Cast Off

This morning Jackie was awake earlier than usual. I think his hunger was getting the best of him. We helped Jackie get out of bed and I made his oatmeal. Dr. K stopped in and introduced us to his new resident. They switch every couple months. This will be the third resident we have worked with during Jackie’s stay, so far they have all been very good.

Jackie ate his oatmeal quickly and was almost finished by the time Becca came in the room. They moved to Becca’s office and they worked with Jackie’s phone and did other speech exercises. He spent some time with other patients after speech and Jim and I also had a couple minutes to hang out with him prior to PT.

Jackie went into the gym with his cast on and came out with it off. The therapists carefully cut the cast off in two pieces. The pieces are then used as a splint during the night. This helps Jackie’s muscles stay stretched in the position originally forced by the cast. Depending on how Jackie’s PT sessions go the rest of the week, another cast may be put on to stretch his muscles so his ankle can get to an even better position for walking.

Since Jackie already had his speech session, Jim, Jackie and I ate lunch in the room together. Jackie receives four main nutritional supplements a day. Two of the supplements can either be reduced or eliminated based on how well he eats his lunch and dinner. Daily caloric intake also comes into play. Today Jackie ate enough during his lunch and dinner that he did not need two of the four supplements. PTL

Paula was off site teaching so Jackie had OT with Kate. Jackie worked with her once or twice before. She focused the session on stretching. Since Jackie knows mostly all of the therapists, they sometimes come over and say hi or strike up a small conversation with him while he is in the gym.

We decided fresh air would be good, so we went out to the second floor terrace for a Magnum snack. The ice cream treat served as an appetizer before dinner. Jackie ate a decent amount of food but with each passing bite got more tired. We decided it was time for a shave, shower and then bed. Jackie fell asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow.

“What lies behind you and what lies in front of you, pales in comparison to what lies inside of you.”
~Ralph Waldo Emerson