All Together Again

This morning we added a new twist to our routine.  Instead of either Jim or I running down to get some breakfast in the Cafe, Jackie decided to come with us.  He is required to eat his breakfast in his room, but wanted to go with us to check out the Cafe.  He ended up getting some additional breakfast items for himself. We came back up to the room and all had breakfast together.  Jackie continues to need some assistance while eating but it was still awesome to be enjoying the meal together.

The rest of the day we were to follow an hourly schedule that Erin, PT and Paula, OT, put together for us.  It was designed for the weekend and included only two, 1 hour rest periods each day.  The goal was to keep Jackie active so his body would be better prepared for therapy on Monday.  Paula and Erin would be proud.  It wasn’t easy but Jackie followed the schedule all day.

He only had one therapy season and that was recreational therapy.  We went up to the fifth floor gym and Jackie played an old fashioned pinball machine.  It had two large circles that you push down to control the flippers. I didn’t realize this before today, but Jackie had never played on an actual pinball machine.  Even though the game had lots of lights and sounds, he had a really great session and hopes to play it again soon.

When we got back to the room, they were cleaning so we decided to sit on the second floor terrace.  It was a beautiful day.  Jackie was getting very tired and the noises from the street were starting to bother him. We went back up to the room and got him back in bed for a well deserved nap.  He slept so soundly we eventually had to wake him up to stay within our schedule.

After lunch Nana and John brought Jovie back for one final visit.  She was getting very accustomed to the room by now and constantly kept a watchful eye on Jackie.  We had arranged for very good friends of ours to pick up Jovie and take her back home.  They arrived and visited for a while.  It was great to see them!  We all visited in Jackie’s room until Lindsay and Florent arrived.  Jackie had been waiting for their visit.  It is one of the few things he remembered was going to happen today.  My little family unit was all together again.  I wanted it to last forever, but reality sunk in and it was time for Jovie to head back home.  Nana and John, our friends and Jovie all left around  the same time.  We plan to bring Jovie back for at least one more visit while we are at Magee.

Jackie took the second of his one hour naps and once again we had to wake him for dinner.  Lindsay and Florent made a Starbucks run and brought Jackie back a Strawberry Smoothie which he enjoyed with his meal.  We ended up ordering out for the first time and took the food to the sixth floor terrace.  Even though Jackie was finished with his meal, he enjoyed sampling some of ours.  For a while we had the huge sixth floor terrace to ourselves.  It was perfect.  Jackie was getting tired fast so we finished eating quickly and headed back down to his room and got him ready for bed.  Once he was settled in we all talked and laughed for a while.  Two of Jackie’s high school buddies who are currently in the service sent video messages to him.  They touched him deeply and helped to rekindle his will and determination to keep working hard.

We are blessed in so many ways.  Thanks to all of our friends and family who have been here for us every step of the way.  You have no idea how much your support means to us.

Furry Friday

Jackie had another good nights rest.  He woke up to fruit rolled pancakes, scrambled eggs, hash browns and chocolate milk.  It was going to be a great day.

After breakfast was morning meds and a visit from Dr. K.  Jackie continues to progress in the right direction and the weight he has gained is slightly starting to show on his body.  PTL

His first Therapy session was at 10am so Jackie went back in bed for a short rest.  One of the liquid versions of his meds had really irritated his throat, so after some sips of cold water and then spoonfuls of ice chips, he seemed to feel better.

Becca was out of town so another therapist came to the room for speech.  She engaged Jackie in a conversation about all the banners, posters and pictures that are hanging in his room.  This exercise helps to work Jackie’s memory function.  Just like Becca,  the therapist shared some information about her life that she later asked Jackie to recall at the end of his session.

PT immediately followed speech.  Erin came in the room and combined parts of Jackie’s old chair to a new wheelchair base.  It is amazing how skilled the therapists are with wheelchair parts and construction.  They constantly build custom chairs with various parts to get to the right fit and feel for the patient.  They do not learn any of this at school.  Jackie’s new chair was finished.  It does not allow him to recline back.  Weight shifts will now have to be done in the standing position.  This chair is a bridge to the chair that will allow him to navigate on his own without a headrest.  His torso and head strength need to get a little stronger before this occurs. This new chair will help gain that strength.  Now it was time for the Vector machine.  This is the machine that lifts Jackie to a standing position and also carries some of his weight for him.  It allows the therapist to help ensure he is walking correctly and also allows the patient to walk further since some of the body weight is lifted by the machine. At the end of the session,  Jackie used the walker with the elevated left arm extension to help him stay stabilized.  Our therapist and Jim stood on either side of Jackie guiding his body and helping his left leg move in the right direction.

After the Vector workout, Jackie was hungry for lunch.  His appetite was good, his belly was now full and he was ready for some rest.  We got him back in bed.  Jim’s Mom had arrived with Jovie and she was now in the room with us.  It is so great to be able to see her. We all miss her so much.  As Jackie was resting, Dr. Lewis the staff Psychologist came in for a visit.  As in the past he requested to speak with Jackie alone.  I went out in the lobby to finish my lunch and Jim took Jovie for a quick walk to the park.  As I was coming back to the room the nurse was coming to get me.  The moment we were anticipating since February 23 occurred.  Jackie asked what really happened to him.  Up to this point, Jackie thought he had a bike accident.  He was recalling a wreck that he had at the end of his sixth grade year.  Within minutes, Jim and Jovie came back into the room and the three of us had an extremely emotional conversation about the night of his assault.  The doc was there to help us through it and we can now move forward with emotional healing as well.  I am not sure what Jackie will recall from this conversation, but we now have a starting point for future discussions.

As we wrapped up the conversation, Paula came in the room for OT.  It could not have been better timing.  She helped Jackie get in is chair and we all headed to the sixth floor terrace with Jovie.  Both sets of Grandparents were already sitting in the beautiful sunshine when we got there.  Paula had Jackie throw the ball to Joive, who willingly fetched it and brought it back to Jackie every time.  Paula encouraged Jackie to throw the ball in ways that would stretch certain muscles differently.  She also did some stretching exercises to help loosen him up.  Overall the session was just what Jackie needed.  Warm sunshine, love from Jovie and the comfort of having us there for him.  With the help of the wonderful staff at Magee, Jackie will get through all of this, one step, one day at a time.

Jovie went home with Nana after the session and we returned to his room and got Jackie in bed for another period of rest.  The smell of dinner was too strong, so before long he was up and eating dinner.  For dessert he enjoyed homemade cake and strawberries that Grandma and Grandpa had brought.  This was a taste of home that was delicious for Jackie.

We decided to take a stroll and eventually ended back in the room with pieces of pizza from the movie room.  Jim and Jackie ate their slices and finished watching the movie we had checked out days ago.  Even though there is a long road of recovery ahead, moments like this bring us hope that Jackie will enjoy a normal life again some point in the future.  PTL

After the pizza snack and nightly meds, Jackie headed into the shower.  We used the shower chair and all went well.  We got  Jackie back in bed for the night and he peacefully fell asleep.

Tomorrow will bring another day full of mental and physical challenges, but Jackie’s determination and your love, support and prayers will give him the strength he needs to make it.

A Real Hug

Jackie had yet another good nights sleep.  We occasionally need to redirect his hands away from his head, but the frequency is slowing down. Since rest is good for healing we have been letting him sleep in.  If necessary we can always reheat his  breakfast.

Erin, PT, was his first session  today.  She had to go to another facility later in the morning so we were able to see her before she left.  We met one of the recreational therapists at the gym.  She worked with Erin the first half of the session. Jackie had the choice of either playing life size Jenga or corn hole.  This choice took about two seconds – corn hole. Our neighbors back home are big corn hole players.  In fact, they got us hooked and now we love to play.  When Jackie and Jim team up they are pretty much unbeatable.  With help from Erin, Jackie stood to play and really enjoyed it.  He did not play against anyone, it was merely a practice session that had many PT benefits.  He even threw a couple with his left hand.  The second half of the session had everything to do with walking.  Erin brought out a walker that had a tall extension on the left side with an arm rest on the top.  Jackie used this to support his left arm.  This souped up walker seemed to help stabilize Jackie as he walked with assistance.  Each day he gets a little bit stronger.  PTL

When the session was over we went back to his room for speech.  Becca worked with Jackie on short term memory skills as well as sequencing. She planned to finish out the second half of his session over lunch.

Jackie took a good nap and then was back up and in his chair waiting for Becca at noon.  She walked in with a huge Philly cheese steak, fries and an apple.  If Jackie could eat the apple without any issues, he could possibly go on a regular diet with no restrictions.  We stayed in the room for the first bite, but then left until the session was over.  When we returned, Jackie had passed with flying colors.  We still need to coach him through eating foods that are harder to swallow and he will remain eating with us in his room.  The next step will be moving to the group room to eat.  Jackie is super sensitive to distractions, so this next step will be difficult for Jackie and for me.

He stayed up a little before heading to bed for a nap,  his next session was pushed back until 3pm.  Paula, OT, was coming to the room to see how Jackie could handle a shower in a chair vs the shower bed/trolley.  The test went well.  Jackie even washed his own hair with his right hand.  When Paula asked if he would rather have a shower in the chair or the trolley, he said trolley.  When asked why, it tied back to the fact that it was easy.  As we all know, rehab is not easy.  It is exhausting, painful and at times frustrating, but it is necessary to push through in order to get better.  Jackie agreed to move forward with showers in a chair.  I was part of the trial today and can help Jackie as long as I have another person with us.

We wheeled Jackie on the shower chair, back into the bedroom.  She moved him to the bed so he could help get himself dressed.  Then it was back up and in his wheelchair. Paula and I were talking and she realized I was not trained to assist Jackie when he wanted to stand.  She taught me how.  This lesson turned out to be an extremely emotional moment for both Jackie and I.  I followed all of Paula’s instructions and had held him in the standing position for the first time.  I gave him a huge hug and he squeezed me back.  We both started to cry.  This was the first time   I truly was able to hug him since February.  I had hugged him in bed before, but this was the real deal.  I cannot explain how I felt, I just know it was a beautiful moment that I will never forget.

When we both pulled ourselves together, Jackie thanked me for being here with him.  I wanted to stand him up and hug him again and not let him go.  He is such a caring young man, who seems to be acutely aware of the amount of help needed to get him through one day.

Jackie and I decided to take a walk to the second floor terrace prior to dinner.  The street sounds on the terrace were a little loud, but we stayed for a short time and then went back down for dinner.

We decided to put Jackie back in bed for a quick rest and to relieve the pressures associated with sitting in a wheelchair.  Once awake, we took a stroll to the sixth floor terrace, but it was a little windy and cold.  We moved down to the second floor  terrace and it was much warmer there,  the boys enjoyed some ice cream for a snack before we headed back to the room.  Jackie once again was tired and soon fell asleep.

Next time you give someone a hug, hold it a little big longer and realize it is a special gift instead of a passing squeeze.

Thank you for your continued positive thoughts, prayers, and support for Jackie.

Historic Hump Day

Jackie slept well Tuesday night. Not having the nutritional tube feeds running enabled him to sleep in a much more comfortable position.  We still need to alternate wedging his body from side to side every couple hours so that his weight is shifted and not putting pressure on one side of his body for long periods of time. Despite the shifts, he still rested well.

Jackie’s doc stopped in as he usually does first thing in the morning.  As he was talking with Jackie and asking him questions about the Flyers, he quickly took out the feeding tube.  PTL!!!  We knew we were getting close to this day, but did not know it would happen today.  The removal process can feel like someone kicked you in the stomach, but is tolerated better and is less painful if you are not aware it is happening.  If you are aware, typically a patient will tighten their ab muscles and that is even more painful.  Jackie definitely felt pain, but the worst was over and just knowing that the tube was out made things feel better already.  Just like the trach site, a gauze bandage will be worn until the opening gradually heals on its own.  In the last day or two, Jackie was complaining about pain near the site, so the timing of removal could not be better.  Based on the fact that his appetite is strong and he proved he could take his meds orally, it was time to come out. Time for celebration once again!!!  I was able to connect with the art therapist and she helped me create a poster for the door that said, Dr. K made my day…on hump day.  The balloons from Trach out Tuesday were still inflated and I had some fresh Hershey candy to share.  It was going to be a great day!

To put the cherry on top of the day, Jim’s Mom who is temporarily taking care of Jovie, our Golden Retriever, brought her in for another visit.  Today Jovie would be attending speech and physical therapy with Jackie.

Becca came to the room at ten for ST with small dog treats in hand.  The funny thing was that Jovie only took the treats if Jackie gave them to her.  As the therapy session continued, Jovie jumped on the bed with Jackie.  I swear he answered questions better when he was touching her.  The hour went quickly and before we knew it Erin came in the room to take Jackie to the gym for PT.  She was able to get the quiet room in the gym.  This way we could keep Jovie isolated from other patients, in the case of allergies, but Jackie could still enjoy her company.  Just like with Joey the Magee therapy dog, Jovie jumped on the mat with Jackie and watched over him the entire hour.  She sat right beside him as he worked through exercises with Erin.  Of course during rest breaks she snuck in a few kisses which helped fuel Jackie to continue to do his best.  At the end of the session, Jim stayed with Jovie in the room when Jackie went out to the therapy floor to practice assisted walking. Erin even had Jackie try a wheelchair that he could push on his own.  Since Jackie’s left side is still very weak, it was a lot of work for Jackie to move the chair and steer it with only one side of his body.  Since you also need strong torso and neck support this will be something we can work toward.

It was time for lunch after PT.  Jovie stayed In the room while Jackie ate and then after a visit with Nana and John she left.  Nana is going to bring her back for Jackie’s OT session on Friday and then for another short visit on Saturday before heading back home.  We are hoping to have her visit another time or two while Jackie is still at Magee.

As you can imagine, Jackie was exhausted.  He went back in bed to rest and fell fast asleep.  Paula his OT was not going to be able to make his session so another therapist and a therapy student came to the room to pick up Jackie for OT.  This session was going to be a challenge as Jackie was still tired from a very busy morning.  The team of two managed to get Jackie engaged in a game of bean bag toss tic tac toe.  The game kept Jackie awake and also stretched important muscle groups and worked on his sitting balance.

He was now done with all of his therapy for the day and once again got back in bed for a well deserved rest.  Grandma and Grandpa were able to sneak a short visit with Jackie before he fell asleep and then again once he woke up before dinner.  The therapists have explained to us that TBI patients get tired very easily in ways you wouldn’t think of, like just visiting with friends and family or being in a room that has a lot of stimulation or multiple conversations going on.  In order for Jackie to be able to maximize his therapy sessions it is very important to keep the visits to a minimum until after his sessions are over each day.

Dinner was next and Jackie was hungry.  He ate very well and then we decided to go up to the sixth floor terrace to get some fresh air.  It was a wonderful change of scenery and helps to make time go faster for Jackie. When we got back to the room Jackie wanted to get in bed, but it was shower night so we convinced him to shave first.  Jim wheeled him up to the mirror so he could watch.  His helmet was off so Jackie had questions about his appearance.  Jim answered them truthfully and Jackie took it in stride. We told him after his final surgery the shape of his head will be back to normal and his hair will grow back in certain spots as well.  I’m sure we will have more conversations about this until his short term memory begins to improve.  This was the first time we had this conversation and it went well.  There are so many facets to TBI recovery, this is just one of them.

After the shave and shower Jackie was in bed for the night.  It was truly a historic hump day!  Hallelujah!!

Working on the Basics

Most of us get up every morning, get out of bed, land on two feet, walk to the bathroom, stand in the shower, get dressed and eat whatever we want for breakfast.  All very routine actions that we take for granted every single day.  Jackie can not do any of these things on his own…yet.  He is working hard on bringing back the basics to his everyday life.

This morning started with an early OT session. Paula came to the room and began to work on the morning basics with Jackie.  With the use of a walker, she helped him transfer from his bed to the chair next to his bed.  Then, knowing his limitations, she walked him through tips on how to pull on his clothes as best as he could. Paula then helped him stand at the sink to brush his teeth and wash his face and hands. He was very hungry when he woke up and said that Paula made him work for his breakfast.  This exercise was a gauge to see how far he has come and what steps need to be taken to get him closer to doing the basics on his own.

Speech therapy was next.  Jackie was attentive and focused. He was verbalizing some pretty impressive vocab words.  Short term memory needs some focus. Becca missed some of the session due to a meeting, so she came back for lunch with a Philly cheese steak and fries. Jackie was thrilled and ate the entire sandwich.  Gotta love it!

Right before lunch Jackie went to PT.  Erin worked with Jackie showing Dad how to transfer him from wheelchair to bed with and without the walker. This process is the next important step for independence from the lift we use to transport Jackie to and from bed! Both Jackie and Jim felt that the easiest method was when Dad physically moved him without the walker.  Erin’s session ended with two walks down the gym floor.  The first trip Erin and Paula provided the necessary support and leg guidance.  The second trip Jackie held onto the walker and that allowed him to hold his torso up better so Paula and Erin could focus on other areas needing support.  Each step gets Jackie closer to the freedom he once knew,  PTL

After his fabulous lunch with Becca, Jackie was beat, he went back to bed and slept for 90 minutes. He was up for a while talking with Dad and Dr.. Todd and then nodded off for another 20 minutes!

When he got up he was ready for dinner.  He ate on time tonight and enjoyed his meatloaf and mashed potatoes.  His meds are going well by mouth, so it was decided that his nutritional feeds will be turned off overnight. This is big!  It means that Jackie is eating well enough during the day that he does not need the extra nutrition at night.  We will take it day by day and hopefully the stomach tube will soon be pulled.

After dinner, three of the PT/OT staffers that worked with Jackie at Jefferson came for a visit. It was awesome to see them again!  Jackie has made great progress since he saw them, the biggest being his neck control and with out a doubt the spoken word.  The entire time they worked with Jackie he was unable to speak.  When they were here we reminisced about some of the fun times we had.  Jackie seemed to remember a couple of the details of the stories that were told.

After they left, Jackie turned in for the night.  The boys watched TV for a short period of time before Jackie fell asleep. Since the overnight nutritional feedings have been turned off, this is the first night in months that he did not have to sleep at a 30 degree angle.

When you are rushing in the morning and are feeling stressed or grumpy or angry, please think of Jackie and be grateful for those very simple morning routines you take for granted, it just might help you have a better day.

Thank you for following Jackie’s story and for the love and support we feel every day.

Back to work

After a weekend off from ST, PT and OT it was time to get back to work.  Jackie went to bed early Sunday night and had a fairly peaceful nights sleep.  He woke up ready for the day.

We saw our doc first thing in the morning and reviewed Jackie’s condition with him. Everything is progressing as it should including the site where the trach was located.  The supervisor of the Respiratory Therapists, who took out the trach, stopped by and said it was healing nicely.  He told Jackie that girls love scars.  We all laughed.

The last foreign object that can be removed from Jackie’s body is his nutritional stomach tube.  We spoke with the doc about this and he would like Jackie to start taking all of his meds by mouth in preparation for when it can be removed.  There will be another celebration when this day occurs.

Breakfast was next and then speech.  Jackie worked hard during the session.  When it was over he told Becca that his brain hurt. My boy still has his sense of humor.  PTL.  Later in the afternoon we had a question for Becca.  It was in reference to a package Jackie received in the mail.  It had cookies with a special ingredient of Peppermint Patties that were homemade by Lenora, Jackie’s first ST at Geisinger.  Her note said she made them just for Jackie but we would need to get Becca’s approval first.  We did and Jackie enjoyed his most special treat up on the sixth floor terrace after all of his sessions were over, with some chocolate milk.  We have also heard from other staffers at Geisinger through cards and even from some of our favorite ICU nurses who took a collection for Jackie and even made their own wristbands.  Jackie wanted to wear the one sent in the mail.  We can’t thank them enough for caring so much for Jackie when he first started his marathon to recovery, and for continuing to shower our family with kindness.

Next up was PT.  Jackie continues to be coachable, working very hard.  Erin worked on Jackie’s torso and neck strength with sitting exercises.  They are definitely working as Jim and I can see a big difference.  Erin also stretched him and then did a standing exercise.  At one point he moved his right foot forward to walk.  He got his chance as that was the last exercise planned for the session.  With the help of two therapists, Jackie walked almost the entire length of the gym.  I wish I could find the words to help you visualize the determined look on Jackie’s face when he is doing assisted walking.  It is if he can now see the finish line and knows there is hope that he will actually get there.  Eventually he will only need one therapist to help and then that big moment will come when he walks on his own.  Much patience and time is needed before we get to that point.

Jackie was beat, but his appetite kept him awake through lunch.  We then moved him to bed to rest up for OT.  An hour went quickly and he was up and back in his chair.  If you remember from an earlier post, we had promised Jackie a new pair of sunglasses if he was able to release a ball and he in fact did just that during one of Paula’s OT sessions.  Well the glasses were ordered and arrived today!  We felt it was appropriate for Jackie to wear them into the gym to meet Paula for his session.  It was great.

During Paula’s session, Jackie used a machine to help with movement in his left arm.  It was basically driven by robotics and moved the hand and arm in different directions.  Jackie followed dots on the screen as his arm was moved by the machine to get to the different points.  The use of the machine should help with overall movement in the arm, but should also help train the brain to make it fully functioning again.

After OT Jackie took a nice nap.  We let him sleep a little past dinner, figuring he could use the rest.  Then it was dinner, a shower and bed.  The boys watched a little bit of a movie, but Jackie was tired so it was lights out.

Don’t forget to set goals and reward yourself when you achieve them. Even the smallest steps can be major progress and time for celebration.  Just ask Jackie.

The Ultimate Pet Therapy

The day started out like any other.  Jackie woke up and had breakfast.  This morning he had french toast and really enjoyed it. We have been starting to review the calendar every morning.  It helps with Jackie’s short term memory,  We review the month, the day of the month and the year.  We also review what we did the day prior and what we plan to do for the day.  Today was going to be a great day, one we have been waiting for, one we couldn’t wait to start.

Knowing what lie ahead, it was best to get Jackie back in bed for a nice rest.   When he awoke we spent some time with cousins on both sides of the family.  Jackie really enjoyed seeing baby Owen.  He is my niece’s baby. Jackie always loved seeing him and today was no exception.  His interaction with Owen was amazing.  He laughed hard at Owen’s raspberry sounds and enjoyed holding his hand and touching his tiny feet.

Lunch was next. Jackie is enjoying his new diet.  It seems more like real food compared to the puréed diet.  His appetite is still good.  Sunday’s are weight days at Magee.  Based on his weight today, Jackie has gained 17 pounds in a little over two weeks.  PTL.  He still has some more to gain to reach his original weight.

Jackie was tired and wanted to go back to bed, but we pushed on and attended recreational therapy.  Jenna held the session on the outside sixth floor terrace.  It was a beautiful day.  We played catch using small tennis balls and the circular Velcro handset.  I can tell Jackie’s coordination and strength is improving. PTL

At this point, Jackie was extremely tired.  We got him back to bed for another nap.  I got the call that Jim and our  two year old Golden Retriever were out in the parking lot.  My sisters sat with Jackie when I went out to see them.  For all of you that have family pets, you will understand how wonderful it was to see Jovie.  I haven’t seen or hugged her since the end of February.  She is a glorious 85 pound beauty who is gentle and very loving.  Jim and I walked her over to  a small park and then came back to Magee for the reunion with Jackie.  We went upstairs and I helped get Jackie out of bed and into his wheelchair.  While I was doing that, Erin his Physical Therapist ran into Jim and Jovie in the lobby.  We had taken care of all the pre-approvals necessary to allow the visit.  Erin stepped in and taped the meeting with our iPad.  Jovie who typically jumps in excitement when she sees people she knows, was very good with Jackie.  He smiled and petted her.  He even got a kiss.  We went up to the sixth floor for fresh air and sunshine and it was there that Jovie put the pieces together.  We took off Jackie’s helmet for just a minute and Jovie immediately jumped up on the side of the wheelchair for another close encounter.  Both Jackie and Jovie thoroughly enjoyed the moment.  It was heart warming and therapeutic.  Jackie tolerated being in his chair with limited complaints.  We were finally back with a member of the family that we had missed dearly and it felt incredible.  The visit had to end, so as Jim was holding on to the leash, we also let Jackie hold on.  He laughed hard as Jovie was pulling his wheelchair down the hall.  Jim’s Mom, John and friends came to pick up Jovie.  She will be staying with his Mom for a couple days this week so we can have more visits before she heads back home to our dear friend who is taking care of her for us.

After the visit Jackie had dinner and then got in bed.  He was so tired, it was not long until he fell asleep.  It is good to have Jim back as we embark on another new week at Magee.

If you have a pet take them on an extra long walk this week.  They are one of the few constants in our lives that give us relief from stress and provide lots of love.

Thanks for your continued positive thoughts, prayers and support.  Jackie realizes how lucky and blessed we are to have all of you in our lives.

Down Time

After a week of hard work, it was nice for Jackie to get a little break.  The only therapy scheduled for today was recreational therapy.  He slept right up until breakfast and enjoyed his first cut up Belgian waffle on his new diet.  Jackie stayed in his chair for a while but then headed back to bed since he was tired and his leg hurt.  It is going to take a while to loosen the tight muscles and stop the cramping in his legs.

After about an hour of rest, Jackie was back in his wheelchair and heading to recreational therapy.  The session was held in the community room next door.  Jenna, the same therapist from last weekend, ran the session.  The first activity involved throwing a large inflatable ball back and forth.  The ball had stars all over it with text written in the center of each star.  When caught Jackie had to read the writing on the star directly located under his thumb and then verbalize three things that related to the words.  For instance breeds of dogs or things you would eat at a ballpark.  Jackie not only enjoyed throwing the ball, but also had answers for most of the categories.  After a couple of games, they moved on to horseshoes.  Jackie did well, especially after putting his glasses on. It is so nice to see him being able to throw things again!  PTL. It amazes me how simple games help strengthen Jackie’s torso and neck as well as increase the use of his left hand. We are scheduled for rec therapy again tomorrow.

After therapy it was back to bed to rest before lunch.  Jackie ate a good lunch and then sat in his chair for a while before going back to bed once again. He rested for a bit and when he woke up we decided to head outside for some fresh air and sunshine.  We also took a fudgesicle with us to help keep Jackie’s mind off his leg pain.  We sat in the warmth of the sun for a  little bit and then moved to the shade.  We came back in the room in enough time to catch another nap prior to dinner.

My sisters came to spend some time with us, so after dinner we all took another quick walk on the 6th floor balcony.  Jackie stayed in his chair a little while longer after returning to his room and then got a shower.  He got back in bed and we talked for a bit before he fell asleep.

Tonight was the first night Jim was not here.  The local golf team, which Jim helps coach, ran a golf tournament for Jackie.  Jim went home for the first time since February to play and meet so many of our dear friends and family.  Both Jackie and I missed him and the way he makes us laugh all the time.

We are so fortunate for the outpouring of support as there have been other fundraisers at restaurants and businesses. We are blessed beyond words and are in awe of the caring and generosity shown by so many.  Please know every effort has touched our hearts.  We cannot thank you enough.

Two Weeks

It is hard to believe that today marks two weeks since we have been at Magee.  Jackie seems to have adjusted well to the new surroundings, the staff and the routine.  This will be our home for the next couple of weeks.

Today Jackie woke up to fruit rolled pancakes.  He was thrilled.  Becca just adjusted his food selections to soft food cut ups.  Gradually Jackie is getting closer to eating a regular diet.

To help alleviate being in the chair for so long , Becca had her speech session bedside.  Jim and I went out to the waiting area and regrouped on some things that needed to get done.  At the end of every session, Becca questions Jackie on some information that she shared at the beginning of the session.  Today, Jackie was able to answer most of her questions, recalling a lot of the information from the sessions start. PTL

Jackie had a half hour after speech to rest up for PT.  Erin was at a training session all day so another therapist worked with him.  The main focus of today’s session was trunk and head control.  These areas were strengthened by working on sitting up unassisted.  Jackie worked really hard and for a couple seconds sat up by himself.  Each day he should continue to get stronger.  He ended the session with a standing exercise.

It was now time for lunch.  Jackie was hungry.  He ate well and then headed back to bed to rest again prior to OT.  Today’s session with Paula was spent in his room.  She worked with him on how he can start helping to get himself dressed and also on bed to chair transfers.  Jim was trained on the transfers as well and can now help Jackie stand or transfer him when needed.  For the last part of the session, we all went up to the 6th floor outside deck and met a recreational therapist there.  She had Jackie play a couple iPad app games.  When we returned to the room, Paula applied heat to one to his legs and showed us how to use the heating pad in his room.

Jackie went back to bed and slept until dinner.  After he ate he was ready for bed again and we started to watch a movie.  We watched just a little and Jackie was ready for sleep.  I’m guessing it will take a while for him to watch a full length movie.

I’m glad Jackie was able to get outside today even for just a little bit. Feeling the sun on your face is always therapeutic. I hope the sun shined down on you today as well.

Please know how much we appreciate your thoughts and prayers.

Can you say cheese steak?

Jackie slept well overnight.  He is starting to even sleep through some of the body turns that are done every two hours. We let him rest in bed longer than normal since he was unable to eat breakfast. He had to fast after midnight for an ultrasound that was going to take place between 9a.m. and 11a.m.  Knowing how healthy Jackie’s appetite has been lately, you can only imagine how hungry he was when he woke up.  As Murphy’s law would have it, the tech did not arrive to do the test until 11a.m.  This threw a wrench into Jackie’s therapy schedule, but things were rearranged to make sure he got all three of his sessions in.

First up was Speech at noon.  Becca brought in a Philadelphia cheese steak with fries and chocolate cake for lunch.  Jackie was so excited as this was something he has wanted to eat for  a long time.  We felt it best for the two of them to focus especially since Jackie was so hungry from not eating all day.  We left the room and came back in half an hour.  When we returned the plate was empty and he was finishing his cake.  Becca stayed to finish out her session.

OT was next.  Paula worked on transfers and also did a lot of stretching on Jackie’s weaker left side, especially his let arm.  She also certified Jim to be able to hold Jackie in a standing position.  This will help as sometimes Jackie needs a break from sitting  or laying down and Jim can now provide this relief for him.

It was now time for the Vector technology which is located one floor below us. It is basically an assisted walking apparatus that attaches to a tract in the ceiling.  The machine which is located right above the patient moves with them and carries the amount of weight that is programmed in by the therapist,  In Jackie’s case they set the machine to carry 30 of his pounds for him.  After being hooked in, the machine lifts Jackie out of his chair and to a standing position, all guided by therapists. Jackie had Erin and another therapist helping him during the entire process.  He took three walks with the machine, each one getting longer in length.  His last walk was the longest and went the fastest.  Erin’s initial goal is to have Jackie be able to use the machine with just her help.  It was incredible to see how the machine worked and to see Jackie standing tall putting one foot in front of the other.  PTL. It was also a reminder that Jackie is making positive progress but there is still a long road of recovery ahead.  We came back to the room and put Jackie in bed.  Jackie slept a little past dinner and then got up.

Besides the cheese steak and the Vector machine there was one other highlight for the day, Jackie’s patient safety status changed from a Red to an Orange tag.  This means that we can now take Jackie off the floor for a change of scenery.  There are some restrictions that go along with this status, but we will take them.

After finishing dinner, we went up to the 6th floor and showed Jackie the wonderful outside balcony.  The small computer lab/library is also located there.  We stopped in and checked out a movie.  We are hoping to watch it Friday night.  While at the library we spoke with the volunteer behind the desk.  She was middle-aged and very helpful.  She was also a past Magee patient.  She has been coming back in one way or another since she was admitted at the age of 14.  It was great to talk with her and hear her positive story.  We were told that Magee is there for each patient for a lifetime whenever they need help. Today we saw a living example of that.

The sun is just starting to rise and it is the start of a new day for Jackie.  Seize your new day, eat your favorite food and get some exercise!