Today was an "average" day according to Jeff. To us that's still much better than a bad day and he actually got a lot accomplished.
In PT he worked hard on practicing getting in and out of bed. A problem Jeff has struggled with during these transfers into bed is that he can get his first leg up without a problem, but the other leg tends to get stuck. He can't get enough leverage to force the bottom half of his leg to go where he needs it to.
In order to fix this problem Annette was given a sewing assignment. She made a strap out of fabric that connects his lower leg (below his knee) to his upper leg (thigh). It has a loop that he can grab, and when doing so it pulls his entire leg in the direction he wants it to go!
When trying it out today the stitching ripped because she only used one pass with a simple zigzag in case she needed to reconfigure things. They learned that the measurements are perfect and it's the solution they've been looking for! Annette is going to sew it again using a heavier thread and when it's completed we'll be posting a picture of it.
We are so proud of our mom for finding ways to use her many talents to help our dad. His mind is always working on how to solve problems more efficiently and they make a great team finding ways to bring his ideas to life!
Jeff pushed himself in the wheelchair for a very long walk during PT. He did a similar long walk yesterday. Today he went all around the hospital buildings, down to State Street, and then back to the hospital following a winding path next to a little stream. It was a great workout.
In OT they worked on designing a tool to allow him to brush his own teeth with an electric toothbrush. They made the strap to go around his hand so he can hold it, but are still working on how he can turn it on and off by himself while it's still in his mouth. If he takes it out and it's still turned on he'll get toothpaste everywhere.
In PT he worked hard on practicing getting in and out of bed. A problem Jeff has struggled with during these transfers into bed is that he can get his first leg up without a problem, but the other leg tends to get stuck. He can't get enough leverage to force the bottom half of his leg to go where he needs it to.
In order to fix this problem Annette was given a sewing assignment. She made a strap out of fabric that connects his lower leg (below his knee) to his upper leg (thigh). It has a loop that he can grab, and when doing so it pulls his entire leg in the direction he wants it to go!
When trying it out today the stitching ripped because she only used one pass with a simple zigzag in case she needed to reconfigure things. They learned that the measurements are perfect and it's the solution they've been looking for! Annette is going to sew it again using a heavier thread and when it's completed we'll be posting a picture of it.
We are so proud of our mom for finding ways to use her many talents to help our dad. His mind is always working on how to solve problems more efficiently and they make a great team finding ways to bring his ideas to life!
Jeff pushed himself in the wheelchair for a very long walk during PT. He did a similar long walk yesterday. Today he went all around the hospital buildings, down to State Street, and then back to the hospital following a winding path next to a little stream. It was a great workout.
In OT they worked on designing a tool to allow him to brush his own teeth with an electric toothbrush. They made the strap to go around his hand so he can hold it, but are still working on how he can turn it on and off by himself while it's still in his mouth. If he takes it out and it's still turned on he'll get toothpaste everywhere.
Jeff's mind is always working, an idea of how to fix this problem is already formed. Jeff's going to enlist the help of Ron, his friend and employee, to fix the button how he wants it using tools at the shop. We are excited to see this latest invention come to life!
Mark Eaton, an old friend (and yes the one time Jazz player), dropped in for a visit this afternoon. Annette said, "It was just great to visit with him and reminisce about old times and the future. It was also great to hear that he is happily married and in a great relationship."
Cherie came to bring Annette dinner tonight. Blake went to a soccer game with a friend. They were lucky enough to have a dry spot when it started to rain!
It's amazing to all of us the ingenuity of our dad as he comes up with ideas to help himself become more independent. Every time he thinks of something new he mentions how other people might also benefit from the design. We are grateful he has found a way to keep his mind busy and to contribute to his own care.
Our dad has found fulfillment in his new life despite the challenges he faces. We are so grateful for how incredibly well he has done mentally and spiritually through this trial. He inspires us every day and we want him to know how proud we are of him and how much we love him.
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