Jeff woke up in a lot of pain today. We are thinking it's all the extra movement and muscle strain from the many, many transfers he did yesterday. After a pain pill he felt better. We are grateful it's a Sunday because they are always much more relaxing.
The therapist, Alex, discussed which wheelchair to take to the zoo. He felt we shouldn't need to waste so much time with taking Trax and then the long walk to the zoo from the closest station. Instead, he gave Jeff permission to take an older manual wheelchair that is easier to transport.
Jeff has used this wheelchair before with success and we are grateful we are able to use it. It will allow us to drive in our normal vehicles and save time. We don't mind taking turns pushing him around the zoo and look forward to the opportunity to serve him in such a small way. Feeling useful has been so important to all of us as we cope with this change!
After lunch Jeff had some tests performed on his bladder. What we learned is that when his bladder reaches a certain volume it starts to spasm. This happens with everyone, what we feel as the urge to urinate. Jeff doesn't have the ability to clench the necessary muscles to stop it from coming. In fact, he doesn't feel anything at all.
This has been a problem as they've tried to figure out how often to empty his bladder to avoid leaking. The next course of action will be to more closely monitor how much fluids he is taking in and empty his bladder more frequently according to those numbers. Not an exact science, but we hope it helps.
He is also experiencing many spasms in his legs, which he doesn't feel. Overall this could be seen as a good thing. The Venous system (which sends the blood back to the heart) is not pressurized. In a normal, healthy body it's muscle movement that helps get the blood from the legs and back to the heart again.
This is why they put the SCD's (leg massagers) on while Jeff is in bed. Also, the tight Ted hose and ace wraps help increase pressure in the legs to help the Venous system work more efficiently. It prevents the pooling of blood and decreases the risk of blood clots.
The spasms are okay in moderation, but if they become excessive we may need to temper them with relaxers... just think "Charlie horse" and you'll see why. Even if he can't feel it, it's not the best thing for a muscle.
All of these things tell us that his body is still working despite his injury. The nerves throughout his body are firing back and forth, trying to do their job. They can't get their signal to the brain, so they just keep firing. This is where the tingly nerve pain comes from.
Blake came up to the hospital today and talked with the therapist while he was there. The therapist told him about all the schooling he did to become a physical therapist. Blake has the personality to successfully work in any field in the Healthcare system. We would all support him if he were to pursue an education to become a physical therapist!
Today was the first time in the past 8 weeks that Jeff and Annette were able to partake of the Sacrament. This is a holy ordinance, a gift from our Father in heaven, so we can repent of our sins and renew the sacred covenants we made at baptism.
This was a very special moment for Jeff. Emotions ran high as he recognized a much more profound meaning for the Sacrament in his life. He said it meant so much more to him than it ever has before.
We are so grateful for the fully restored gospel of Jesus Christ in our lives. The gentle whisper of the Holy Ghost has touched each of us in our time of need to remind us of our Father's love.
Jeff and Annette were able to finish watching the movie they had started last night.
There were several visitors tonight, each of which we are so grateful to for taking the time to drop in. Greg Christopherson, Quinn and Chad Stringham, Rod Lyon with his wife, and their son Nate Lyon.
We are looking forward to our trip to the zoo tomorrow. Jeff is looking forward to having a hot dog! We are praying everything goes smoothly and can't wait to post about our adventure!
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