Bruce was fitted for a night foot splint last week. We picked it up on Monday. This thing is a hoot. Looks like an AFO with an ankle hinge. Once his foot is in it properly, I pull up on two straps on either side of his leg and secure them. Basically I am bringing his toes to his head-about 45 degrees. Leo can get it up a bit higher. Bruce needs to feel resistance in front part of ankle and pull at his hamstring. He needs to be in this to start 2 hours daily for the first few days, then build up as tolerated to 6 to 8 hours daily.

Personally I feel there is no way Bruce is going to end up sleeping in this thing. But truly the reason his foot turned in the first place was that I was not more emphatic in insisting he wear his AFO. We talked about this while waiting the new splint. And Bruce was right on board the past two weeks in wearing the AFO almost all day, awaiting this new brace. Even with the long leg brace, which I still can not lock with just Bruce and I, unless his foot sits properly in his brace (whichever one) and shoe, he will not walk properly.

His hand splint fell off the night stand last week and cracked. He was religious with putting this on every night and OT, bless them, fit us in today and made him a new one.

Bruce Estims his shoulder and leg every morning for an hour and 15 minutes. Plan right now is to do the night foot splint at the same time and I started today Estimming his hand. We have the machine and OT gave me the pad placement, told me no longer than 15 minutes to start. Then shower or wash up and into the AFO. AFO after nap until bedtime. There is no walking or standing in the night foot brace, so will have to work around BR issues.

I plan to increase time in brace this weekend, but as far as during the week and my work schedule, will have to think about the increase of time. I can leave it on for Cathy, knowing she will remove it for BR or when he asks. But Bruce walks in the AFO with Leo, so he needs to be in the AFO. And yes, I know you all will say they are CNA's and will be able to get them on and off. But I worry about checking for pressure areas and I watched his PT put his long leg brace on wrong. So yes, I worry and would prefer to manage it myself.

I plan our week based on getting Bruce out of the house, he so loves it, and around his therapy schedule. And while I hate the idea of changing this-his cognitive improvement is remarkable and I attest a lot of it to that-I may have to do that to accomodate the new brace and getting his foot back in shape.

So on to the Estim bike. You should have seen him today! I could not have been more proud. 40 minutes-first time out really. Even during warm up, when Bike is supposed to do all the work, his affected leg was doing 50% of the work. He needed blocking at the knee to keep it in alignment and I will have to take off the side of his WC on his affected side to accomodate his hip. I can't figure that out with him in the WC, so will deal with that and get the manual out this weekend. Bruce said once his over-toned, but newly Botoxed (lol) thigh warmed up, it felt great! Don't you all love this new vocabulary we have all learned? PT advised she will have one more session with him, and then he will be dc'd from PT for this year and I will be signed off to do the bike with him! You have to sign up for time on the bike.

Was talking to Julie tonight about how much is put on us caregivers, how much we are responsible for and need to take the initiative on. I try to make decisions based on what I think is best for our recovery, but somehow always seem to have too many things to juggle and something suffers. There are many things, coming up on Bruce's three year anniversary, that he is now taking responsibility for, but so many things that he looks towards or depends on me to remember and reinforce.

I am going to take next week to up the night splint hours and learn the proper management of the bike and then try to figure out what Spring and Summer will bring. I would love some time working in the yard. With the trees pruned and a new lawn, I was looking forward to yard work (my time out), BBQing-this early Spring has me excited and energized. But this new regime needs to come first.

Missed everyone for a few days, but we seem to be back up and running. Good week to all. Debbie