We start outpatient therapy at Methodist Willowbrook hospital. It is like a sister hospital of the downtown one that William had been in for 2 months. We have PT, OT and ST. I had chosen this facility because it has a hydrotherapy pool. I did not know that hydrotherapy is not covered by insurance for stroke patients. The PT person works with William. Primarily doing transfers, OT tries to help the arm, ST is the best of the 3 at this place. I am hoping that we can work with this place. I know that William needs alot of help. He cannot walk yet.

A month of PT with Cassandra, is enough. William is getting frustrated with her and so am I. I try to giver her suggestions and she says that she is the therapist. Well, she tried to put me in my place. But, what she was doing was not working.!!! I could see that. I spoke to the director and got a different PT. I has spoken to the ST person about this and she agreed that they did not have many therapists that did neuro type of work. They were primarily Ortho therapists. Well, I learned that stroke patients do have a neurological component to their situation. The physical therapists assistant that we get is much better than the PT. We go on for awhile longer. Now the OT person is having a problem with the neuro part of the stroke. I am thinking of having OT changed but there is not much to choose from.

I just happen to meet one of my customers, who is a PT, just moved here from North east US. ANyway, she sees us at Methodist. I tell her about our problems she says that she also works at Tomball. They are much better for stroke. I have another customer whose husband had a stroke and utilized tomball for rehab. He really likes it. I switch William to Tomball for rehab. This place is totally different. WE actually see other stroke patients there. They have a lite gait and more equipment for stroke rehab. The PT and OT are all neuor trained for stroke rehab. Eureka!!! Finally found a place to get decent rehab for William. This took me awhile.

The first rehab place was going to shut william off of rehab...too soon. He hated going. The clincher was the family get-together. OT was in charge . She said that she could not tell if William would not or could not do what she was asking him. I have since learned that I should have asked her what she was doing wrong. Now I have theraptists that will try different methods if what they are doing is not working. They don't stick with the methods that don't work. PT and OT were very please with William's progress. But, as you know the arm and hand need alot of help. It needed to find a good OT.

The new rehab place got William into the lite gait and had him walking down the hallway. The second visit they had him on the treadmill. He has been going there for 2 months. Now, he is able to walk 50 yards with a small based quad cane with minimal assistance. This is just amazing!

I still do not understand why they want him to swing his legs up onto the mat with the heavy orthotic on. That is not practical. At home when he is ready for bed....he will not have the heavy orthotic on. THey did this at the first place also. I need to ask about that.

I must admit that I have not been working on the arm as much as I have the leg. I just can't seem to fit all of the exercise into the day.

Today we got up at 6:30AM for church. WE like to get there by 8AM. So we go to service then Sunday school. We get home by 11AM. Just enough time for me to change and to change William. I take him to the YMCA for a little water walking. 1:30PM by the time we get home. I make lunch and then decide to take a breather. We watch a movie. Oh, yes stopped at the grocery store on the way home. A friend stops by to visit. Before you know it ..time for bed.

I tried to call Fedex to ship out the saliva samples for the caregiver stress clinical test. But, fedex is not open on sunday. Swimming at 6AM Monday. I have all ready warned William. So he is sleeping and getting rested for tomorrow morning.

At Tomball the billing people asked me about how much the insurance pays. I said that my year year runs from May thru June. So we just started a new year. So, we have a long way to go before it runs out.

William is still onto the vegetarian thing, I have told him that moderation is needed. Some protein is needed in his diet to maintain strength.

Good night til tomorrow