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Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Day 273 - Home Again Home Again Jiggitty Jig

Cindy's home - safe and sound.


I'll be signing off as your daily blogger for now.  If there is anything else to report, you'll be hearing from me.

Monday, July 28, 2014

Day 272 - Independence Day

Independence Day at the Rehab means you're going home the next day.  And Cindy is going home tomorrow.


Cindy did very well during her final Physical and Occupational Therapies.  She is getting stronger every day and looking forward to going home. 

When she gets home, her room will look a little different.  A hospital bed and a new dresser will be waiting for her as will a visiting nurse.  Respiratory equipment has either been delivered or will be soon. 

The following pictures show Ruby trying to get the dresser put together.  She doesn't have any thumbs, so she had to enlist Mary to help.  Every time Mary didn't follow instructions, she got a licking.





Sunday, July 27, 2014

Day 271 - Two More Days to Go

Cindy stayed in bed today just because she could.  Only two more days to go until she goes home.


Saturday, July 26, 2014

Day 270 - Three More Days to Go

Not much to report today.  Cindy had one Physical Therapy appointment and walked around the floor with Mary.  She's doing well and looking forward to going home.  Expect the same report tomorrow.




Friday, July 25, 2014

Day 269 - Going Home

Cindy is going home next Tuesday (7/29).  She has pretty much met all her Physical and Occupational Therapy goals. The doctors think she is medically well enough to go home. 




Cindy will need assistance when she gets home.  She will have a visiting nurse to help her.  She will also have a hospital bed, shower bench, oxygen, and other equipment that will help her in her recovery.  She also has Rita, Mary and I as cooks, exercise coaches, chauffeurs, and other personal staff positions.

Day 268 - Too Much Water

According to the Pulmonary doctor, Cindy's problem with breathing yesterday seems to be due to water retention.  They've now put her on an IV for a diuretic which she has been taking by mouth.  They feel that she'll be able to lose the water weight and then go back to taking the diuretic orally.  Will this solve the problem? 

     Really????



Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Day 267 - Where's Rita?

Cindy was feeling tired today.  She was hooked up to the CPAP machine last night but she didn't sleep well with it.  She also felt blah - like she was getting a cold.  Let's hope she's not.  The smaller trach tube was put in yesterday and she is trying to get used to it. 

Rita and Mary were not at the hospital with Cindy today.  They went off for some fun and recreation with some friends.  They went to a place called Parachute Center where Mary took pictures while Rita went 

                                   
                               ~~~~        SKYDIVING            ~~~~       




Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Day 265 - A Balancing Act



The Pulmonary Doctor changed Cindy's trachea tube.  This should help the irritation in Cindy's throat that is making her cough.  The doctor also decided that Cindy hasn't been sleeping as well as she should because she is not breathing correctly and needs to use a CPAP.  This is not a recent development..She should have been using it at home, too.

Image from http://infoselebes.com/18979-purpose-of-a-tracheostomy

To help Cindy's lack of grip (not able to make a fist), the Occupational Therapist is giving her hand exercises using putty.  This should help her hands become stronger.

Today's Physical Therapy was very successful.  Cindy was able to walk from the gym to the elevators - which is significant progress towards her goal of not using a walker or cane to get from her room to the gym and back again.


 

Monday, July 21, 2014

Day 264 – Family Training Sessions

Cindy’s caregivers, Rita, Mary and Debbie, were involved in Cindy’s Physical and Occupational Therapy today.  We were asked questions about her daily life to make sure that the Physical and Occupational Therapists would be able to cover everything she needs in order to go home. 
They also tested her on her ability to get around when she’s home by “simulating” the layout of her living space.  Occupatoinal Therapy  introduced some new exercises using Thera Bands. 

Cindy had some issues this weekend. 
  • Coughing - this is probably due to the trachea being too big.  Cindy will be given a smaller trach tomorrow.
  • Numbness in her fingertips - this can be either neuropathy (diabtetes) or from leaning on her walker.
  • Can't make a fist - this might be from leaning on her walker
  • Retaining fluids and feet are swelling - they're increasing her diuretics
  • Liver and bilirubin enzymes are elevated - they've been more elevated in the past so they are monitoring her blood week for the next few days
Cindy was scheduled to leave the rehab this Wednesday (July 23), but due to the above issues, her stay will probably be extended until next Tuesday (July 29) at the earliest.  The rehab doctor wants to monitor Cindy more closely for a while.  This isn't making the insurance company happy (TOO BAD!!!).



Day 263 - This is the John Muir Hospital


When Cindy went to her first Physical Therapy in the gym, the therapist decided to take Cindy down the main elevator and through the lobby instead of the back elevators.  Cindy had never been there before even though she has been at the hospital for months at a time.

The hospital is really nice.  When you walk in, you go to a reception desk, almost like at a hotel, and get a badge.  The rooms are all private and spacious.  The rooms in the new tower even have a small pull out couch if someone wants to spend the night.


The lobby shown below is the first of two waiting areas. 


The hospital hires professional pianists to play the piano during the day.



The atrium gives the waiting areas a lot of light.



The second waiting room is close to the admitting office.




There are some very interesting looking fish in the fish tanks in both the lobby and the waiting room on the second floor.




There's an outdoor area where visitors can sit.



So why hasn't Cindy seen all this?  Because she comes into the hospital through the back door labeled Emergency.



Sunday, July 20, 2014

Day 262 - A Slow Day

Sorry for the late post on this blog.  I had some technical difficulties. 
Cindy had a slow day.  She only had two scheduled activities.  She also took a walk around the unit with Rita and did some band stretches.  Other than that, she visited with her slew of visitors and watched TV.   

Friday, July 18, 2014

Day 261 - Training the Caregivers

Part of being in rehab is to get ready to go home.  There are weekly meetings every Tuesday to determine when each patient is ready to go home.  There is discussion that Cindy might leave the rehab withing the next week or so, but there is no definite date at this time.

Cindy and crew do not believe she is ready yet.  She doesn't feel safe or strong enough yet.  This is more an insurance decision than anything else.  The doctor is trying to extend her stay.  Any suggestions?

Going home means that Cindy's crew - Rita, Mary and Debbie - need to be trained to care for Cindy.  Today we had a Diabetic Teaching Session.  We heard some good information and Cindy got a new meter for measuring her sugar.

 

Next Monday we are getting Physical and Occupational Training.  We will also be trained by a nutritionist.



Thursday, July 17, 2014

Day 260 - Climbing Mountains

Cindy continues to work hard at Physical and Occupational Therapy.  The pictures below are some of the exercises she does.  Cindy has been pushing herself almost to the point of exhaustion - which is not necessarily a good thing.  But Cindy likes to do her best - and then some.

Bicycling at the gym

Walking a few steps

Schedule for the day





Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Day 259 - A Puppy Visit

Cindy continues to work hard at Physical and Occupational Therapy.  She was able to walk to the elevator today.  She was able to open draws, walk back and forth from the refrigerator to the table and open and close the refrigerator.  But all this activity really wipes her out and she still needs oxygen to help her breathing.

Image from http://www.xanadu-fitness.com/news.html


When she finished all her work today, Cindy got a special treat.  It was puppy visiting day and she got to visit with one of the pups.

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Day 258 - A Drought in California

California is having a drought?  Want to know where the water is?  Cindy is retaining it.  OK, Not really.  Well, we are having a drought.  And it is true that Cindy is retaining water.  But she's not the reason we're having a drought.


But seriously folks, Cindy has started retaining water again which is not a good thing.  She had been taken off one of the diuretics and is now taking it again every other day.    So I thought that maybe inserting a faucet into her side might be a win-win situation. 




Monday, July 14, 2014

Day 257 - PT OT PT OT PT OT PT OT

PT (Physical Therapy) and OT (Occupational Therapy).  That's what Cindy does for recreation now.  And she is doing well. Every evening the student volunteers come by and write the next day's schedule on Cindy's board.  Each session is tailored to what she needs to do to get to go home.  It includes being able to take care of herself.  For OT, that means get out of bed, go to the bathroom, take a shower, get dressed, feed herself, etc.  For PT, that means to be able to walk, have good balance, improve her muscle strength, and a good range of motion..Cindy improves every day.

Today's Schedule

Tomorrow's Schedule












Sunday, July 13, 2014

Day 256 - Sunday - a Day of Rest

Today was restful for Cindy.  There was no Physical or Occupational Therapy.  She sat in her room with her company (Rita, Mary and Debbie) and had a fun time just talking.  Mid afternoon Cindy went for a stroll around the unit with her crew.  The nurse told us that 23 times around the unit is a mile.  We didn't make it that far.

Cindy likes popsicles, so Debbie brought her a box of popsicles that can be kept in the freezer for her.  She already has a stash of fruit in the refrigerator and a case of seltzer in her closet.  Do we think that Cindy is just staying in rehab so she can be treated like a queen?

Image from  http://rozannegold.wordpress.com/2011/07/15/technicolor-ice-pops/
Yesterday, Rita went to a Giants game at AT&T Park and sat right under the announcers.  Someone had given her season tickets for the game.  She had a great time.  And what did Cindy get?  A Giants sweatshirt to keep her warm.  She was very happy.


Saturday, July 12, 2014

Day 255 - Don't Wake Me Up, Please


Cindy did not sleep well this past Friday night.  The Respiratory Therapists kept waking her up every four hours to check her trachea and see how she is doing.  This wakes her up and she has a difficult time falling back to sleep.  She had spoken to her doctor before going to rehab and asked if she could not be disturbed by the Respiratory Team.  He agreed, but forgot to writ it in the notes.

Saturday is a working rehab day for Cindy.  Occupational Therapy included a shower in the morning.  She was not able to wash her hair because the therapists did not know how to protect the trachea.  Cindy hopes they will have better luck tomorrow morning.






The afternoon was Physical Therapy in the gym.  While on the bike, Cindy fell asleep.  She was too tired to keep her eyes open.  The therapist told her she would take Cindy back to her room so she could take a nap and bring her back down later.  Cindy said OK and fell asleep in her wheel chair.  The next thing she knew, Cindy was in bed and the therapist was waking her up to go back to the gym.  Cindy felt too tired to go, but she went anyway.  First, she asked to have a note put on her door asking not to be woken up after her last respiratory treatment at eight.  Tomorrow we’ll see if the respiratory knows how to read.