Recovery

The Team Save Janet Report is Out! #TSJ #tour

Day two of renovations was productive and we now have internet at the new house. I felt naked without it.

Janet called me around four to ask when I’d be there to visit her. She sounded like she was having a good day and when I arrived around five thirty she was all smiles and about to have dinner. She was quick to tell me she didn’t sleep “at all” last night and Curtis confirmed she was awake at four thirty. I feel she must have slept at some point because she was way too awake and bright otherwise. She very confidently told me of her morning and the “class” she went to that turned out to be some sort of residents meeting. Janet told me she spoke about our new car, selling our house and buying a new one. Pretty good! There was no arguing about the gym tonight and her Shuttle session was excellent. I keep trying to impress her with statistics but she doesn’t always buy into it. Her improvement is noticeable especially with the amount of extension she is able to get now. Janet was a little tired by the time we attempted some free standing so that wasn’t her best tonight. The Standing Frame was good tonight as well with a nice straight upper body but we still need to work on the leg positioning. Curtis will consult Tez tomorrow on that one.

Our plan was for me to read to Janet for a while before bed and Janet did a great job of getting herself ready. A page and a half into the read she was sound asleep. Good thing we were re reading for tomorrows She Life session and hopefully this means she will have a good sleep tonight.

With our good Internet connection restored I was finally able to upload the video tour of the new house. Check it. http://youtu.be/f8mj1SNXwbU

Praying for increasing strength and flexibility and lots of energy tomorrow.

The Team Save Janet Report is Out! #TSJ #demolition

Day one of the renovation project at our new house was definitely a day of demolition. Randy wasted no time in taking apart the main closet. I thought that was a reasonable goal for today but he also got the kitchen dismantled as well! Here’s what it looked like by 5pm.

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I got to Connect as everyone was eating dinner and having Nash with me brought out the “ahh’s” and “he’s so cute” from most. I’m not ready to leave him in the new house yet so he’ll be travelling to Connect each day for the next while.

Janet was in a good mood until the word gym was mentioned. She fought long and hard against going but ended up making a real nice effort on the Shuttle and doing some nice free standing. I wasn’t going to upset her again so didn’t push the Standing Frame. We sat on the couch together and watched The Voice. Neither of us has been blown away by any of the talent yet but Janet still loves the show.

Tomorrow promises to be busy for me so I’m praying Janet has lots of energy and a willingness to work hard so she has a productive day.

The Team Save Janet Report is Out! #TSJ #NewHouse

From our new house!

No longer at my secret location, this post is coming to you from the new house on Lanfranco Road. It doesn’t look or feel like ours right now but we start work on that tomorrow.

Janet was up early for a Sunday and I can only guess it was the anticipation of the Seahawks game that did it. At least that was her answer when I asked her what the big event of the day was. Love her. We watched most of the first half before meeting Les to get the keys to the new place.

Janet was excited and a little overwhelmed trying to piece everything together. After checking a few things out with Les I toured her around and could tell it was difficult for her to sense that it’s our home. She agreed she won’t recognize it in a few weeks and once our stuff is here it’ll seem more ours. I did shoot a video tour today but am unable to upload it. I’ll try tomorrow.

Our neighborhood is full of cool places to eat and shop so to kick things off I took Janet to lunch at Urban Fare. It was really nice to sit in a cozy space with live music and good food. Hardly felt like a grocery store at all. It was really nice to see a lot of Sandrine’s product available there too! For regular groceries it’s a little expensive so after a quick stop at Save On it was back to the house where Janet became first to sleep in it.
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I was able to inventory some of the stuff we’ll try and sell out of here while Janet was napping. Of course that wasn’t the best nap ever but it recharged her enough to enjoy another great experience at Joey Kelowna. We tried going there last night but faced with a twenty five minute wait we employed plan B. The hostess remembered us tonight, told the manager and he bought us a glass of wine! Unreal.

Back at Connect I packed the rest of my stuff while Janet put away laundry and got her meds. I could feel the sadness knowing the amount of time I get to spend with her will be far less during this renovation time and I really had to work to keep the conversation from going there. I helped Janet respond to some overdue correspondence then read to her in bed before lights out. Janet was appreciative of the day off from exercise and ought to be ready to hit it hard tomorrow. I’m certainly praying for that and continued healing.

The Team Save Janet Report is Out! #TSJ #trinitykelowna

From a secret location very close to Janet.

Tomorrow we get the keys to our new house! That means this is my last night at the secret location very close to Janet. I’m not sure if I’m more excited see the house and get started on the renovations or be able to empty the stuff out of our new car that I’ve been packing around the last week. It feels like I haven’t really been able to drive it out of fear of sending something crashing. Both will be exciting I’m sure. Janet reminded me tonight that she’d like to be a part of things as they go along at the new place and when I asked her if she wanted to drive by the old house today she said “no, it might make me wish we lived there”. I asked her that as we dropped off some dog food for Nash and she didn’t want to see him either as “it would make me sad”. It would not have been fair to have him think we were picking him up then take off on him again so I’m glad she said no.

Janet’s day prior to that had been good with Garrett taking her to the gym this morning for a good long workout. We offered Janet the chance to go to sledge hockey again but her fear of being cold made that decision for her. Garrett said they did a really good stretching session and a decent job on the Shuttle. After lunch we got Janet into the Standing Frame putting as much weight through her right leg as possible and despite a few complaints of pain early on she tolerated it well. I still feel like we haven’t found the optimum positioning for her yet.

We attended the service at Trinity tonight and for the first time Janet stood and sang the entire first song! I held her the whole time and she wasn’t exactly elegant but she managed and it was cool. She enjoyed Wayne’s message so much she asked to go down front to say hi afterwards. She never does that and told me later that she is better able to follow Wayne’s talks as opposed to anyone else’s.

After a stop for dinner we arrived back at Connect with enough time for a Popsicle before bed. Today was a solid day for Janet and I’m praying for a night of deep and healing sleep and an exciting day tomorrow.

The Team Save Janet Report is Out! #TSJ #turkeydinner

From a secret location very close to Janet.

Janet’s morning was rather routine today. Breakfast, Shuttle, shower, Standing Frame, lunch, then a little time with me to respond to an email from her dad. Janet hasn’t been typing on the iPad for a while and was quite reluctant to do it thinking she couldn’t. I need to keep working on this with her as I believe it’s an important skill and she’s not as bad at it as she thinks. She also doesn’t think she can read but yes she can.

Knowing tonight was the big turkey dinner for everyone connected to Connect, Janet agreed to a nap after the iPad work. I quickly painted her nails after she got up and we went to the Winfield Memorial Hall for the Fall Social. Janet went in saying “your going to know everyone and I’m not going to know anybody”. Before we sat down she had been welcomed by at least six people and had changed her tune to “lots of people are saying hi to me”. There were some little kids there and one at our table that kept Janet’s attention for a good part of the evening. The dinner was very good with Janet gobbling down a large portion of turkey. Pun intended. The staff had put together a slide show featuring all the residents from the past year. Janet said “there won’t be any pictures of me”. Two minutes in she had appeared four times with each one making her laugh. She was well represented throughout the show and wondered why because “I’m never out doing anything”. Funny how she perceives herself sometimes. Janet says she would have danced with me but “not to that music”. That’s a line I used to use while waiting for the scotch to take effect. I didn’t push the dancing on her and we got back to Connect in time to read a little, watch some TV and go to bed.

Today had a nice steady pace to it and Janet was good throughout. Praying for healing sleep and a willingness to try sledge hockey one more time tomorrow.

The Team Save Janet Report is Out! #TSJ #cold

From a secret location very close to Janet.

Swimming day! I was looking forward to seeing how fun the outing to the Y would be and can now see a lot of value in the trip as far as socializing goes. The swimming aspect was not good compared to KGH as Janet found the water in the big pool to be way too cold. I agree and after the session we went wet suit shopping for her. I think there’s huge benefit to Janet going out to public places like that and if she needs a wet suit in order to do it, so be it. Despite the cold water at first she agreed to try the kiddie pool which was warm enough and just deep enough to allow her to swim and it didn’t take long for the smile to come to her face. Janet didn’t totally relax until she was in the hot tub a half hour later though. That was the most social area and I had to almost coax Janet out of there twenty minutes later.

Since we were now going shopping we went out for lunch to Red Robin in hopes of sitting outside. Alas, even though today was nice, there have been enough ugly ones lately for them to close their patio already. We still had a nice lunch and I was able to let Janet eat without being covered in napkins. As long as she thinks about what she’s doing she spills a lot less food now and I can see the potential for being bib free one day. Wet suits are not easy to find in Kelowna but the local dive shop has ordered one in for her to try next week. Here’s hoping.

Back at Connect after a short car nap Janet mustered enough energy for a Skype chat with Heather then asked to have a nap. She woke up from her “nap” quite grumpy and argumentative. I don’t think she slept at all and when she’s tired she gets upset with herself and her situation. Even with the bad attitude she wanted to get her exercises over with and once into the Shuttle routine she started to cheer up. There was a little complaining during the Standing Frame but she still made it through the forty five minutes. We had dinner on our own as it was seven o’clock by the time Janet was ready and everyone else had long since finished. I let her chose the activities the rest of the night and after watching X Factor she asked to get ready for bed. More evidence she likely didn’t nap this afternoon.

So ends another pretty busy day and if you take out the late afternoon melt down, a good one for Janet. Praying for a rejuvenating sleep and a positive day tomorrow.

The Team Save Janet Report is Out! #TSJ #speakingout

From a secret location very close to Janet.

The first major event of today was this morning’s team meeting. These are held every couple of months to ensure we are all up to date on how Janet is progressing and to evaluate her goals in each area of her rehab. Janet has been present at all of these meetings to date with today being the first time she really spoke out and lead the discussion in part. Her voice was loud and clear and the comments she made were appropriate and allowed for feedback from the group. It was really encouraging to witness. Our time with Tez yesterday took care of a large chunk of the agenda and allowed for more time spent on topics that usually don’t get much time. Mary Lou continues to be impressed with Janet’s Speech improvements and will be retesting Janet very soon to see if a different approach to Speech is warranted. The thought is that one to one therapy may no longer be the best method and some sort of group situation may be better. When I informed the team that Janet is starting the She Life program at Trinity tonight they were thrilled to hear that and thought that would be a perfect next step. Overall the meeting was a big success especially with Janet participating so much.

Jess took Janet to the gym then she chose to get the Standing Frame done as well. She spent forty five minutes standing nice and straight with no table to lean on and weight going through both legs. Her right arm relaxed enough to almost completely straighten out too. I think that’s a good thing but will check with Tez to make sure its not too hard on her shoulder. A light lunch signaled the end to a busy first part of the day and with a busy evening looming Janet agreed to a nap.

To make the most of the outing to church we left early to do some shopping for the new house at the mall and were very successful in our efforts. There was time for a stir fry dinner before going to the church and Janet was well fed and ready for the evening when we got there. Janet was greeted by lots of friendly ladies as we wheeled in and she was made to feel very comfortable. Heidi escorted her to her table and promised to “take over” from me for the evening. Almost two hours later I got a text from Heidi saying they were done and found Janet still smiling and in a good mood at her table. She said “it was fine” and “I’m glad I went and met all those ladies”. That’s more than the best feedback I could have hoped for from Janet and she is looking forward to returning next week. I am too as I get to serve with the Tech Team again, not that I need anymore projects but I’ve really missed hanging with Dave, Joel and the rest of a very talented and inspirational team of people.

I sensed Janet needed a little time to wind down when we got back to Connect so we watched X Factor before getting ready for bed. Turned out to be a good call as Janet enjoyed the show then fell asleep almost as we finished our prayers. Once again I was able to list a lot of successes for Janet today and she gave very little resistance to my list. Either she was too tired to argue or she’s starting to believe me a little more. Praying for a night of uninterrupted sleep and lots of energy for tomorrow’s activities and thanking Jesus for continuing to place the right people and right opportunities in our lives at the right time.

Finally, most of you figured out which car Janet and I bought. It is a 2012 Subaru Outback that was taken on trade only thirty minutes before we showed up at Anthony’s Subaru to look at an older model they had. The car only has 15,000 kilometers on it and so far seems to be a really good choice. Janet can get in and out easily. She can fasten her seatbelt without assistance and her wheelchair fits in the back no problem. The dual zone climate control actually works so her side of the car can be ridiculously warm as she likes it and mine can be comfortable. As soon as I figure out the Bluetooth function for my iPhone I’ll be really happy.

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The Team Save Janet Report is Out! #TSJ #workout

From a secret location really close to Janet.

The first day of October and the winds of change are blowing. Outside, there’s snow on some of the mountains and inside Connect there’s big changes to Janet’s exercise routine. Tez popped by this morning after breakfast and agreed to stay and talk as he may not make tomorrow’s Team Meeting. I’m really glad he stayed as we had a very productive time together. I explained how the KGH pool is becoming more of a chore for Janet and the Rutland Family Y Pool is at least fun for her. Tez agreed that Janet would receive more benefit from going to the Y as there will be staff there to work with her and he is able to attend often especially if there’s a large group there. Besides the fun element there are more therapeutic opportunities at the Y because of the variety of pools you can access. As long as the water is warm enough. So, unless Janet wants to go to KGH, we are done there.

As a goal for the next couple of months I want to focus on strengthening Janet’s right leg and Tez advised that weight bearing and gaining trust in herself will be the keys to achieving that. He said the Shuttle sessions should include a good warm up then pushing as much weight as possible with that right leg. He instructed everyone to place Janet’s feet much lower than we have been in order to allow her a greater stretch. We tried that tonight and what a difference! It’s harder for Janet to push but she pushes two to three inches farther which is a huge benefit. For weight bearing there will be lots of standing and some parallel bars work. Tez introduced a new technique on the Standing Frame which is very cool and allows for Janet to stand almost free and put weight on her right leg.

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Here’s a pic of her in the new position making me a peanut butter sandwich, the first meal she’s made me unassisted in sixteen months. It was damn good. Janet will be using the Standing Frame this way to perform some tasks like making a sandwich or working on the iPad or playing cards. We tried it tonight with minimal success but after returning her to the old position minus the table she stood the straightest ever as she had nothing to lean on and for the first time I’ve noticed, there was some weight going through her right leg. I made sure to ask Tez about the frequency of workouts for Janet so she could hear the answer. I jokingly said four times a day and Tez wisely agreed. Janet negotiated down to two times and didn’t argue about going at all tonight. I hope she remembers that for tomorrow and beyond.

Janet worked super hard today and accomplished a lot. She’s not totally convinced of course but there is some improvement in the confidence area. I think she feels better about herself after a busy and tiring day than one that’s not super busy but still successful. It helps if you can spell out a big list of accomplishments like I could today. Praying for an uninterrupted sleep tonight and a productive meeting and day tomorrow.

Still no correct guesses on the car. Does this help you?

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The Team Save Janet Report is Out! #TSJ #swimming

From a secret location very close to Janet.

Janet thought she was going to have an easy morning as the only thing planned today was swimming at KGH. Breakfast was done in time for Jess to take her to the gym for a Shuttle session and a little stretching. Janet was happy to get it over with and was for the pool.

Sean, the PT from 4B was in the pool with us for the first few minutes and Janet took great delight in trying to splash him. She wasn’t successful but had fun trying then Sean gave us a few new exercises to do in the water and suggested that weight bearing in that right leg is really important. I put a five pound weight on Janet’s right ankle to see if that would help her keep it on the bottom and it did somewhat but there is so much tone in that leg I think we’d need fifteen pounds to keep it down and Janet wouldn’t be able to move it at all then. Overall the pool sessions were good today with the biggest smiles coming from targeting Sean and swimming on her own and the toughest part being walking and using her right leg.

We had to stop by the Interior Health offices at Capri Mall for some administrative work then went to the food court there for a lunch of some decent Chinese food. We were pleasantly surprised to see our church friend Carol there with her group of senior single ladies out for the afternoon. The drive back to Connect was a quiet one as Janet faded and was actually snoring as we pulled into the parking lot.

It was a fun evening together watching football while in the Standing Frame then watching The Voice with Humberto, Wes and Karl the rest of the night. Janet loves that show and even sang out loud to one of the songs, a good warm up for singing with John tomorrow.

No one has guessed the model of our new car yet, some got the make so here is a more revealing picture.

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Guesses?

Praying for a deep and healing nights rest and lots more strength for that right leg.

The Team Save Janet Report is Out! #TSJ #newcar

From a secret location really close to Janet.

Since I’m staying so close to Janet I finally had a complete day with her. The morning was a bit of a scramble as I had some organizing of stuff that wouldn’t fit into the Big Steel Box to do before I could fit Janet into the car and go to church. This was Janet’s first ride in the new car since it became ours. She got in easily and was very comfy especially with the heated seats on. It is Fall here now for sure you know. Janet even commented on the smooth ride compared to the Vibe and even loaded down with stuff and her it was a fun drive in to church. Here’s a pic of Janet in the new ride.

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Any guesses as to what car we bought? If you don’t know I’ll include a more revealing picture tomorrow. Of the car that is.

Church was great with lots of lively easy to sing to music that Janet seemed to really enjoy and all the folks sitting around us this morning were very friendly even though we only know one of them. That’s the way it ought to be right? Following the service we did what a lot of Kelowna types do after church, head to the Mall. Janet was in need of shoes and long sleeve shirts so after lunch she got to shop. A successful trip it was that gave us time to do a little shopping for the new house as well. Not wanting to shop around much we trusted Sears Home to back up their product like they usually do and bought a bed and will go back for a fridge, wall oven and cook top unless the new kitchen plans change drastically. Janet was fading a little by the end of the Sears visit but it was good having her there to ensure the bed we bought wasn’t too high for her like our previous one was.

Back at Connect Janet had a good phone conversation with her mom. I heard strong reminders of what she sounded like talking on the phone before the aneurysm especially in her laugh. Following the phone call she insisted on going to the gym before dinner so off we went and she had a good Shuttle session although I am noticing an increase in stiffness on her right leg. She said it hurt as I stretched her. Could be a lack of Botox, not sure. Janet tolerated the Standing Frame very well then after dinner helped sort out her clothes so she is winter ready and has summer put away. Sad.

Since she didn’t get a nap this afternoon Janet was tired early tonight and asked to get ready for bed at eight o’clock. We had joined the masses and watched the finale of Breaking Bad before that, a show neither of us had seen before and even though Janet didn’t understand it she wasn’t turned off by it either. Maybe we can be a little more adventurous in our movie choices now as long as she can follow the story. 14A perhaps? After reading an entire chapter of Not a Fan to her, Janet was ready for lights out. I’m looking forward to her being able to discuss the book with others starting Wednesday night.

Praying for a long and restful sleep tonight and lots of energy tomorrow.