decisions
Entry posted by swilkinson
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Today Ray stood up for the first time in eleven days. He still can't take steps, the physio tried but he sagged at the knees and the physio called the nurse to pull the chair forward as he was holding all of Ray's weight on the gait belt. It was sad to see that despite a pain tablet half an hour before Ray was still in a great deal of pain. Even just standing up he was doing what he himself calls:"Waving in the wind."
The orthopedic team, apparently four of them, decided that the hip socket fracture was only minor, the hip was fit for weight-bearing and the rehabilitation, that is the physiotherapy should be started. I am all in favour of that as Ray had been laying down most days and sitting in the chair for brief periods other days.
There is still some uncertainty about where he will go from the hospital when he is no longer regarded as acute care. The choices are two smaller hospitals, mostly used for convalescence or for nursing home patients awaiting placement. They do have some physio and that is good but it is not an intentional program, just to keep people on their feet. I am worried that will not address all of Ray's stroke related issues and return him to full fitness again. That is what he needs to come back home to live.
Ray was inspired by his stand-up and after the physio had shown him some sitting down exercises he could do to strengthen his now very weak muscles he started them on his own. Not the way the physio had shown him but in his own way. Ray always finds a way of doing things, this meant he seized the bad knee with the good hand with a grip on the band holding the AFO on and moved the leg up and down this way. I guess at least he felt as if he was doing something.
He is also refusing the cookies that the good natured catering department leaves at every bedside. It is not shown now that a person is a diabetic ( breach of privacy?) so they leave them for everyone. This and getting dessert at two meals a day has been shooting his sugar readings sky high so I am glad he has made this decision himself. At least at hospital I don't have to be the "food police".
It seems there are decisions to be made every step of the way in this recovery process. Today I have to decide who to ring with updated information. It is okay here and on my email list as a post, blog or email will solve the problem. But then there are the many friends and relatives on phone only that I have to sit down and ring. I think I will ring a few people every night rather than tackle them all at once. I am hoping the news will improve as we go along.
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