March 30, 2017: day +130

Doug's PT Anna, and friend Will

Today I was scheduled to spend the day at the Elks to learn all of Doug's programs and to prepare  for his coming home.  Driving into Boise this morning was crazy.  The snow was blowing sideways. Water was pooling in the yards and streets from the earlier rain.  Cares were hydroplaning. It was a little scary.  It took me at least 10 minutes longer to get to the Elks.

When I arrived at the Elks, I found out that the schedule had been changed.  He had PT early and they were in the middle of getting ready for Doug's shower.  It took 3 people to get Doug out of bed, into his shower chair and into the shower.  This set-me off.  I asked, how they could expect me to go home and do all this on my own.  The CNA said to me that I should fight this.  She said it is too much for me and she has experience in home health doing these activities by herself.   After the shower, I practiced with the OT and team putting Doug in the Hoyer and lifting him into bed and into the wheelchair. I asked the OT to first model doing this by herself.  Since I had only watched teams do it.  She said she had not actually done it either.  We both laughed.  Everyone is reliant on the CNAs doing this work.  They are the real experts.

We learned that the team was having their staffing to review patient cases just before lunch.  The OT had shared with us that she had recommended in her notes that we stay another week.  I thanked her for listening to us and offering support.  Then just before lunch she popped in and told us that the team had decided to recommend Doug stay another week. His new discharge date will be April 5.  I was very pleased and very happy.  Doug was very disappointed.  He is so ready to go home.  I hope that he will acquire more skills this week and that we can find ways to celebrate his accomplishments and do some things to make the time go faster. Hopefully waiting a week, we both will be safer and Doug will advance with the additional hours of therapy.

After lunch our friends Sherri and Will joined us.  Will has offered to help Doug with his OT and PT when he gets home.  He came today to learn all the programs with me.  It was wonderful to have their support and to have another person learning the programs with us. It just seems more accomplishable to take on all the responsibilities of Doug coming  home with the support of friends, our new team.

This morning I woke up with a new vision of how to schedule Home Health.  Our help will include CNA's that will help with bathing, OT/PT and nursing, along with hiring personal care for getting Doug up in the morning and Will's support for OT/PT.  The transition coordinator joined us this afternoon and let me know that the Home Health at St. Luke's won't be able to provide this service because they are not covered under our insurance. This is a disappointment because I had already met with them.  I had to select another company and start this process over again.  I hope to get all the details worked out tommorow.

We end this day, thankful, that our prayers were answered for more time at the Elk's to heal.

God of Mercy, thank you for listening to our prayers.  Thank you for opening the hearts of our therapists, to support us in getting more time for Doug.  Thank you for the progress that Doug is making.  We are so thankful that he can sit on the edge of the bed.  This is such a big step.  It is awesome. Be with us in the next few days as we continue to prepare for Doug's homecoming. We pray that you will strengthen him and help him to stand and  to walk. We pray that he will be able to transfer from his wheelchair to the car, so that he might ride in our car to travel home and to go on outings.  In your name we ask it.  Amen.