Day 46
Jackie here. I thought I would give mom a little break from this. I type day 46 and go wow. 46 days have been and gone, and we have seen so much. Today was a very good day. Mom and I arrived at the hospital at about 1:30 pm. Dad was up in his chair, looking a little agitated and annoyed. So we dug out his picture board and found out quickly that he wanted a walk. Well we unhooked his oxygen hose, and I was looking for his pee bag, and discovered it was not there!!!! WOOO HOOOOO! I said, and the nurses came to see what was going on!!! Lol, oh the things that can excite us now hay??!! So that was some very good news to start out the day! And in the words of my father, "happy day in the Mitchell house!!!"
When we returned from our walk, mom and I gave dad the full "spa" treatment. We gave him a nice little hair cut, and put lotion on his hands and his feet, and mom cut his nails. I really hadn't noticed how long his hair was! After his hair cut he wanted to go for another walk,(probably to show off his new "do". We all know how dad is! Lol. And the nurses and his O.T. were all saying how much better he looked, and how they were glad he had finally given up on the "hippy " look. Oh dad. We also found out from dad that Amy and or Dale, is who he spelled out, hadn't capped his trache today as they had listened to his lungs and decided to hold off for a little while longer. It's great to watch him spell and concentrate on something and finally we can help him with what he actually needs. Colin was saying today that he had had a pretty good conversation with dad about computers, and that Dad responded with hand gestures and shoulder shrugs. It's so nice to see. He's also smiling and laughing a lot more these days. His smile is getting brighter, and his eyes smile too. All in all he just seems bored to me, and when we leave I think it's hard for him, because all he wants to do is come home. Pretty soon dad, pretty soon. The physio is doing wonders, and today I asked him to move his right leg up, so could cover up his foot, and he did it. Mom also went to put on his splint and he just strait up opened up his right hand and spread his fingers. It was the most movement we have seen in his right side. It's all very promising. All I can say is I'm proud. God knows what he is going through.
Well I guess that's all I have to say, and this is getting long. Funny, I was just teasing my mom about her "novel" she wrote last night. Lol. Shut my mouth. But it's true, writing about the day is soothing and it helps to gather one's thoughts on the subject. So thank you all for your love and support for dad and us, it helps to get us through each day. I can't thank you all enough.
One more day is behind us, tomorrow is a new one. Good night all, and thank you again.
Jackie
Louise here
What a nice posting, I really have nothing more to add, other than Chris and Aryn were also up to see Glenn today. All the kids were wearing masks because of lingering cold bugs, so we were incongnito. Jackie was helping Glenn with TV choices. She noticed that he was watching "Ellen", so she said "Ellen? What the hell Dad!" Glenn laughed, and we eventually changed the channel. Chris is going to try to bring Glenn's mom up tomorrow, so we'll see Grandma again. Glenn looked much better when we left, and he will have a bit of trouble with the potty thing for a few days, but it is one less thing to be hooked up to. All in all, it was a good day. Hopefully we will get a break in the weather so we can venture outside again.
'Til next time,
Louise
Friday, March 30, 2007
Thursday, March 29, 2007
March 29, 2007
Day 45
I have the worst time keeping track of what day we are on. I usually read the comments after the last posting, and check out the date while I'm there, otherwise I'd have no idea where we are. A wise person told me at the beginning of this journey that you don't know what you can do until you have to do it. There's not much more to say other than that. The kids are getting over their colds, and I'm drinking lots of tea and taking my vitamins, so we'll see what happens. I feel OK today, had a good sleep last night, and that really makes a difference.
Glenn had his trache tube capped a couple of times today. He will suffer from a feeling of breathlessness for a while, so he has to be broken into breathing without the tube. The RT was still concerned about how much stuff he was coughing up, but said that they would continue with the capping. It is scarey for him, I could tell. They put an oxygen mask under his nose, and he still got breathless. The RT told him that is usually what happens, and as he gets used to breathing through his nose and mouth again, he will be more comfortable, but it will take a bit of time. It is just one challenge after another, and I do wish I could help him more.
He was telling me (with the letter board) that Colin had been to see him before work today. He also said that he had a good therapy session. We visited with my brother, and Glenn was trying to tell us something about farming down east. It is a bit slow, but he is getting better at getting his words across all the time. It is a relief to be able to understand him. He isn't as clear in the evening when he is getting tired, but stimulation is the key.
I am happy that we missed the snow fall, I actually had coffee with the Sewing Ladies today. Jackie and I drove separately because she was babysitting tonight, and wasn't sure how late she was going to be. That's the first time this week, so we are getting better at co-ordinating that as well. The price of gas is not going down ( surprise, surprise) so we are trying to save as much as we can. It is also nicer to have company when driving back and forth.
That was the big news for today, we'll see how quickly we can get rid of the tube now, so keep praying for Glenn's stamina and will power. We've a long way to go, but have already come a long way. Tomorrow is Friday, so we will have a couple of days off again. I hope the weather will allow us to go outside, that is really a nice break for Glenn and for me.
'Til next time,
Louise
I have the worst time keeping track of what day we are on. I usually read the comments after the last posting, and check out the date while I'm there, otherwise I'd have no idea where we are. A wise person told me at the beginning of this journey that you don't know what you can do until you have to do it. There's not much more to say other than that. The kids are getting over their colds, and I'm drinking lots of tea and taking my vitamins, so we'll see what happens. I feel OK today, had a good sleep last night, and that really makes a difference.
Glenn had his trache tube capped a couple of times today. He will suffer from a feeling of breathlessness for a while, so he has to be broken into breathing without the tube. The RT was still concerned about how much stuff he was coughing up, but said that they would continue with the capping. It is scarey for him, I could tell. They put an oxygen mask under his nose, and he still got breathless. The RT told him that is usually what happens, and as he gets used to breathing through his nose and mouth again, he will be more comfortable, but it will take a bit of time. It is just one challenge after another, and I do wish I could help him more.
He was telling me (with the letter board) that Colin had been to see him before work today. He also said that he had a good therapy session. We visited with my brother, and Glenn was trying to tell us something about farming down east. It is a bit slow, but he is getting better at getting his words across all the time. It is a relief to be able to understand him. He isn't as clear in the evening when he is getting tired, but stimulation is the key.
I am happy that we missed the snow fall, I actually had coffee with the Sewing Ladies today. Jackie and I drove separately because she was babysitting tonight, and wasn't sure how late she was going to be. That's the first time this week, so we are getting better at co-ordinating that as well. The price of gas is not going down ( surprise, surprise) so we are trying to save as much as we can. It is also nicer to have company when driving back and forth.
That was the big news for today, we'll see how quickly we can get rid of the tube now, so keep praying for Glenn's stamina and will power. We've a long way to go, but have already come a long way. Tomorrow is Friday, so we will have a couple of days off again. I hope the weather will allow us to go outside, that is really a nice break for Glenn and for me.
'Til next time,
Louise
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
March 27 & 28
Day 43 & 44
Tuesday and Wednesday saw the weather change again, so no more tours outside for Glenn. He continues to work hard, and I asked today how he is doing. The OT said that he is doing extremely well, and althought he seems pretty emotional, he does what they ask him to do. He has a sore elbow, so he hasn't been able to tolerate the new splint on his right arm, and they said that he is very able to let them know that he does not want it on. I also talked to the doctor this evening, and he said that he was writing up orders for removal of the trache. So that means that the therapists will cap it and we will see how soon it will be gone. Let's hope that he can lose it soon.
Movement continues to improve in his left arm and leg, and the therapists again commented on how Glenn can bridge. I do wish to see more motion in his right arm, but patience is the key.
The nurses are very good with us, and we are making friends. I admire them, that is not a job I could do very easily. Jackie was pushing the wheelchair around the unit today, and people we passed were saying "Hi Glenn, how's it going?" He just seems to be able to charm people even though he cannot actually talk to them. I hope that he can talk to them soon, he is even more charming then. Chris was shaking his head and said that it must be the Mitchell charm coming through.
I don't know how soon we may be moving to Wascana, they are monitoring Glenn's progress, but I don't know what the criteria is that will get him moved. They are ready when he is though, so again, I trust that they know what they are doing. I've got a lot more trust in the health care system than I did before, that is for sure, not that I had any real reason to mistrust it. They do get a lot of bad press though.
I'm feeling tired again, and hope I don't get the cold that the kids have been going through. Jackie is catching it now, so I'll have to be pumping vitamins to avoid it.
That's all for now, I'm going to bed, we'll see what the new day brings. At least we avoided a bunch more snow so far. 'Til next time
Louise
Tuesday and Wednesday saw the weather change again, so no more tours outside for Glenn. He continues to work hard, and I asked today how he is doing. The OT said that he is doing extremely well, and althought he seems pretty emotional, he does what they ask him to do. He has a sore elbow, so he hasn't been able to tolerate the new splint on his right arm, and they said that he is very able to let them know that he does not want it on. I also talked to the doctor this evening, and he said that he was writing up orders for removal of the trache. So that means that the therapists will cap it and we will see how soon it will be gone. Let's hope that he can lose it soon.
Movement continues to improve in his left arm and leg, and the therapists again commented on how Glenn can bridge. I do wish to see more motion in his right arm, but patience is the key.
The nurses are very good with us, and we are making friends. I admire them, that is not a job I could do very easily. Jackie was pushing the wheelchair around the unit today, and people we passed were saying "Hi Glenn, how's it going?" He just seems to be able to charm people even though he cannot actually talk to them. I hope that he can talk to them soon, he is even more charming then. Chris was shaking his head and said that it must be the Mitchell charm coming through.
I don't know how soon we may be moving to Wascana, they are monitoring Glenn's progress, but I don't know what the criteria is that will get him moved. They are ready when he is though, so again, I trust that they know what they are doing. I've got a lot more trust in the health care system than I did before, that is for sure, not that I had any real reason to mistrust it. They do get a lot of bad press though.
I'm feeling tired again, and hope I don't get the cold that the kids have been going through. Jackie is catching it now, so I'll have to be pumping vitamins to avoid it.
That's all for now, I'm going to bed, we'll see what the new day brings. At least we avoided a bunch more snow so far. 'Til next time
Louise
Monday, March 26, 2007
March 26, 2007
Day 42
I didn't see the therapists long enough today to know if we progressed over the weekend. Glenn was in a fair bit of distress when I got there today, and my Mom and Dad came to visit at the time I was trying to console him. It is upsetting for them, but they went to visit my auntie who is also in the hospital. I again took Glenn for a stroll outside, but he found it a bit cold, so we didn't stay out too long. He wanted to go back to bed, and when Mom and Dad came back, we went for coffee while they settled Glenn back into bed. He was better, the fresh air really seems to help, which is no surprise I guess. He was content to watch TV and Chris, Jackie and Colin came to visit, so he was entertained for the evening. I notice that he moves his right leg quite a bit more when he is in bed, so it really is coming back. He still has the trache in, and can't seem to cough up whatever is bothering his breathing. I am praying that it can be removed soon, so that we can start talking. The inability to communicate is truly frustrating for both of us, although we are getting better at signs and spelling. Tonight when we left, he waved good-bye, so it was easier to leave than when he is crying.
Our kids are doing really well with all that is going on. It is hard, of course, to see Dad so helpless, but they are faithfully visiting as much as they can and do try to be entertaining. I've learned about alot of stuff that was going on while we were away or busy, but they are mostly unscathed, and I remember doing stuff that my Mom and Dad probably don't know about either!
As I talk to friends and neighbours, I'm impressed by how many people are following our progress on the blog. We are read about all over the country it would seem, so to eveyone who is reading this entry, thanks, we're doing not too badly, and say hello to everyone from us. Hopefully Glenn will be able to post to this sight soon, and we can start to get his prespective on what has been going on. Won't that be interesting? You are doing a good job of sharing the information, although I know some people are still a bit in the dark. This has become a good exercise for me to keep track of everything that has gone on. I realize how shocked I was. The good news is that my clothes are getting too big! I don't expect that to last too long! Anyway, that's all folks, so 'til next time,
Louise
I didn't see the therapists long enough today to know if we progressed over the weekend. Glenn was in a fair bit of distress when I got there today, and my Mom and Dad came to visit at the time I was trying to console him. It is upsetting for them, but they went to visit my auntie who is also in the hospital. I again took Glenn for a stroll outside, but he found it a bit cold, so we didn't stay out too long. He wanted to go back to bed, and when Mom and Dad came back, we went for coffee while they settled Glenn back into bed. He was better, the fresh air really seems to help, which is no surprise I guess. He was content to watch TV and Chris, Jackie and Colin came to visit, so he was entertained for the evening. I notice that he moves his right leg quite a bit more when he is in bed, so it really is coming back. He still has the trache in, and can't seem to cough up whatever is bothering his breathing. I am praying that it can be removed soon, so that we can start talking. The inability to communicate is truly frustrating for both of us, although we are getting better at signs and spelling. Tonight when we left, he waved good-bye, so it was easier to leave than when he is crying.
Our kids are doing really well with all that is going on. It is hard, of course, to see Dad so helpless, but they are faithfully visiting as much as they can and do try to be entertaining. I've learned about alot of stuff that was going on while we were away or busy, but they are mostly unscathed, and I remember doing stuff that my Mom and Dad probably don't know about either!
As I talk to friends and neighbours, I'm impressed by how many people are following our progress on the blog. We are read about all over the country it would seem, so to eveyone who is reading this entry, thanks, we're doing not too badly, and say hello to everyone from us. Hopefully Glenn will be able to post to this sight soon, and we can start to get his prespective on what has been going on. Won't that be interesting? You are doing a good job of sharing the information, although I know some people are still a bit in the dark. This has become a good exercise for me to keep track of everything that has gone on. I realize how shocked I was. The good news is that my clothes are getting too big! I don't expect that to last too long! Anyway, that's all folks, so 'til next time,
Louise
March 25, 2007
Day 41
Sunday, almost 6 weeks, and we have a bit of a routine going. There is spring in the air, and it is good to be able to enjoy the change of seasons. Spring is the rebirth after winter, and reflects my feelings today somehow. I went to church to get a bit of a lift, and of course got exactly what I needed to hear. In a nut shell, to be a good friend you need to be able to accept friendship when you need it. Thank- you to my friends and family, I'm honoured to be among you.
I took Glenn outside today. When I got to the hospital, the nurse said he was feeling sad, so I went in to see him, and decided that today was a day off. I tidied him up and didn't worry about the splints, just took him for a walk. As we left his room, the nurse said, "Go outside". I was going to ask if it would be OK to do that, so when she said that we were off. I took him out the 15th Ave. entrance as there is less traffic and no smokers out there. It also is on the south side of the building, so we were in the sun, and out of the breeze, although it wafted through enough to be refreshing. We just sat outside and enjoyed the birds, dogs barking, kids yelling in the playground a ways away, and generally took a welcome break from the hospital air. Glenn got something in his eye, so he took off his glasses and wiped his eye! I felt amazed at how much fine motor control his left hand has. I'm sure his right hand will come along too. There is more movement in his right leg, so that side is just taking its time. I have to be more patient, and let him heal on his own time. I'm anxious to have him back though, so I'm having trouble with that.
Jackie, Dale and Des came to see Glenn around supper, so after visiting hours, we went for supper. It was late, and my Greek salad gave me some grief through the night, but it was a nice end to a peaceful day. Taking care of yourself when your partner is in such distress is a hard thing to remember to do. Spiritually, physically, one goes with the other. I backed off the therapy for Glenn, and tried to just heal the spirit within both of us. I feel better for it, and I hope Glenn does too.
I'm going for lunch with some of the friends I was referring to before. I realize I need to let people other than myself start to help Glenn now. He is needing the support more , so we will start something and see how he does. Again, thanks for your love, concern and support, this would be a lonely journey without them.
Louise
Sunday, almost 6 weeks, and we have a bit of a routine going. There is spring in the air, and it is good to be able to enjoy the change of seasons. Spring is the rebirth after winter, and reflects my feelings today somehow. I went to church to get a bit of a lift, and of course got exactly what I needed to hear. In a nut shell, to be a good friend you need to be able to accept friendship when you need it. Thank- you to my friends and family, I'm honoured to be among you.
I took Glenn outside today. When I got to the hospital, the nurse said he was feeling sad, so I went in to see him, and decided that today was a day off. I tidied him up and didn't worry about the splints, just took him for a walk. As we left his room, the nurse said, "Go outside". I was going to ask if it would be OK to do that, so when she said that we were off. I took him out the 15th Ave. entrance as there is less traffic and no smokers out there. It also is on the south side of the building, so we were in the sun, and out of the breeze, although it wafted through enough to be refreshing. We just sat outside and enjoyed the birds, dogs barking, kids yelling in the playground a ways away, and generally took a welcome break from the hospital air. Glenn got something in his eye, so he took off his glasses and wiped his eye! I felt amazed at how much fine motor control his left hand has. I'm sure his right hand will come along too. There is more movement in his right leg, so that side is just taking its time. I have to be more patient, and let him heal on his own time. I'm anxious to have him back though, so I'm having trouble with that.
Jackie, Dale and Des came to see Glenn around supper, so after visiting hours, we went for supper. It was late, and my Greek salad gave me some grief through the night, but it was a nice end to a peaceful day. Taking care of yourself when your partner is in such distress is a hard thing to remember to do. Spiritually, physically, one goes with the other. I backed off the therapy for Glenn, and tried to just heal the spirit within both of us. I feel better for it, and I hope Glenn does too.
I'm going for lunch with some of the friends I was referring to before. I realize I need to let people other than myself start to help Glenn now. He is needing the support more , so we will start something and see how he does. Again, thanks for your love, concern and support, this would be a lonely journey without them.
Louise
Saturday, March 24, 2007
March 23 & 24
Day 39 & 40
Friday was a no therapy day, and I worked on getting the elbow splint on a couple of times. I succeeded once, but the second time Glenn only tolerated 15 minutes, so I didn't push it. I think that he was a bit grumpy with me. He seemed mostly unhappy in the late afternoon. I had been taking him around the unit, and we, or I, visited with more than a few people as we went. I guess that is hard for him to do, although he is better than he was a week ago.
Today when I tried to put the splint on, he spelled "stop" on the letter board and did not co-operate. I guess he likes the therapists more than me when it comes to some of this stuff. I decided again not to push it, as I may be doing more harm than good if I force it. I tried to shake his arm to relax the muscles, but he was having none of that either. Oh well, tomorrow is a new day, and I will persevere.
We had a quiet day otherwise, I almost fell asleep in the chair beside him. I tried reading, but really didn't want to make that much of an effort. I was treated to supper by a friend and enjoyed the nice evening weather. I think I may be suffering from spring fever, my ambition is out the window, and I'm mostly sleepy. Maybe it's nothing a good nights sleep won't fix.
We really don't have much more to say today. The weekend is for resting, and I think we both did that today. Tomorrow may be busier, I'll see how I feel in the morning.
'Til next time
Louise
Friday was a no therapy day, and I worked on getting the elbow splint on a couple of times. I succeeded once, but the second time Glenn only tolerated 15 minutes, so I didn't push it. I think that he was a bit grumpy with me. He seemed mostly unhappy in the late afternoon. I had been taking him around the unit, and we, or I, visited with more than a few people as we went. I guess that is hard for him to do, although he is better than he was a week ago.
Today when I tried to put the splint on, he spelled "stop" on the letter board and did not co-operate. I guess he likes the therapists more than me when it comes to some of this stuff. I decided again not to push it, as I may be doing more harm than good if I force it. I tried to shake his arm to relax the muscles, but he was having none of that either. Oh well, tomorrow is a new day, and I will persevere.
We had a quiet day otherwise, I almost fell asleep in the chair beside him. I tried reading, but really didn't want to make that much of an effort. I was treated to supper by a friend and enjoyed the nice evening weather. I think I may be suffering from spring fever, my ambition is out the window, and I'm mostly sleepy. Maybe it's nothing a good nights sleep won't fix.
We really don't have much more to say today. The weekend is for resting, and I think we both did that today. Tomorrow may be busier, I'll see how I feel in the morning.
'Til next time
Louise
Thursday, March 22, 2007
March 22
Day 38
What a beautiful day! Finally! That in itself lifts your spirits. I visited the people at Glenn's work today and was happy to share with them how well Glenn is doing. He touched and still touches a lot of people because he is so generous and caring. He's not a bad listener (sometimes not to me!), but I find myself somewhat surprised how people have taken to him, and how very concerned for him and us they are now. We continue to receive cards, prayers and comments on the blog. We apparently have a very devoted following. Thank-you for that.
Today, I was informed by some very pleased therapists that Glenn had "bridged". Well, I had no idea what that meant, so they informed me that they held his legs and got him to lift his butt off the bed! They said that is a prelude to his being able to walk, so I'm thinking it was a pretty big step. They have also devised a new splint for his right arm (well it has been used on one other person), to help keep the bicep muscle extended. This will help reduce the tone, and allow Glenn's ability to move his hand and arm to come through.
We had a few visitors today, and Glenn seemed a bit more emotional than he was yesterday. When I got there, his pants were pinching (his words) so I tried to pull the legs down, and finally got some help from a nurse to get them down where they were comfortable. It is good that he can let us know if he is in discomfort and be specific about what the problem is. We then went for a walk around the unit, and were caught by the therapists who put the new brace on his arm. They showed me how to put it on, and advised that it be on no longer than 1/2 hr at a time, and to be sure to watch for bruising. I also will try to shake his arm to release some of the tension in the muscle. I hope we make a difference. We'll know Monday.
All in all, it was another day of progress. As someone pointed out, we haven't hit a plateau yet, but there is time for that yet. My brother came to see Glenn today, and said he is noticably more himself. Glenn does get upset when people come, but he also settles down after a minute and pays attention to what they are saying. We can soon welcome visitors, so just a little longer please.
Spring is here, we've seen crows and gophers. The days are longer, and so far the weather is taking care of the snow. We'll probably have another blast or two, but it won't last too much longer. Our journey is easier if we don't have to worry about the weather and commuting in the cold. Tomorrow is a new day, we'll keep an eye out for more signs.
'Til next time
Louise
What a beautiful day! Finally! That in itself lifts your spirits. I visited the people at Glenn's work today and was happy to share with them how well Glenn is doing. He touched and still touches a lot of people because he is so generous and caring. He's not a bad listener (sometimes not to me!), but I find myself somewhat surprised how people have taken to him, and how very concerned for him and us they are now. We continue to receive cards, prayers and comments on the blog. We apparently have a very devoted following. Thank-you for that.
Today, I was informed by some very pleased therapists that Glenn had "bridged". Well, I had no idea what that meant, so they informed me that they held his legs and got him to lift his butt off the bed! They said that is a prelude to his being able to walk, so I'm thinking it was a pretty big step. They have also devised a new splint for his right arm (well it has been used on one other person), to help keep the bicep muscle extended. This will help reduce the tone, and allow Glenn's ability to move his hand and arm to come through.
We had a few visitors today, and Glenn seemed a bit more emotional than he was yesterday. When I got there, his pants were pinching (his words) so I tried to pull the legs down, and finally got some help from a nurse to get them down where they were comfortable. It is good that he can let us know if he is in discomfort and be specific about what the problem is. We then went for a walk around the unit, and were caught by the therapists who put the new brace on his arm. They showed me how to put it on, and advised that it be on no longer than 1/2 hr at a time, and to be sure to watch for bruising. I also will try to shake his arm to release some of the tension in the muscle. I hope we make a difference. We'll know Monday.
All in all, it was another day of progress. As someone pointed out, we haven't hit a plateau yet, but there is time for that yet. My brother came to see Glenn today, and said he is noticably more himself. Glenn does get upset when people come, but he also settles down after a minute and pays attention to what they are saying. We can soon welcome visitors, so just a little longer please.
Spring is here, we've seen crows and gophers. The days are longer, and so far the weather is taking care of the snow. We'll probably have another blast or two, but it won't last too much longer. Our journey is easier if we don't have to worry about the weather and commuting in the cold. Tomorrow is a new day, we'll keep an eye out for more signs.
'Til next time
Louise
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
March 20 & 21
Day 36 & 37
Tuesday marked the fifth week since Glenn got sick, and we are slowly finding the way to cope with what is going on. Most days in the hospital are informative and full of concern and hope and frustration and fear. It wears you down, and lifts you up. Jackie was just commenting that some days are worse that others as far as being bothered by what has happened to Glenn. Then the next day you are back on top of it, and ready to take on whatever comes.
Glenn hasn't been able to clear whatever is keeping his lungs congested. When he does, the tube will come out. He is strong enough to have it removed, but they are still having to suction, and it is better to go through the tube rather than down his throat. He is brighter, and doing more in therapy all the time. I guess Wascana said that he isn't quite ready to move there yet, but they are watching and ready when he is.
He is improving on communicating skills. We had a letter board and a batch of pictures to help him make his needs known to us. We figured that he wanted to be dressed, and today he told me ( by picture) that he wanted to go for a walk around the unit. After, he had a sleep, and we worked a bit on the letter board. He is able to spell out words, but has a bit of a time controlling his hand to point to the right letter. Even so, he was better at it today than yesterday, so the improvement is marked.
The OT's made a new splint for his right hand to try to keep it stretched and more loose. We are supposed to change it every two hours and his hand did seem more relaxed. He gets batches of food, so most of the time the only thing holding him down is the humidifier. Its nice to not have to worry about IV's and tubes. He was dressed today when I got there and that was good to see also. I'll have to do laundry for him now. He can push his glasses back up his nose, and use a cloth to wipe his mouth. All these things seem small, but really right now they are huge. Colin and Jackie can make him laugh, and he really can watch TV. I know now that he is probably reading, because he can spell. The computer keyboard is a little tough for him to use right now, but we will keep trying. Yesterday when he was concentrating on getting me to understand what he was spelling, his right hand was moving in small wrist circles. That is the first time I've seen that kind of movement in his right hand. The doctor came in with an intern tonight and said that Glenn is improving slowly but surely and said it is a matter of time until he can go to Wascana and continue to recover there. I think he likes Jackie and always says hello to her and actually noticed that her hair was different. Jackie wasn't too thrilled, but I said I thought he wasn't hitting on her, he just liked to see a daughter so devoted to her Dad.
Chris is sick with a pretty bad cold, so he hasn't been up to see Glenn for a couple of days. Colin was there but I missed him today. I went and helped the sewing ladies eat lunch and have coffee (finally), so I got to the hospital at 3:00. Glenn was in the therapy room, they had him pretty busy today. When he went to bed, he went to sleep and didn't even wake up when Jackie got there. We went for supper and went back to visit, but he was still zonked. Jackie and I talked until quarter to 8, then decided to go home and let him sleep.
It's getting to be time for bed, so I'll sign off and say it's a new day tomorrow, we'll see what it brings.
Louise
Tuesday marked the fifth week since Glenn got sick, and we are slowly finding the way to cope with what is going on. Most days in the hospital are informative and full of concern and hope and frustration and fear. It wears you down, and lifts you up. Jackie was just commenting that some days are worse that others as far as being bothered by what has happened to Glenn. Then the next day you are back on top of it, and ready to take on whatever comes.
Glenn hasn't been able to clear whatever is keeping his lungs congested. When he does, the tube will come out. He is strong enough to have it removed, but they are still having to suction, and it is better to go through the tube rather than down his throat. He is brighter, and doing more in therapy all the time. I guess Wascana said that he isn't quite ready to move there yet, but they are watching and ready when he is.
He is improving on communicating skills. We had a letter board and a batch of pictures to help him make his needs known to us. We figured that he wanted to be dressed, and today he told me ( by picture) that he wanted to go for a walk around the unit. After, he had a sleep, and we worked a bit on the letter board. He is able to spell out words, but has a bit of a time controlling his hand to point to the right letter. Even so, he was better at it today than yesterday, so the improvement is marked.
The OT's made a new splint for his right hand to try to keep it stretched and more loose. We are supposed to change it every two hours and his hand did seem more relaxed. He gets batches of food, so most of the time the only thing holding him down is the humidifier. Its nice to not have to worry about IV's and tubes. He was dressed today when I got there and that was good to see also. I'll have to do laundry for him now. He can push his glasses back up his nose, and use a cloth to wipe his mouth. All these things seem small, but really right now they are huge. Colin and Jackie can make him laugh, and he really can watch TV. I know now that he is probably reading, because he can spell. The computer keyboard is a little tough for him to use right now, but we will keep trying. Yesterday when he was concentrating on getting me to understand what he was spelling, his right hand was moving in small wrist circles. That is the first time I've seen that kind of movement in his right hand. The doctor came in with an intern tonight and said that Glenn is improving slowly but surely and said it is a matter of time until he can go to Wascana and continue to recover there. I think he likes Jackie and always says hello to her and actually noticed that her hair was different. Jackie wasn't too thrilled, but I said I thought he wasn't hitting on her, he just liked to see a daughter so devoted to her Dad.
Chris is sick with a pretty bad cold, so he hasn't been up to see Glenn for a couple of days. Colin was there but I missed him today. I went and helped the sewing ladies eat lunch and have coffee (finally), so I got to the hospital at 3:00. Glenn was in the therapy room, they had him pretty busy today. When he went to bed, he went to sleep and didn't even wake up when Jackie got there. We went for supper and went back to visit, but he was still zonked. Jackie and I talked until quarter to 8, then decided to go home and let him sleep.
It's getting to be time for bed, so I'll sign off and say it's a new day tomorrow, we'll see what it brings.
Louise
Monday, March 19, 2007
March 18 &19
Day 34 & 35
Sunday was a quiet day in that we didn't see Glenn until about 3:00. We had a family dinner for my Mom's birthday, so we went there and visited after. Glenn was in a lounge type chair, and had his head propped on a pillow. He was holding his head up quite well, and even lifted it up to look down at the tray. He can look to the left more easily all the time. Jackie and Dale came up to visit with us for a while, and we played on the computer and helped Glenn hit a few keys too. He seemed to focus and concentrate better than he had the day before. When he was back in bed, we stretched his right arm and he fell asleep with it extended down beside him.
On Monday, he was again sitting in a chair when we got there. He was very alert, so we set up the computer and keyboard again. A speech pathologist came in, and brought a letter sheet with her. She got Glenn to point out some letters, then we started to work on understanding what he was wanting. We finally decided that he wanted to go for a stroll in the hall, so we undid his humidifier, and away we went. He was watching the pictures on the wall as we went by, and we strolled around 3 or 4 times before going back into his room. He sat up for over 5 hours, and was quite ready to go back to bed. We turned on the TV and he watched Frasier. He was laughing at the show, and was able to understand and follow the story with no trouble.
We also learned today that the therapists had deflated his trache cuff, and had worked on speech with him. It was inflated again, but I think that it will soon be gone. We also met the doctor, who said that they were going to consult with Wascana to see if Glenn can be moved soon. That was a good sign of Glenn's progress. It seemed as if he needed to be able to move a fair bit before he could be moved, so I hope it won't be long. He is being well cared for, but if it is time for more therapy and rehab, then let's go.
I went to get my mail today and needed a bag to carry it home! I guess I shouldn't leave it so long, but I just didn't get around to it last week. Everyone is anxious to hear of Glenn's progress, and I'm trying to be as accurate as possible. There is a fair bit that I don't know, but I get the general idea of what is happening. If we have questions, the caregivers are very happy to explain what is happening and why. He really seemed to be more "with it" today, and wasn't so emotional or upset. He really concentrated on getting us to understand what he wanted, and Jackie and I were thrilled to be able to do something for him that he wanted. His right hand and arm are still very tight, but he is more willing to let us stretch it, so that is a start.
I've rambled on a bit, but a lot of information came our way today. I hope I haven't missed anything. Pastor came to see us and was happy to offer up a prayer for Glenn's continuing recovery. Once again, thank-you for your thoughts and prayers. All the cards and notes we receive extend prayers for us. It is a powerful thing, and certainly can't hurt!
Tomorrow is a new day, so 'til then
Louise
Sunday was a quiet day in that we didn't see Glenn until about 3:00. We had a family dinner for my Mom's birthday, so we went there and visited after. Glenn was in a lounge type chair, and had his head propped on a pillow. He was holding his head up quite well, and even lifted it up to look down at the tray. He can look to the left more easily all the time. Jackie and Dale came up to visit with us for a while, and we played on the computer and helped Glenn hit a few keys too. He seemed to focus and concentrate better than he had the day before. When he was back in bed, we stretched his right arm and he fell asleep with it extended down beside him.
On Monday, he was again sitting in a chair when we got there. He was very alert, so we set up the computer and keyboard again. A speech pathologist came in, and brought a letter sheet with her. She got Glenn to point out some letters, then we started to work on understanding what he was wanting. We finally decided that he wanted to go for a stroll in the hall, so we undid his humidifier, and away we went. He was watching the pictures on the wall as we went by, and we strolled around 3 or 4 times before going back into his room. He sat up for over 5 hours, and was quite ready to go back to bed. We turned on the TV and he watched Frasier. He was laughing at the show, and was able to understand and follow the story with no trouble.
We also learned today that the therapists had deflated his trache cuff, and had worked on speech with him. It was inflated again, but I think that it will soon be gone. We also met the doctor, who said that they were going to consult with Wascana to see if Glenn can be moved soon. That was a good sign of Glenn's progress. It seemed as if he needed to be able to move a fair bit before he could be moved, so I hope it won't be long. He is being well cared for, but if it is time for more therapy and rehab, then let's go.
I went to get my mail today and needed a bag to carry it home! I guess I shouldn't leave it so long, but I just didn't get around to it last week. Everyone is anxious to hear of Glenn's progress, and I'm trying to be as accurate as possible. There is a fair bit that I don't know, but I get the general idea of what is happening. If we have questions, the caregivers are very happy to explain what is happening and why. He really seemed to be more "with it" today, and wasn't so emotional or upset. He really concentrated on getting us to understand what he wanted, and Jackie and I were thrilled to be able to do something for him that he wanted. His right hand and arm are still very tight, but he is more willing to let us stretch it, so that is a start.
I've rambled on a bit, but a lot of information came our way today. I hope I haven't missed anything. Pastor came to see us and was happy to offer up a prayer for Glenn's continuing recovery. Once again, thank-you for your thoughts and prayers. All the cards and notes we receive extend prayers for us. It is a powerful thing, and certainly can't hurt!
Tomorrow is a new day, so 'til then
Louise
Saturday, March 17, 2007
March 17, 2007
Day 33
Happy St. Patrick's Day to all. It was a quiet day for us today. Glenn needs the weekend break to help recover from all the work he does through the week. He had a shampoo and shave by the time I got there today. He was sitting right up in the bed, they are getting him used to holding up his head, so he looked good. He wasn't too interested in the computer today. The weekend physio came in to check his chest, and laid Glenn down to pat his chest and suck out some gook. After he left, Glenn fell asleep and really konked out for a couple of hours. I watched some TV and when he woke up I helped stretch his right arm. He slept with it down along his side, which is the first time he's done that in a while. The kids came up to see him and helped him to scan to the left. We all are learning alot about rehab, and everyone is very willing to help in what ever way we can. I took clothes in, but don't expect that he will use them for a day or two. I thought I'd better do it because I may forget on Monday. This way they are there, whether or not I am.
There's really not much more to report today, it's nice to have some down time, so we enjoy it.
Louise
Happy St. Patrick's Day to all. It was a quiet day for us today. Glenn needs the weekend break to help recover from all the work he does through the week. He had a shampoo and shave by the time I got there today. He was sitting right up in the bed, they are getting him used to holding up his head, so he looked good. He wasn't too interested in the computer today. The weekend physio came in to check his chest, and laid Glenn down to pat his chest and suck out some gook. After he left, Glenn fell asleep and really konked out for a couple of hours. I watched some TV and when he woke up I helped stretch his right arm. He slept with it down along his side, which is the first time he's done that in a while. The kids came up to see him and helped him to scan to the left. We all are learning alot about rehab, and everyone is very willing to help in what ever way we can. I took clothes in, but don't expect that he will use them for a day or two. I thought I'd better do it because I may forget on Monday. This way they are there, whether or not I am.
There's really not much more to report today, it's nice to have some down time, so we enjoy it.
Louise
Friday, March 16, 2007
March 15 & 16
Day 31 & 32
It has been challenging to stay home, the weather has just been amazingly unsettled. Thanks for wishing Mom happy returns. She is settling in with the thought of being 80 very gracefully as usual.
Glenn is steadily coming back to us. Jackie and I have spent a fair bit of time with him the last few days, and he has shown small motor skills in his left hand. He has been able to wipe his mouth, and he picked up a pencil. He also tried to write, but mostly made circles. We have been given the use of a laptop computer, so we had therapists helping us help Glenn use and concentrate on certain exercises with it. He won't be fixing for a bit yet, but he was hitting some keys and focusing in on the keyboard. He was amused and frustrated, but we are supposed to stimulate him as much as possible to help with recovery.
I was told to bring in sweat pants and t-shirts so that the therapists can get him started on getting himself dressed. He has been wearing shoes and socks the last few days, and I know he is happy to have them on. The order is in to start capping and weaning him of the trache tube, so once that is gone we will see how much work we will face as far as communication is concerned. We will have to be sure that he speaks as well as uses the computer. He will use many more brain cells that way. They are also starting to stop continuous feeding and will get him used to batches of food. That way, he will be more ready to eat real food, so once again that is a really encouraging sign of how fast we are progressing.
I helped make sausage with my family today (Friday) and I am feeling much more with it than I was yesterday. It was good therapy for me to be slinging meat, and making a few decisions about food and packaging, just because my brain was tired of the hospital routine. I was much more helpful to Glenn this afternoon simply because I had had a bit of a break. I'll be more careful of that.
I have been blessed with caring friends and community support. I didn't expect such an outpouring of concern and support. The kids and I will be forever grateful and thankful of your care and help. If you are familiar with the "Footprints in the Sand" story, I'm of the opinion that God carries us through our trials by sending us family and friends. I have leaned on both quite a bit and am amazed.
Tomorrow is another new day, we are going to celebrate with Mom by going out for supper together, Elaine and Gordon came down today, so we are going to be together with her, and Glenn will be there in spirit. Life is to be celebrated always, and 80 is a major landmark.
Til next time,
Louise
It has been challenging to stay home, the weather has just been amazingly unsettled. Thanks for wishing Mom happy returns. She is settling in with the thought of being 80 very gracefully as usual.
Glenn is steadily coming back to us. Jackie and I have spent a fair bit of time with him the last few days, and he has shown small motor skills in his left hand. He has been able to wipe his mouth, and he picked up a pencil. He also tried to write, but mostly made circles. We have been given the use of a laptop computer, so we had therapists helping us help Glenn use and concentrate on certain exercises with it. He won't be fixing for a bit yet, but he was hitting some keys and focusing in on the keyboard. He was amused and frustrated, but we are supposed to stimulate him as much as possible to help with recovery.
I was told to bring in sweat pants and t-shirts so that the therapists can get him started on getting himself dressed. He has been wearing shoes and socks the last few days, and I know he is happy to have them on. The order is in to start capping and weaning him of the trache tube, so once that is gone we will see how much work we will face as far as communication is concerned. We will have to be sure that he speaks as well as uses the computer. He will use many more brain cells that way. They are also starting to stop continuous feeding and will get him used to batches of food. That way, he will be more ready to eat real food, so once again that is a really encouraging sign of how fast we are progressing.
I helped make sausage with my family today (Friday) and I am feeling much more with it than I was yesterday. It was good therapy for me to be slinging meat, and making a few decisions about food and packaging, just because my brain was tired of the hospital routine. I was much more helpful to Glenn this afternoon simply because I had had a bit of a break. I'll be more careful of that.
I have been blessed with caring friends and community support. I didn't expect such an outpouring of concern and support. The kids and I will be forever grateful and thankful of your care and help. If you are familiar with the "Footprints in the Sand" story, I'm of the opinion that God carries us through our trials by sending us family and friends. I have leaned on both quite a bit and am amazed.
Tomorrow is another new day, we are going to celebrate with Mom by going out for supper together, Elaine and Gordon came down today, so we are going to be together with her, and Glenn will be there in spirit. Life is to be celebrated always, and 80 is a major landmark.
Til next time,
Louise
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
March 14, 2007
Day 30
It's hard to believe that 4 weeks have passed, and yet in ways it has been the longest 4 weeks of my life. Glenn worked hard today. They were finished the antibiotic, so he wasn't hooked up to the IV, but they didn't pull the line out of his hand yet. They were doing a bunch of cultures again to be sure he has no infections. They will check them, and hopefully the line will be gone. They also deflated the trache collar and were beginning to work on his speech. I wasn't there, but the OT said that he was making noises, so they are encouraged that he will talk soon. They are really encouraging us to keep him stimulated now, to keep talking to him, have the TV on, just generally keep his brain occupied with what is going on around him. They had done quite a bit of work with his right hand, and it was a bit more loose this evening. He responds by shaking his head or nodding, so we are supposed to encourage that all the time now. It is less confusing than blinking. We put his socks and shoes on today to help get his feet in line. I offered to put them on this morning and he held out his left foot right away. We are going to try to get his mouth open enough to clean his mouth. He hasn't let anything past his teeth since he bit off one of the brushes back in the ICU. I snuck a brush in today when he was crying. He looked a bit startled, but I told him I learned a few things about sneaking things from having 4 kids! The OT told him to get his teeth cleaned up because he was going to be using them soon. That was good to hear.
We are storm stayed in Regina again this evening. It started snowing around 7:00 and dumped about 3 inches in 2 hours. It is wet and sticky, so the roads are probably a mess. I was going to have coffee with the Sewing ladies tomorrow too, but I'm not going to make it. Jackie works tomorrow, so she won't have to worry about driving from the farm in the morning. Colin had the day off, so I think he stayed home. He'll have to drive in the morning, but it is different in the daylight, and he usually doesn't have to start until 9:30, so the sun may have done some work by then.
Once again, I want to say thank- you for your support and prayers. We are needing the help. As the time goes our stamina droops a bit. Once we get to the hospital we are good, but we're tired. It is good to get cards and comments from all over, and helps make it easier to smile. I know that everyone who reads this tells others who don't what is going on, so I'm very happy to journal for you. It seems once I have written about the days happenings, I'm able to put it aside and concentrate on what is happening the next day. I was told to go back and read the whole blog again just to get perspective back on the progress that Glenn is making. I think that is probably a good idea.
Well it is time for bed, so I'll sign off and wait for our new day tomorrow.
With love, Louise
It's hard to believe that 4 weeks have passed, and yet in ways it has been the longest 4 weeks of my life. Glenn worked hard today. They were finished the antibiotic, so he wasn't hooked up to the IV, but they didn't pull the line out of his hand yet. They were doing a bunch of cultures again to be sure he has no infections. They will check them, and hopefully the line will be gone. They also deflated the trache collar and were beginning to work on his speech. I wasn't there, but the OT said that he was making noises, so they are encouraged that he will talk soon. They are really encouraging us to keep him stimulated now, to keep talking to him, have the TV on, just generally keep his brain occupied with what is going on around him. They had done quite a bit of work with his right hand, and it was a bit more loose this evening. He responds by shaking his head or nodding, so we are supposed to encourage that all the time now. It is less confusing than blinking. We put his socks and shoes on today to help get his feet in line. I offered to put them on this morning and he held out his left foot right away. We are going to try to get his mouth open enough to clean his mouth. He hasn't let anything past his teeth since he bit off one of the brushes back in the ICU. I snuck a brush in today when he was crying. He looked a bit startled, but I told him I learned a few things about sneaking things from having 4 kids! The OT told him to get his teeth cleaned up because he was going to be using them soon. That was good to hear.
We are storm stayed in Regina again this evening. It started snowing around 7:00 and dumped about 3 inches in 2 hours. It is wet and sticky, so the roads are probably a mess. I was going to have coffee with the Sewing ladies tomorrow too, but I'm not going to make it. Jackie works tomorrow, so she won't have to worry about driving from the farm in the morning. Colin had the day off, so I think he stayed home. He'll have to drive in the morning, but it is different in the daylight, and he usually doesn't have to start until 9:30, so the sun may have done some work by then.
Once again, I want to say thank- you for your support and prayers. We are needing the help. As the time goes our stamina droops a bit. Once we get to the hospital we are good, but we're tired. It is good to get cards and comments from all over, and helps make it easier to smile. I know that everyone who reads this tells others who don't what is going on, so I'm very happy to journal for you. It seems once I have written about the days happenings, I'm able to put it aside and concentrate on what is happening the next day. I was told to go back and read the whole blog again just to get perspective back on the progress that Glenn is making. I think that is probably a good idea.
Well it is time for bed, so I'll sign off and wait for our new day tomorrow.
With love, Louise
March 12&13
Day 28 & 29
My timing wasn't very good on Monday, I got there after Glenn had therapy, and I didn't talk to anyone until the late afternoon. I was informed that our efforts at stretching over the weekend had started Glenn ahead, so that was good to know. He was in therapy for 1 1/2 hours on Monday, so he was pretty played out. There is a lot of stiffness in his right arm that they are really going to concentrate on loosening. This would be problematic if not addressed and corrected now. I think Glenn will get pretty intensive exercise in the next few days to get it more mobile. The OT thinks that his shoulder is out of line, so they are definitely on top of it.
I'm supposed to take some shoes in for Glenn to wear when he is up in the wheel chair. It will be good support for his feet and ankles. He seemed pretty sad or Jackie thought he was mad yesterday. He was not as calm as usual, but that is a sign of frustration and gosh , who wouldn't be mad at not being able to move or talk or anything except shuffle your legs and arms a bit? It is probably good psycologically for him to vent these emotions, but it is hard to watch him suffer. We will give him a bit more time before we invite visitors, as he still cries when people do come to see him.
He didn't have a big workout on Tuesday, the therapists thought rest would be better after Mondays session. I hope his right arm will loosen up, and I'm sure they will get it. Being right handed may be part of the problem as those muscles are stronger in the first place. He isn't wearing the hand splints on his left hand anymore, and he can pick up objects, so his left side is doing really well. They were sitting him on the side of the bed and got him to lift his head and straighten his back. He did that a few times. Then they got him to balance, using his arms to push back and forth. He can do that, he is just so stiff that he has a struggle to get past the "tone". I can't help but be fascinated at the knowledge and ability of these people. They have gifted and dedicated hands, that's for sure.
Today is March 14 , and my Mom is 80 years old today. If you can, give her a call and wish her a good day. We are planning a celebration with her on the weekend. Life is to be celebrated, and I do mean to do more of that now.
Louise
My timing wasn't very good on Monday, I got there after Glenn had therapy, and I didn't talk to anyone until the late afternoon. I was informed that our efforts at stretching over the weekend had started Glenn ahead, so that was good to know. He was in therapy for 1 1/2 hours on Monday, so he was pretty played out. There is a lot of stiffness in his right arm that they are really going to concentrate on loosening. This would be problematic if not addressed and corrected now. I think Glenn will get pretty intensive exercise in the next few days to get it more mobile. The OT thinks that his shoulder is out of line, so they are definitely on top of it.
I'm supposed to take some shoes in for Glenn to wear when he is up in the wheel chair. It will be good support for his feet and ankles. He seemed pretty sad or Jackie thought he was mad yesterday. He was not as calm as usual, but that is a sign of frustration and gosh , who wouldn't be mad at not being able to move or talk or anything except shuffle your legs and arms a bit? It is probably good psycologically for him to vent these emotions, but it is hard to watch him suffer. We will give him a bit more time before we invite visitors, as he still cries when people do come to see him.
He didn't have a big workout on Tuesday, the therapists thought rest would be better after Mondays session. I hope his right arm will loosen up, and I'm sure they will get it. Being right handed may be part of the problem as those muscles are stronger in the first place. He isn't wearing the hand splints on his left hand anymore, and he can pick up objects, so his left side is doing really well. They were sitting him on the side of the bed and got him to lift his head and straighten his back. He did that a few times. Then they got him to balance, using his arms to push back and forth. He can do that, he is just so stiff that he has a struggle to get past the "tone". I can't help but be fascinated at the knowledge and ability of these people. They have gifted and dedicated hands, that's for sure.
Today is March 14 , and my Mom is 80 years old today. If you can, give her a call and wish her a good day. We are planning a celebration with her on the weekend. Life is to be celebrated, and I do mean to do more of that now.
Louise
Monday, March 12, 2007
March 11, 2007
Day 27
Sunday is a day of rest, and we took it pretty easy. I did some stretches with Glenn as soon as I got there. I didn't shave him because he really didn't need it yet. In the afternoon the nurses got him up and into the chair. They left him unhooked from the IV and feed tube and we strolled around the unit for a while. It was a nice change for Glenn to look at some different walls. He sat up for around 4 hours again, then was happy to go back to bed. I tried to stretch his arms again, and made sure his splints were rotated every hour. The kids came in after supper and got talking about camping. Glenn was laughing! They picked up on that and started in on stupid cat stories. Glenn laughed quite a bit. I finally shooed them out, because he looked really tired. I hope the laughing got him relaxed enough to sleep. It was good to see a smile on his face. Those muscles are working, and they say laughter is the best medicine.
Monday is back to therapy, and we'll see if my efforts helped at all. The IV antibiotic is finished today, so I hope the doc will not re-issue an IV prescription if he still needs antibiotic. They should be able to give it to him through the feed tube, but we'll see.
That's it for now, hopefully the new day will show more activity.
Louise
Sunday is a day of rest, and we took it pretty easy. I did some stretches with Glenn as soon as I got there. I didn't shave him because he really didn't need it yet. In the afternoon the nurses got him up and into the chair. They left him unhooked from the IV and feed tube and we strolled around the unit for a while. It was a nice change for Glenn to look at some different walls. He sat up for around 4 hours again, then was happy to go back to bed. I tried to stretch his arms again, and made sure his splints were rotated every hour. The kids came in after supper and got talking about camping. Glenn was laughing! They picked up on that and started in on stupid cat stories. Glenn laughed quite a bit. I finally shooed them out, because he looked really tired. I hope the laughing got him relaxed enough to sleep. It was good to see a smile on his face. Those muscles are working, and they say laughter is the best medicine.
Monday is back to therapy, and we'll see if my efforts helped at all. The IV antibiotic is finished today, so I hope the doc will not re-issue an IV prescription if he still needs antibiotic. They should be able to give it to him through the feed tube, but we'll see.
That's it for now, hopefully the new day will show more activity.
Louise
Sunday, March 11, 2007
March 10
Day 26
We brought Shirley up to see Glenn today. It was emotional for both of them, but I think Shirley is content to know that he is doing well. We will try to bring her once a week now, depending on schedules and everything that is going on.
I put Glenn through a few paces, and I'm happy to report that nothing broke. Chris came in the afternoon, and helped stretch his arms and hands again. Glenn had been up in the wheel chair for 4 hours, so he was not interested in too many stretches any more. I'll try to do them again in the morning before he is in the chair. They usually turn him from side to side, and he needs to be fairly flat to do stretches. It's good to help.
He still is coughing up a fair bit of phlegm(?) , but has a strong cough. Hopefully it will clear up soon. As predicted, the nursing staff was busy with other patients, and without the therapists, we are fairly free to visit. He has touchy feet, and I was tickling his right foot to get a bit of movement. He was not happy, you could see he was angry, which is a different reaction than what we usually see, so I can't feel too sorry for that. I did stop though, as the cuss words were silently flying through the air. Go Glenn!
I also shaved Glenn for the first time ever. I used an electric rasor, so no blood was shed. He looked better, so I believe I'll do that everyday now, just because I can. He shaves every day, so it will be a bit more routine to fall back into, which should help, I hope. He may silently cuss again, but we will get used to a few of these things for now.
I don't have anymore news, keep us in your prayers, they are comforting to me and the kids. Glenn is doing better than I expected, so I would say that our prayers are being heard and answered. Thanks be to God!
Take care and thanks for the comments.
Louise
We brought Shirley up to see Glenn today. It was emotional for both of them, but I think Shirley is content to know that he is doing well. We will try to bring her once a week now, depending on schedules and everything that is going on.
I put Glenn through a few paces, and I'm happy to report that nothing broke. Chris came in the afternoon, and helped stretch his arms and hands again. Glenn had been up in the wheel chair for 4 hours, so he was not interested in too many stretches any more. I'll try to do them again in the morning before he is in the chair. They usually turn him from side to side, and he needs to be fairly flat to do stretches. It's good to help.
He still is coughing up a fair bit of phlegm(?) , but has a strong cough. Hopefully it will clear up soon. As predicted, the nursing staff was busy with other patients, and without the therapists, we are fairly free to visit. He has touchy feet, and I was tickling his right foot to get a bit of movement. He was not happy, you could see he was angry, which is a different reaction than what we usually see, so I can't feel too sorry for that. I did stop though, as the cuss words were silently flying through the air. Go Glenn!
I also shaved Glenn for the first time ever. I used an electric rasor, so no blood was shed. He looked better, so I believe I'll do that everyday now, just because I can. He shaves every day, so it will be a bit more routine to fall back into, which should help, I hope. He may silently cuss again, but we will get used to a few of these things for now.
I don't have anymore news, keep us in your prayers, they are comforting to me and the kids. Glenn is doing better than I expected, so I would say that our prayers are being heard and answered. Thanks be to God!
Take care and thanks for the comments.
Louise
Saturday, March 10, 2007
March 8 & 9
Day24 & 25
I typed in "booger" instead of Blogger! Hmmm.. quite insightful, don't you think? Anyway I didn't hit search, but maybe I will after I'm done just because I'm curious to see what might come up!
The past few days have seen more improvement in range of motion and general well being. Last night the Doctor commented that the nurses would try to get the extra liquids to flow through the feeding line, thus eliminating the last IV line. That will be great. He still has an antibiotic to finish, which may hold that up, but it was good to hear. His urine has cleared up (sorry Glenn!) and his chest is more clear every day. The student who was teaching me the stretches we can do over the weekend, suctioned the trache and didn't pull anything out. She said that was the first time that happened, so she was happy about that.
On Thursday I was in the therapy room talking to the therapist about the plan they are implementing, when she stopped in mid sentence and said "That is huge!" Glenn was in the wheel chair, they had just moved him and he was still leaning forward a bit, when he lifted his head and leaned back against the head rest. She said that was significant because the torso is the last part to come back after a stem stroke, so she was pretty happy to see Glenn do that. She also explained that they are going to deflate the Trache collar during therapy to see how Glenn will manage with swallowing and coughing while they are working with him. If he does well, they will work on communication ( talking) and perhaps we will see the last of the trache soon.
On Friday the therapy room was backed up so the collar thing didn't happen, and Glenn hadn't slept well Thursday night, so they dangled him ( sat him on the side of his bed) and worked on his balance and got him to help do a "squat stand" off the bed ( assisted of course) just to put some weight on his legs and get him to help with the lifting a bit. On the weekend, I will do some stretches with him to help keep his muscle range loose (I'm not sure that is the right way to describe that) so that Monday he will not have tightened up as much as if he had no stretching.
On the home front, we moved Jackie back to the farm. She and Chris dug out the 1/2 ton, and we loaded up her bed and a few other pieces of furniture so she actually slept in her own bed Thursday night. The roads were nasty on Wednesday, so we stayed in Regina that night, and now the city is a mess with the snow melting, but at least it is melting. Maybe this is the break we've been praying for!
I had lunch with a friend yesterday, had my haircut and had coffee with more friends, so it was a busy day for me, but Glenn needed sleep more than he needed company, and the kids came up around 5:oo, so we had a visit over supper hour and then left him dozing. Hopefully he slept better last night.
I'm just getting ready to leave, so usually the wards are more quiet on the weekend. We'll do some stretches and listen to the radio and generally chill out a bit. I'll try to get on the blog tonight and let you know how the day went. If you want to send a comment, all you have to do is click on the comments at the bottom of my post. On the comment page that opens, you will see a box on the right. Just click on that and type away. There may be a box to hit on the bottom to send or publish, but there is no sign in necessary. It will appear for all to read. Thanks for sending comments, and don't be scared to try it, it is quite easy.
Louise
I typed in "booger" instead of Blogger! Hmmm.. quite insightful, don't you think? Anyway I didn't hit search, but maybe I will after I'm done just because I'm curious to see what might come up!
The past few days have seen more improvement in range of motion and general well being. Last night the Doctor commented that the nurses would try to get the extra liquids to flow through the feeding line, thus eliminating the last IV line. That will be great. He still has an antibiotic to finish, which may hold that up, but it was good to hear. His urine has cleared up (sorry Glenn!) and his chest is more clear every day. The student who was teaching me the stretches we can do over the weekend, suctioned the trache and didn't pull anything out. She said that was the first time that happened, so she was happy about that.
On Thursday I was in the therapy room talking to the therapist about the plan they are implementing, when she stopped in mid sentence and said "That is huge!" Glenn was in the wheel chair, they had just moved him and he was still leaning forward a bit, when he lifted his head and leaned back against the head rest. She said that was significant because the torso is the last part to come back after a stem stroke, so she was pretty happy to see Glenn do that. She also explained that they are going to deflate the Trache collar during therapy to see how Glenn will manage with swallowing and coughing while they are working with him. If he does well, they will work on communication ( talking) and perhaps we will see the last of the trache soon.
On Friday the therapy room was backed up so the collar thing didn't happen, and Glenn hadn't slept well Thursday night, so they dangled him ( sat him on the side of his bed) and worked on his balance and got him to help do a "squat stand" off the bed ( assisted of course) just to put some weight on his legs and get him to help with the lifting a bit. On the weekend, I will do some stretches with him to help keep his muscle range loose (I'm not sure that is the right way to describe that) so that Monday he will not have tightened up as much as if he had no stretching.
On the home front, we moved Jackie back to the farm. She and Chris dug out the 1/2 ton, and we loaded up her bed and a few other pieces of furniture so she actually slept in her own bed Thursday night. The roads were nasty on Wednesday, so we stayed in Regina that night, and now the city is a mess with the snow melting, but at least it is melting. Maybe this is the break we've been praying for!
I had lunch with a friend yesterday, had my haircut and had coffee with more friends, so it was a busy day for me, but Glenn needed sleep more than he needed company, and the kids came up around 5:oo, so we had a visit over supper hour and then left him dozing. Hopefully he slept better last night.
I'm just getting ready to leave, so usually the wards are more quiet on the weekend. We'll do some stretches and listen to the radio and generally chill out a bit. I'll try to get on the blog tonight and let you know how the day went. If you want to send a comment, all you have to do is click on the comments at the bottom of my post. On the comment page that opens, you will see a box on the right. Just click on that and type away. There may be a box to hit on the bottom to send or publish, but there is no sign in necessary. It will appear for all to read. Thanks for sending comments, and don't be scared to try it, it is quite easy.
Louise
Thursday, March 8, 2007
March 7, 2007
Day 23
I was in and out quite a bit yesterday, but was in the room when the doctor was making rounds, so we were listening to the check list and understand that while Glenn's lungs are getting better, they are still concerned, so he ordered another X-ray. His white count was a bit elevated, but that may be normal, and it could be the trache sight giving a bit of trouble with infection. An RT had been in right before the doctor and was wondering if the physios had capped the trache during his session that morning, but I couldn't answer that as I hadn't seen them. I was glad to hear that he was thinking that it was a good possibility. My biggest concern , which is being checked, is blood in his urine. I hope that clears up soon.
Dale is a Sudoku maniac. He can solve those things... I don't. I've gotten through a few, but really, something that takes me hours, he does in 5 minutes. Mind you, I'm still learning and have yet to perfect my strategy!
My friend Carol picked me up from home yesterday and we met Bonnie and Joy for lunch. I was then treated to a massage (my first one) done with hot rocks. Man, I had no idea how effective it would be. I was pretty loose when I left, and she told me to drink lots of water for the rest of the day. I had to go to the washroom like crazy! Guess I was shedding a few worries or something, because my shoulders feel good. This I highly recommend!
Poor Glenn didn't have a lot of company yesterday, I was in and out, Jackie and Colin drove in together, so they didn't stay too long. ( the weather was crappy again, so Jack and I bunked at Chris' again. This time we don't have a set of wheels, but Dale has the day off). Between classes and work, Chris was tied up for the day, so Dale and I hung out withGlenn after supper. The night nurses were ready to wash him and change his bed for the night, so we left just a little before 9. Things should be a little less hectic today.
Here's something, Jackie held up a little comment book the people from Glenn's office had left for him and he was reading it. I didn't think of letting him read before, so that was a good idea that Jackie had. It's a good thing my kids are around to do things like that. It would seem as if I'm mostly in a fog.
I should be with Glenn more today, I still haven't connected with the therapists to learn how to do stretches, but I will try hard to get there on time. He sat up in the wheel chair for 4 hours yesterday, so they are really pushing him, or he is pushing himself, or both. It will be good to see the last of that trache, so I'm hopeful that will be soon.
The day looks nicer today, so maybe we are going to have a bit of a breather as far as the storms are concerned. The 364 was getting quite heavy, so I wouldn't be surprised if they pile it up again, although it is March and spring should take care of that soon.
Thanks for reading this, more and more people are telling me that they are and appreciate the first hand updates, so I'll do my best to keep it up and try not to be too chatty!
Louise
I was in and out quite a bit yesterday, but was in the room when the doctor was making rounds, so we were listening to the check list and understand that while Glenn's lungs are getting better, they are still concerned, so he ordered another X-ray. His white count was a bit elevated, but that may be normal, and it could be the trache sight giving a bit of trouble with infection. An RT had been in right before the doctor and was wondering if the physios had capped the trache during his session that morning, but I couldn't answer that as I hadn't seen them. I was glad to hear that he was thinking that it was a good possibility. My biggest concern , which is being checked, is blood in his urine. I hope that clears up soon.
Dale is a Sudoku maniac. He can solve those things... I don't. I've gotten through a few, but really, something that takes me hours, he does in 5 minutes. Mind you, I'm still learning and have yet to perfect my strategy!
My friend Carol picked me up from home yesterday and we met Bonnie and Joy for lunch. I was then treated to a massage (my first one) done with hot rocks. Man, I had no idea how effective it would be. I was pretty loose when I left, and she told me to drink lots of water for the rest of the day. I had to go to the washroom like crazy! Guess I was shedding a few worries or something, because my shoulders feel good. This I highly recommend!
Poor Glenn didn't have a lot of company yesterday, I was in and out, Jackie and Colin drove in together, so they didn't stay too long. ( the weather was crappy again, so Jack and I bunked at Chris' again. This time we don't have a set of wheels, but Dale has the day off). Between classes and work, Chris was tied up for the day, so Dale and I hung out withGlenn after supper. The night nurses were ready to wash him and change his bed for the night, so we left just a little before 9. Things should be a little less hectic today.
Here's something, Jackie held up a little comment book the people from Glenn's office had left for him and he was reading it. I didn't think of letting him read before, so that was a good idea that Jackie had. It's a good thing my kids are around to do things like that. It would seem as if I'm mostly in a fog.
I should be with Glenn more today, I still haven't connected with the therapists to learn how to do stretches, but I will try hard to get there on time. He sat up in the wheel chair for 4 hours yesterday, so they are really pushing him, or he is pushing himself, or both. It will be good to see the last of that trache, so I'm hopeful that will be soon.
The day looks nicer today, so maybe we are going to have a bit of a breather as far as the storms are concerned. The 364 was getting quite heavy, so I wouldn't be surprised if they pile it up again, although it is March and spring should take care of that soon.
Thanks for reading this, more and more people are telling me that they are and appreciate the first hand updates, so I'll do my best to keep it up and try not to be too chatty!
Louise
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
March 6, 2007
Day 22
It's been three weeks. What a trip! I can't say I would recommend it to anyone, but we take what we get sometimes.
Good news! The physio therapist told me today that they have gotten Glenn to sit up against a big ball and balance himself with his arms. They also got him to shift a bit to get some more muscle action. Then she said that they also supported his upper body on a table and got his legs under him to start building tolerance for his weight on them! She said he tolerated quite a bit for the first time, so I can tell you I was very surprised to hear that. He also stayed in his chair for a good three hours after that workout, so he is doing well. His chest has cleared up considerably, so they are quite happy about that also. What to say? I'm slightly blown over by this, and surely it is a good sign for things to come.
My Mom and Dad came for a visit, so Glenn has some nice daffodils in his room to look at for a few days. We went for coffee because needless to say Glenn was pretty tired, but I needed to chat with them for a while, and they probably needed to chat with me to be sure I'm not turning into a nut case (I know, how could anyone tell!)
Some suggestions, because I know you want to get something or do something. We are going to start playing some books on tape (or CD) for Glenn. His preferences are "who done it?", westerns, a bit of sci fi, but probably not Stephen King. He has a radio playing, but we haven't signed up for TV yet. I guess that is another possibility, but it does cost a fair bit per day. We are being well supplied with food, and Glenn isn't on solid food for a good while yet, so puzzle books - Sudoku, word find, crosswords that sort of thing is nice to fill the time with.
I'm being treated to a lunch with my friends on Wednesday, so I'm looking forward to that. I find I'm starting to plan and organize a bit more, and can actually remember a few things from day to day. Jackie booked a hair appiontment for me on Friday, so that will also help my general disposition.
Now that I've told you all about me and my plans, I'll sign off. Pray for nicer weather, as this is getting to be more of an ordeal than anything else. Thanks for caring so much about us. I can tell you that this sight has been visited by almost 300 people, so that means a lot. I really do appreciate your comments too. They brighten our days.
Louise
It's been three weeks. What a trip! I can't say I would recommend it to anyone, but we take what we get sometimes.
Good news! The physio therapist told me today that they have gotten Glenn to sit up against a big ball and balance himself with his arms. They also got him to shift a bit to get some more muscle action. Then she said that they also supported his upper body on a table and got his legs under him to start building tolerance for his weight on them! She said he tolerated quite a bit for the first time, so I can tell you I was very surprised to hear that. He also stayed in his chair for a good three hours after that workout, so he is doing well. His chest has cleared up considerably, so they are quite happy about that also. What to say? I'm slightly blown over by this, and surely it is a good sign for things to come.
My Mom and Dad came for a visit, so Glenn has some nice daffodils in his room to look at for a few days. We went for coffee because needless to say Glenn was pretty tired, but I needed to chat with them for a while, and they probably needed to chat with me to be sure I'm not turning into a nut case (I know, how could anyone tell!)
Some suggestions, because I know you want to get something or do something. We are going to start playing some books on tape (or CD) for Glenn. His preferences are "who done it?", westerns, a bit of sci fi, but probably not Stephen King. He has a radio playing, but we haven't signed up for TV yet. I guess that is another possibility, but it does cost a fair bit per day. We are being well supplied with food, and Glenn isn't on solid food for a good while yet, so puzzle books - Sudoku, word find, crosswords that sort of thing is nice to fill the time with.
I'm being treated to a lunch with my friends on Wednesday, so I'm looking forward to that. I find I'm starting to plan and organize a bit more, and can actually remember a few things from day to day. Jackie booked a hair appiontment for me on Friday, so that will also help my general disposition.
Now that I've told you all about me and my plans, I'll sign off. Pray for nicer weather, as this is getting to be more of an ordeal than anything else. Thanks for caring so much about us. I can tell you that this sight has been visited by almost 300 people, so that means a lot. I really do appreciate your comments too. They brighten our days.
Louise
Monday, March 5, 2007
March 5, 2007
Day 21
Well, we are staying in the city again tonight, as the weather is snowing and blowing again.
Jackie and I are here at Chris and Aryn's again, although Colin is more brave than we are, so he drove out. I don't know how the roads were. ( He just called and has made it home alright) We went to Red Lobster for Jackie's birthday supper, and managed to get everyone but Kristen there. We missed Dad of course, but need to keep up with real life.
The therapists were giving Glenn a workout again today. His lungs continue to be of concern to them, but they leave him in his chair for 2 1/2 - 3 hours to help fight the congestion. The physio invited me to come to one of the sessions so that I can learn how to help flex his feet to keep his Achilles tendon and calf muscles more loose. The OT came in this afternoon, and was happy with the improvement on his right side. He was moving his fore arm in and out at her request, and she said his muscles generally are more loose.
Dale applied for and got a part time job at the Sears warehouse today. He'll start on Wednesday. He hasn't been getting enough time at the Depot. so hopefully he'll catch up a bit.
Everyone had a nice visit with Glenn today, and he was pretty calm until this evening. Actually he slept a lot, so we left for coffee, and generally let him rest as much as we could.
Thanks for your comments, we appreciate them and hey, guys from work, nice picture! I'll be sure to read all the comment pages to Glenn over the next few days. He'll be happy to hear from you and I can tell you I'm happy about the underwear on the mascot! Hopefully he won't have to wait too long for Glenn to be back!
Thanks for all your support and prayers! We need and appreciate them.
It's a new day tomorrow.
Louise
Well, we are staying in the city again tonight, as the weather is snowing and blowing again.
Jackie and I are here at Chris and Aryn's again, although Colin is more brave than we are, so he drove out. I don't know how the roads were. ( He just called and has made it home alright) We went to Red Lobster for Jackie's birthday supper, and managed to get everyone but Kristen there. We missed Dad of course, but need to keep up with real life.
The therapists were giving Glenn a workout again today. His lungs continue to be of concern to them, but they leave him in his chair for 2 1/2 - 3 hours to help fight the congestion. The physio invited me to come to one of the sessions so that I can learn how to help flex his feet to keep his Achilles tendon and calf muscles more loose. The OT came in this afternoon, and was happy with the improvement on his right side. He was moving his fore arm in and out at her request, and she said his muscles generally are more loose.
Dale applied for and got a part time job at the Sears warehouse today. He'll start on Wednesday. He hasn't been getting enough time at the Depot. so hopefully he'll catch up a bit.
Everyone had a nice visit with Glenn today, and he was pretty calm until this evening. Actually he slept a lot, so we left for coffee, and generally let him rest as much as we could.
Thanks for your comments, we appreciate them and hey, guys from work, nice picture! I'll be sure to read all the comment pages to Glenn over the next few days. He'll be happy to hear from you and I can tell you I'm happy about the underwear on the mascot! Hopefully he won't have to wait too long for Glenn to be back!
Thanks for all your support and prayers! We need and appreciate them.
It's a new day tomorrow.
Louise
March 3 & 4
Day 19 & 20
On the weekend, there is a bit of a lull on the wards as the therapists don't come in to do full sessions. Glenn slept alot and the nurses got him up into the chair to help his tolerance. He was in the chair for at least 3 hours yesterday (Sunday), so he is doing well. There is more and more movement in his right leg and hand. We'll see today how the therapists do with his range of motion.
I was able to put socks on him yesterday, and I know he appreciated them, because he didn't want me to take them off in the evening. He was going for a bath though, so I don't know if the nurses put them back on for the night. We will look when we get there today.
Today Jackie is 20 years old, so my teenagers are gone! We haven't decided how to celebrate, or when, but we'll do something.
Driving home last night, Avril Levigne's lastest hit song came on the radio and Jackie and I have both decided that it is our theme song. It's called "Keep Holding On" and the words just make us tear up a bit, as it is a tribute to the dedication we need to keep it together. If you can, listen to it (sorry, country people it is a ROCK song!) and is in the top ten, so is easily heard on Z99 or Rock 94. We heard this song many times over the past few weeks and it is an inspiration to me.
There's not a lot more to say today, Glenn can move his head in response to your asking, and watches as people go by his room. He's down to 1 IV with saline solution and the last of his round of antibiotic. He has a strong cough, they are really working to keep his lungs clear. We have a long way to go, but have already come a long way. Thanks again for your help and concern, (yes my yard was cleaned again after last weeks storm and this time we caught him in the act!) we have good friends and neighbours.
That's all for now folks!
Louise
On the weekend, there is a bit of a lull on the wards as the therapists don't come in to do full sessions. Glenn slept alot and the nurses got him up into the chair to help his tolerance. He was in the chair for at least 3 hours yesterday (Sunday), so he is doing well. There is more and more movement in his right leg and hand. We'll see today how the therapists do with his range of motion.
I was able to put socks on him yesterday, and I know he appreciated them, because he didn't want me to take them off in the evening. He was going for a bath though, so I don't know if the nurses put them back on for the night. We will look when we get there today.
Today Jackie is 20 years old, so my teenagers are gone! We haven't decided how to celebrate, or when, but we'll do something.
Driving home last night, Avril Levigne's lastest hit song came on the radio and Jackie and I have both decided that it is our theme song. It's called "Keep Holding On" and the words just make us tear up a bit, as it is a tribute to the dedication we need to keep it together. If you can, listen to it (sorry, country people it is a ROCK song!) and is in the top ten, so is easily heard on Z99 or Rock 94. We heard this song many times over the past few weeks and it is an inspiration to me.
There's not a lot more to say today, Glenn can move his head in response to your asking, and watches as people go by his room. He's down to 1 IV with saline solution and the last of his round of antibiotic. He has a strong cough, they are really working to keep his lungs clear. We have a long way to go, but have already come a long way. Thanks again for your help and concern, (yes my yard was cleaned again after last weeks storm and this time we caught him in the act!) we have good friends and neighbours.
That's all for now folks!
Louise
Friday, March 2, 2007
March1 &2
Day 17 & 18
Sorry for not posting for yesterday until today, but this morning got a bit complicated when the snow in my yard piled in a bit too deep. I was picked up by my neighbour, so I'm back in the city. Jackie and I will drive out tomorrow night, if all goes according to plan. My plans have been getting blown out of the water lately, but I keep trying anyway.
Glenn progresses day by day. He is more bright and was sitting up in the chair when I got to the hospital this morning. When he went to bed he had a really peaceful sleep, so I didn't bother changing his hand splints every hour, just left the cones on and let him sleep. It was good to see him rest so well, I think that is a good thing for him.
Yesterday, the therapists had a bit of a mixed up day, so he really just did some stretching in the bed, and they worked on his coughing. So far his lungs are a bit congested, but no one has said pneumonia yet, so I think they are on top of it.
There are more and more signs of recovery, and now his right side is showing more activity. He was holding his head up quite well and moved it from side to side more today than ever. He is responding to questions better too. He gets tired of course, and we try to leave after the night shift comes in so that they can bath him and settle him for the night. He tries to stay awake while we are there, so it is best to leave.
I will be in Regina overnight again, the highways are pretty icy. Sorry about the confusion this morning, but I thought it was probably the best solution to getting into the city. The problem is that I forgot to tell people where I was, so my apologies, I'll try to do better Mom.
It was nice to have a quiet day with Glenn. They weren't hovering as much, which in my mind means he is doing better. The lab tech came this evening to get a blood sample, and had a tough time, so he got poked more than a few times, but they finally got what they needed. That was all that I saw today, so that is a relief.
I usually post in the morning because my thoughts are a bit more organized. If this seems a bit scattered, then just put it to my state of mind. I'll say good night and please feel free to post your comments. We read them and appreciate your support.
'Til tomorrow,
Louise
Sorry for not posting for yesterday until today, but this morning got a bit complicated when the snow in my yard piled in a bit too deep. I was picked up by my neighbour, so I'm back in the city. Jackie and I will drive out tomorrow night, if all goes according to plan. My plans have been getting blown out of the water lately, but I keep trying anyway.
Glenn progresses day by day. He is more bright and was sitting up in the chair when I got to the hospital this morning. When he went to bed he had a really peaceful sleep, so I didn't bother changing his hand splints every hour, just left the cones on and let him sleep. It was good to see him rest so well, I think that is a good thing for him.
Yesterday, the therapists had a bit of a mixed up day, so he really just did some stretching in the bed, and they worked on his coughing. So far his lungs are a bit congested, but no one has said pneumonia yet, so I think they are on top of it.
There are more and more signs of recovery, and now his right side is showing more activity. He was holding his head up quite well and moved it from side to side more today than ever. He is responding to questions better too. He gets tired of course, and we try to leave after the night shift comes in so that they can bath him and settle him for the night. He tries to stay awake while we are there, so it is best to leave.
I will be in Regina overnight again, the highways are pretty icy. Sorry about the confusion this morning, but I thought it was probably the best solution to getting into the city. The problem is that I forgot to tell people where I was, so my apologies, I'll try to do better Mom.
It was nice to have a quiet day with Glenn. They weren't hovering as much, which in my mind means he is doing better. The lab tech came this evening to get a blood sample, and had a tough time, so he got poked more than a few times, but they finally got what they needed. That was all that I saw today, so that is a relief.
I usually post in the morning because my thoughts are a bit more organized. If this seems a bit scattered, then just put it to my state of mind. I'll say good night and please feel free to post your comments. We read them and appreciate your support.
'Til tomorrow,
Louise
Thursday, March 1, 2007
Feb.28, 2007
Day 16
We had a busy day today, a few more visitors came up to see us, Helen brought us a big basket of goodies from the Comm. Club which I took to the kids house and we enjoyed together. Thanks for the wonderful poem Helen, I'll put it up in Glenn room.
I have to admit I'd like to get off the roller coaster for a while. They are checking and watching for all sorts of things, which Glenn seems to be handling well, but it sure gives us cause for worry. But it is a new day everyday right Marj?
Let's see, Glenn had an EEG in the morning followed by physio in the workout room. We (Jackie and I) got there just after he got back and the physiotherapist said he did really well. His left side is coming along quite well, he opened his hand today. He started to shiver in his legs too, which the neurologist thinks is a sign that messages are starting to get through or be redirected anyway. He was back on Heparin today (a blood thinner) as they found another clot , probably in his legs and they didn't want that to be moving around. The heparin thins the blood so that it flows by and coats the clot, giving the body time to dissolve it. Apparently it doesn't take long, and he will probably be off it tomorrow. (See what I mean about roller coaster?)
We gave the nursing staff of the MPICU an arrangement and I would like to state here that they were an awesome bunch of caregivers. I can't say enough about how well they took care of Glenn and the rest of us, and I will forever sing their praises.
Glenn was doing his exercises all afternoon, which is a bit confusing at times. One of the nurses asked if he was doing it or if he was having pain, and he indicated that he was moving and flexing on his own. Giver Glenn!
I was going to go for coffee with the Sewing Ladies in the morning, but all the snow decided that I should spend the night in the city. It's a mess in the city, so I thought that I would just stay put and visit with the kids for the evening. (We had lots of food! Thanks to Brenda for an awesome lasagna)
Well I haven't any more to report right now. The Mitchell's are doing OK all things considered, and we visit all we can. Thank you for respecting the "No visitors " yet, I hope we can welcome you soon.
Louise
We had a busy day today, a few more visitors came up to see us, Helen brought us a big basket of goodies from the Comm. Club which I took to the kids house and we enjoyed together. Thanks for the wonderful poem Helen, I'll put it up in Glenn room.
I have to admit I'd like to get off the roller coaster for a while. They are checking and watching for all sorts of things, which Glenn seems to be handling well, but it sure gives us cause for worry. But it is a new day everyday right Marj?
Let's see, Glenn had an EEG in the morning followed by physio in the workout room. We (Jackie and I) got there just after he got back and the physiotherapist said he did really well. His left side is coming along quite well, he opened his hand today. He started to shiver in his legs too, which the neurologist thinks is a sign that messages are starting to get through or be redirected anyway. He was back on Heparin today (a blood thinner) as they found another clot , probably in his legs and they didn't want that to be moving around. The heparin thins the blood so that it flows by and coats the clot, giving the body time to dissolve it. Apparently it doesn't take long, and he will probably be off it tomorrow. (See what I mean about roller coaster?)
We gave the nursing staff of the MPICU an arrangement and I would like to state here that they were an awesome bunch of caregivers. I can't say enough about how well they took care of Glenn and the rest of us, and I will forever sing their praises.
Glenn was doing his exercises all afternoon, which is a bit confusing at times. One of the nurses asked if he was doing it or if he was having pain, and he indicated that he was moving and flexing on his own. Giver Glenn!
I was going to go for coffee with the Sewing Ladies in the morning, but all the snow decided that I should spend the night in the city. It's a mess in the city, so I thought that I would just stay put and visit with the kids for the evening. (We had lots of food! Thanks to Brenda for an awesome lasagna)
Well I haven't any more to report right now. The Mitchell's are doing OK all things considered, and we visit all we can. Thank you for respecting the "No visitors " yet, I hope we can welcome you soon.
Louise
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