At 11 am Ryan, Zach, and Blake met at the hospital to learn how to transfer Jeff using one person. They first took turns practicing how to transfer Jeff out of his wheelchair and onto the therapy bench, and then back again. Annette, Brandi, Cherie, and Aliyah watched the learning process take place and they all had a few good laughs.
First the PT showed them how to complete a manual transfer:
They were being good students and watching and listening very carefully to the instructions:
Time to try it out, oldest to youngest, Zach went first:
Then Ryan tried it:
Then Blake tried it:
Ryan says it was a lot more complicated than he expected. He said, "You have to slide him forward on his chair, put his feet on the ground and pinch his knees between your knees so they can't slide forward. Then you put your head down by his hip, either side depending on which way you are going. Then he leans over your shoulder and puts his arms down your back. Then you put your hands underneath his butt and then rock back and forth three times to get some momentum, sticking your butt out to counterbalance the weight, kind of like when you do a squat. Then on three you kind of pick him up just high enough to move him to turn where you are going and set him down."
Next they went down to the parking lot and took turns transferring Jeff from the wheelchair to the car seat, and then back again.
Since they were already outside they made their way over across the street to Rumbi for lunch.
When they realized they forgot Jeff's special fork, Blake volunteered to walk back to the room to get it.
When he arrived, Jeff & Annette's friends Brian and Julie Oldham were there trying to find a marker to leave a note stating that they had been by. Brian and Julie went back to Rumbi with Blake and visited while the others ate.
When they got back to the hospital it was back to therapy.
Since yesterday Jeff has been trying out a new manual wheelchair that has a power assist to experience what it's like. They planned on taking it to the zoo and wanted to be more familiar with it.
When the therapist tried to show them how to take it apart and put it back together for transport they couldn't get the back to go to the proper position for use. It was stuck! Jeff didn't particularly like this wheelchair anyway and we are extremely grateful it broke at the hospital and not when we arrived at the zoo.
While the therapist was working on the wheelchair baby Aliyah laid by her Grandpa Jeff and showed him how she laughs (she just started this). She also enjoyed tugging at his shirt and eating it.
For now it's undecided what we'll do as far as transport goes for our field trip. The heavier power chair isn't an option at this time because we don't have a vehicle with a lift to transport it yet. They are exploring different options.
Other things left to consider are Jeff's health restrictions. Frequent problems he has are a decreased blood pressure, temperature regulation issues, and the need for catheters to empty his bladder.
Annette was instructed on specific signs and symptoms to watch for that will indicate if something is wrong. For instance, sweating could mean he is over heated. She would then need to take his temp and do whatever is necessary to bring it to a good level. They have a squirt bottle with a fan to take if this becomes an issue. A jacket would be needed if the opposite occurs.
Besides how Jeff is feeling, a good overall indicator of his current condition, certain signs can mean danger. If he is pale or feeling faint Annette will take his blood pressure and then take steps to rectify the problem... A list of many things that she needs to remember.
She was given a backpack to store all of Jeff's needed supplies in. A blood pressure cuff, thermometer, and catheter supplies are just a few of the items included.
When talking on the phone with Julee about all of this, Annette expressed anxiety over everything she needs to remember. Julee (an RN) teased her that she is unofficially going to nursing school! Annette joked back that they will never be leaving the house once they get home because of everything they have to keep in mind.
While Annette may be nervous, she's had weeks of practice taking care of our dad. She is the one who usually reminds the nurse when his bladder needs to be emptied. She watches how the nurses do things and then learns how to do them herself. She asks questions so she can understand why they do things a certain way.
We have no doubts that she is far more capable than she feels at this point in time. And if we run into any hiccups on our outing, our whole family will be there to lend a hand. This will be a great learning experience for all of us!
The rest of the day was relaxed. Jeff and Annette ate dinner and she stayed for the evening. They started watching a movie. Annette promised to get us a picture of them on the bed together sometime soon.
We have a lot to look forward to. Our excitement over our upcoming outing is coupled with a healthy dose of reality. It will be a challenging day for all of us as we get a feel for our new life with our dad. Our anxiety is tempered by the knowledge that we will be together.
We are so grateful for the many blessings that have come about because of this trial, like how close our family has become. Of course we would prefer it had never happened, but since that's out of our control we are focusing on the good.
This is something our dad has taught us. Every day he chooses to look for the good in life. If he can do that after all he's been through, then we most certainly can too.
1 comment:
Love you Brandi. Keep smiling.
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