Kira - cat friend to all the Tuesday night caregiver chat group - is wished a speedy recovery.

I think this might be the link to see the picture Debbie posted of Kira.

http://www.strokeboard.net/index.php?app=gallery&image=3762

I was scared when I heard what Kira did, because I once had a poodle who I had up on a chair to give a pill to, and he jumped off to get away from the pill, landed on his head and had a seizure. So, I'm actually glad to find out her ears are why she couldn't stand up well!

Do tell what Bruce has been working on that has caused him to gain so much ground. Bob is doing well in this area also, and I love hearing what is working for others

So glad Kira is home and both of you will look after her and help her recover.

Lucy and Furby send their well wishes to Kira. ^.^

Julie

Sue: thank you for finding that link and posting it. It is nice that people will have a pix of her to refer to.

She is better tonight. Still wobbly. Overnight was tough. She insists on the outside of the bed - makes sense, no one rolling over on her - LOL. It is easier for Bruce as he sleeps on his back and she can just stretch out on him. No so for me. I am a side sleeper so she gets into the space by my hips. So for me, I had to have a hand on her. She did roll over at one point and ended up-side-down. That was scary for both of us. When she gets startled, she bolts and that is the worst for her right now.

Evenings/nights are now almost as busy as the days. Dinner at 5pm, clean up kitchen, teeth and wash up for the night for Bruce. Fit in a shower for me if I can. Medicate Kira at 6, Bruce to bed 6:45 or so, Kira's ear treatments at 7, medicate Kira again at 8pm, Medicate Bruce at 9pm. I just pray I don't mess anything up!

Sandy: for Bruce it is just stimulation and total involvement in what is happening here in our lives. I'll do an inventory for the grocery shop, call to him and he writes it down for me. We do the couponing together. If we are going out after I get home from work, he has the prep for that - write the checks, coupons if we are getting lunch out, list of the errands - I make him put then in order to save gas. Mostly I don't care, but it makes him think. I leave the laundry for him to fold, dishes, he has to wipe off the counters and his table. He has to feed Kira and prep my breakfast to take to work. Last week I had him do the list of the chemicals and stuff I need for the lawn. I talk all the time. I tell him about my day at work, describe the birds at the feeders - a lot of times I make him come out to the kitchen and see them. I put them up for Bruce. I ask about his day. I will run my "game plan" for the afternoon by him and then ask him for whatever help he can give.

All of this requires set up and help. Yes, it would take me half the time to just do it. And that is also why we are behind in the errands because I work to get Bruce out as much as I can. Yes he has to get in and out the WC at most stores. I give him the store brochure and tell him to go off and find bargains. But Sandy, you take me out of the picture, he would sit in front of that TV all day long. He would feed Kira and he can use the urinal himself, does his own teeth but that would be it. And that is why when I had to work and then spend the afternoons clearing snow for 2 1/2 weeks he fell so behind.

Debbie, please that Kira is okay. Reading all what you do, Bruce is a blessed man to have you by his side. You have it down to a "T", you can run a compancy, no doubt in my mine. I tell you caregivers are a jewel in a crown.

Yvonne

Yea, that is the way it works here too. Just wondering if he was having some new therapy - always looking for a new angle. I know when I am working on things, Bob just sits there staring at the TV, losing IQ the whole time. Not so much if it is things we plan to watch. I hate the things that take me away from stimulating him.

What do you mean by he has to get in & out of the wheelchair at most stores?

PS - Cootie lays on top of Bob too.

Thank you all for your well wishes. Miss Kira is doing much better. I am amazed how much "gunk" (that is a medical term, mind you - LOL) I am still getting out of her ears. But she is more her spoiled self this weekend-trying to get past the barriers to the stairs - LOL and that describes her to a "T". She is used to ruling the roost! Have to call her Vet tomorrow for the follow up appointment. She is a mess as far as medicine all over her and lack of grooming. But with her heart condition, I hesitate to stress her out any more.

Sandy: no new therapies. Bruce tossed two Speech Therapists before I finally knew I had to go privately and she had to understand Bruce. Just like you and Bob, I go with those things that are successful. I too love reading about what others are doing and having improvement with. I sit and think, how can I tweak that to work with Bruce?

Not in and out of the WC - in and out the WC. He gets out of the vehicle into the WC. Bruce uses his good foot to move himself. He "hooks" the right ankle with his left foot and uses the heel of his left foot to propel himself. He never used foot rests and quite frankly, I don't really know where the foot rests are to both of his WCs. So he can propel himself anywhere as long as he is not on carpet. From the first day I could transfer him safely, the main issue was I am not driving him around (not "entertaining" him, if you will). When I set up an errand or go out list, I say to him "you will have to get out of the truck so many times (my rule is at least twice). He has the choice. If no, I go without him.

We are hopefully coming off four days of rain. We had a break of about three hours yesterday, so off we went early on. Did errands, grocery shop and a long ride. The trade off: Bruce had to pick out three magazines, we did watch UCONN in the playoffs both days, Bruce had to start dinner in the crock pot, do his April greeting cards, his weekly medications, shower and grooming, No channel surfing. He had a conversation with a close friend this morning that made all this worth it! Yes, I am exhausted tonight and still have one day to go. I have a MD appointment, so Erma will be here. He will lose the morning with Erma here, but I have a full dance card planned for the afternoon, even without being able to get him out.

The ramp, wet , is almost as hazardous as the ramp with snow. I did slide into the WC yesterday morning taking him down the ramp. Both knees - OUCH. But I pick my times.