Week 336 “First week in Rehab”

Our first week in rehab has been completed and the improvement in Jill’s ability to do sit to stands has been great. She is programmed to do Physio at 10am each morning and that is working well. She is actually standing with the aid of the parallel  bars as her support , using the strength in her legs, even standing on her right leg only, standing and taking her hands off the bars – only for a few seconds – but that is great. After lunch each day there is a group session in which they do arm and leg exercises with and without weights. Later in the afternoon after she has had a rest I borrow the Stedy and transfer to the bed and we manage to get in a range of leg exercises and some bridging – exhausted she is back in the wheel chair and waiting for dinner.

I had arranged for a weekend pass – we left the hospital around 10.30am on Saturday and settled in at home for the weekend. I had a lamb roast on and were waiting the arrival of Chris, Nicole & Riley. Pat & Keith arrived slightly later and lunch was ready. Riley kept every one entertained and we are amazed at his vocabulary and what he can do. Jill was really excited about being home and having Riley there.

I had originally raised the bed so that the hoist would fit under the bed , but I also found that it was slightly high for Jill to sit on and have her feet touch the floor . With Keith & Chris we removed the base from under the bed and also replaced the air flow mattress with the memory foam mattress that came with the bed. After watching the TV we started the transfers from wheel chair to Stedy , then to toilet chair and finally back to stedy and bed. It wasn’t as easy as I had imagined. The stedy requires Jill to stand up straight and tall so that the paddle seats will come down behind so that she can sit. Then the transfer to the toilet chair was next and she then needs to stand again and push back onto the toilet chair seat- sounds easy not quiet finally the next one is back to the stedy and onto the bed. This requires Jill to sit and balance on the edge of the bed then with my assistance lift her legs and pivot onto the bed.

Jill slept reasonably well I on the other hand listened to every breath, movement and noise. Riley arrived into our room and was interested in the remote controls that operate the bed and soon had Jill laughing. Riley was wisked off to have his bath but suddenly arrived back at Jill’s side completely nude and then ran back to his mum. After several phone calls and best wishes for fathers day and lunch we were back to being on our own.

The maxi taxi arrived and once again Jill was back in Room 3 waiting for dinner to be served.

Week two is about to commence.

See you soon on the net

 

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