy at TIRR. At the family meeting the therapists said that Jim needs to get more strength so he can do more functional activities. His hands are not strong enough to do his own cath and bowel program. Plus, he doesn't have enough upper body strength to pull himself upright in the wheelchair. He would get this training at his next admission to TIRR.
The session would probably include learning to do his own sliding board transfer.
So, the group says that he cannot remain for more therapy. He has to go to a nursing facility to gain strength. I am going to try to hire someone to go the facility to supplement his physical therapy. The therapists keep giving us instruction sheets for home therapy exercises. I told them that I can't do all that. I go to work, go to the hospital and I'm just totally exhausted. The case manager said that insurance will not pay for a supplemental aide so we will have to pay it ourselves.
She said don't you have a family member that could do the exercises with him? Basically, Jim's family is just me. Maybe she thinks my 89 year old mother would help him out. My son, Andy is no longer communicating with me so I can't ask him for help.
I guess I should just be happy that we can afford to hire an aide for a while anyways.
Jim is in functional group right now where they are playing a card game. He was practicing on the pegboard before the group started. Now he wants his own pegboard to play with. I told him that I'd need to leave and go shopping for that. Of course, he prefers me to stay with him.
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