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.
Monthly Archives: July 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.
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.
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.
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????
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 ~~~~
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.
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| 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.
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.
