May 7, 2011: exercise

Here's a photo of Jim exercising with a manual wheelchair. He is trying to propel it with his feet. He was using his whole body to get it moving. He'd go one step and the chair would roll back two. Then he started putting on the brakes after one step. He barely was able to complete a half dozen steps. It exhausted him. This was only his second try on the chair so he will improve with time.

May 8, 2010: Photos

Jim started pool therapy last week. Here are photos of him in the pool at TIRR. The pool totally wears him out. But then it's 4th hour of exercise during the day. I told him that he will become a jock when he gets better.

May 8, 2010: Mother's Day

At midnight Mom had one of her night terrors and woke me up with her screaming. She slept right through it. I couldn't go back to sleep so I watched TV until 1:30 AM. At 5:30 AM Mom was calling me from her room. She had fallen out of bed and was sitting on the floor.

She was all nervous and couldn't do anything to help herself get up. I tried using a sheet around her waist and pulling her up. But, I couldn't budge her. So, I called the paramedics. It took 3 firemen to get her standing. She was moaning and groaning and they were worried that she was injured. I told them that she wasn't hurt and they left.

Last year Mom fell when Jim and I were at Texas City. She pressed her first alert button. The paramedics came and took to the ER. She hated that. I told her if she kept crying that she'd have to go to the hospital again. At least she listened to me.

Mom went right back to sleep but I couldn't. It's 8:50 PM and I'm planning on going to bed very soon. Stella just woke up so I'm stuck with her for a while. But she'll eat and play a little and go to sleep.

I got to TIRR around noon today but I had to leave at 6 because I was so tired. Lupita was baking me cookies when I got home. She has been a wonderful to all of us.

Around 8 PM the doorbell rang. It was a flower delivery from Kevin & Tomoko! I was happy that I was home when the flowers were delivered. Thank you, Kevin and Tomoko.

I was feeling sorry for myself. There were family gatherings at TIRR. But, I was the only family visiting Jim. The flowers have cheered me up.

I have to go to bed. I've got pictures to post - tomorrow.

May 5, 2011

Jim has moved again. He got a bed by the window. He's in 506B now. I think he must be through moving around now. I had asked the staff to be on the lookout for a window side bed and they came through

Tomorrow I have to bring extra yarn and needles with me. 2 of the ladies on the floor want me to teach them how to knit. I'm also going to make all of Jim's nurses, techs and therapists scrappy flower pins.

I went to visit Jim after work today. I got there in time to see 3 of Jim's doctors gathered around his bed. Tomorrow he's scheduled to get botox treatments in his left hand, lats, and right & left pecs. Botox is supposed to help decrease the tone in these muscles. Hopefully, it will work.

Dr Berliner wants to start Jim on the treadmill. The patient is put into a harness and put on the treadmill. Techs then move his legs for him so that his muscles can figure out what to do.

May 4, 2011: Jim moved to 5th floor.

The pictures are of Super Dude (aka J.D). He was one of Jim's techs during his first stay at TIRR. He was so good at his job that Jim named him Super Dude. JD enjoyed the nickname. I told him that he needed a cape. He said he wanted a mask. I made this red mask and put the initials SD on it. He seemed like he really liked it.

Jim had family rounds with Dr Wenzel today. I didn't take time off to go. This is his last session with her. He is now Dr Berliner's patient. Jim feels more comfortable with him. I hope Dr Berliner will actually work for Jim. Dr Wenzel was always talking about the insurance company. She gave Jim a hard bed during his first stay. He was in lots of pain. She wouldn't change his bed.

When we saw her on 4/5 I told her that Jim will need an air bed when he returns to TIRR. She said that sometimes the insurance company won't approve an air bed.

Jim went back into the hospital, got another hard bed and his pain started again. His nurse found him an air bed and his pain is gone again. Now, why wouldn't the doctor order him a comfortable bed?

Jim was moved to the fifth floor yesterday. The fifth floor is for spinal cord patients. He is now in 509A. The A beds are next to the door - no window and less space. On the plus side, he gets to have some of his former techs and nurses - including Super Dude.

May 1, 2011: Now for the good news!

When I arrived home yesterday evening Lupita was holding my kitten who was limp and near death. Stella took a down turn during the short time that Lupita left her to take Mom to the hairdresser.

I thought that I was going to hold her while she took her last breath. She started jerky movements. I thought it would be best to put her back in her carrier. She looked like she was experiencing death throes. Then she got quiet but was still breathing.

Finally I had to go to bed. I took the carrier with me and put it on the bed. Stella woke up and cried. I gave her some goat's milk and held her for a long time.

This morning she woke up hungry and healthy! It is wonderful. I fed her and held her. Now she is in her carrier on a heating pad taking a cat nap.

I might take her with me to the hospital today. I think Lupita will be nervous about caring for her. I'll have to sneak Stella in and won't be able to stay very long.

Jim's roommate left yesterday and we moved Jim to the window side of the room. Hopefully, he won't get a new roommate today so it will be easier to keep Stella in the room.

May 1, 2011

I spent yesterday afternoon and evening at TIRR with Jim. I didn't want to go. Being there brought up the old memories of our first go-round there. There is so much pain at that place. The staff actually act quite positive. There are photos along the hallways of patients who had been through the TIRR experience and a write up of what they are doing now. The hospital tries to be a positive happy place.

It doesn't work for me. Jim is 100 times better now than he was during his last stay. But, I'm not. I still cry and grieve for my lost way of life. I come home and see the Texas Highways magazine that I had subscribed to in October, 2010. We had plans for little weekend trips in Texas. We were best friends experiencing happy events together. Now we are best friends experiencing physical struggles together.

I know that am lucky to still have him. Jim came close to death in the beginning. His heart rate would dip into the 30's.

TIRR is the right place for Jim. He sees a specialist every day. The therapists are trained for spinal cord injured patients. Yesterday a Metro bus came to the hospital to teach the patients about the bus system. Each bus has 2 wheelchair places. The driver will tie down the chair and be sure that the passenger gets on and off the bus safely.

I guess my big problem is actually my loss of blinders. I see so many people at TIRR whose lives turned to crap in just seconds. It could happen to me, my sons, anyone. At the nursing home I saw the pain of getting old. The only escape from old age is to die young. There is no escape or luck to get past these realities.