Rehab

Janet, A Success Story. July 10. #TSJ

Today was get away day for Janet and when I got to Connect to pick her up I could tell she had been focused on that all day. She was deliberate in telling me she had just finished the Standing Frame and was ready to go. Since she was headed for the dentist I insisted she brush her teeth before we leave and that also gave her a chance to walk down the hall, something she hadn’t done much of today. She knew to stop by the med room to get her meds for the weekend and from what I could tell she performed that task well.

Janet has been doing a great job of brushing her teeth and I floss for her every night so we were both surprised when the dentist showed us three cavities in Janet’s mouth. He says they are likely leftovers from her hospital days and just took this long to show up. Hopefully that’s the end of them. All else is good in that department and Janet blew their minds by walking into the office freestyle all the way to the exam chair. The folks there have been very supportive since day one so it was nice for them to see Janet’s amazing physical progress up close.

Exchanging nap time for sun time Janet enjoyed some warmth before helping me make dinner. I could get real use to cooking like this. She’s more of a help each time and as planned we walked down to Menchie’s for a frozen yogurt later on.

First Menchie's #selfie

First Menchie’s #selfie


It’s a fun and smiley place for sure and we’ll be back as a treat from there goes to the winner of our So You Think You Can Dance bet. We watched this week’s episode tonight and Janet’s contestant out performed everyone we thought with mine doing OK. They both survived the first cut.

Praying for a restful night of sleep that provides lots of energy for a fun Friday.

Remember, there will be no posts now until late Sunday night unless events warrant. Peace.

Janet, A Success Story. July 9. #TSJ Video, Speed Walking

Janet’s day was pretty routine for the first half. She reported to me that she “did everything and it was all good”. Her pendant alarm rang as soon as I got to Connect so I went straight to her room where she was getting up from her nap and needed to go to the bathroom. Without her AFO and shoes on it’s not possible for her to walk on her own so she needs help and is really good at asking for it now. Once dressed, Janet walked well all the way to the patio where we stayed through dinner as the A/C was too cold inside. I will admit I turned the A/C on at our house today for the first time, as by 11 o’clock this morning it was over 28 degrees inside and that’s too warm even for me.

I thought with the heat I’d be able to convince Janet to go for a swim in the lake but she wasn’t having anything to do with that. It was all I could do just to get her feet in the water. It’s a start.
JanetWoodLake
We spent a lot of time planning things tonight. One thing I try to involve Janet in each week is the meal planning at home. She helps decide what the dinners will be and helps create a shopping list with me. Doing that could be a chore but thankfully Janet seems to enjoy begin involved in the decision making and appreciates each meal more when it happens as she had some input into it. We also try to plan some of our activities for when she is home and I think tomorrow evening we are finally going to get to try Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt. MMMM.

You haven’t gotten to see Janet walk for a while so I thought I’d give you a quick peak. Last night she flat out refused to go get her meds without me, tonight she never even asked me, she just got up and walked away. This is her making the return trip in record time.


Impressive huh? For reference, that walk really took just under three minutes.

Janet asked to go to bed a little early tonight so we’d have more time to read Are You There God, It’s Me Margaret. We did and she laughed a lot and continues to really enjoy it which is maybe why she remembers it so well. Each night before I read I ask her to tell me what happened the previous night and since we started this book she’s been bang on.

Praying for a good night of sleep and an energetic Thursday.

Janet, A Success Story. July 8. #TSJ Mobility equals Power

Dr. Miller was once again full of praise for Janet during their meeting this morning and she really seems to value his opinion. Janet did a great job filling him in on the wedding and travel adventures, speaking clearly with no struggle to find key words. Janet made the trip with no wheelchair and walked from the waiting area into Dr. Miller’s office unassisted. She left the same way after securing another speaking engagement. Dr. Miller invited Janet to speak to his Neuropsychology class at UBCO in March. She is all for it and is really starting to gain an appreciation for sharing her story.

Trips to KGH like that take up the entire morning so by the time Janet and Jess got back to Connect it was lunchtime. There was a little time for a bike ride before nap time which was very short partly because it was so nice outside and partly because I showed up soon after Janet laid down. She negotiated what she thought was a good deal for herself, going for a long walk instead of doing The Shuttle, until she realized she would actually be walking. For some reason she thought I’d be pushing her in the wheelchair, anyways, she put in a great effort walking freestyle roundtrip from her room upstairs to the pool room and back. That got her sweating and hungry for dinner. Then it was my turn to get sweaty as we walked, this time with the wheelchair, down to the lake. Summer is in full swing here and Janet loved sitting by the water watching the little kids play in it. I think I may have succeeded in getting her to try a swim tomorrow! Hopefully.
JanetLake
Games night was quiet tonight with only four of the usual group there. Janet started strong but faded notably the last twenty minutes on account of that super short nap this afternoon. It was still a good brain exercise to go through and a good physical one walking back to her room.

Janet’s increased mobility has given her new found power. It used to be that even if she didn’t want to walk somewhere I just had to grab her hand and start walking and she had no choice but to follow along. Tonight she flat out refused to walk down and get her meds and since she’s walking on her own, she turned and plunked herself down on her bed and refused to move for a good fifteen minutes. When I agreed to stay close to her she headed out and I stayed at the halfway point and watched her. She did great and I could hear her once again correctly name her meds and what they are for. She’s better than she thinks she is.

Praying for a long and restful sleep that provides lots of energy for a fun Wednesday.

Janet, A Success Story. July 7. #TSJ

Getting back into her routine at Connect seemed easy for Janet today. She completed her exercises by lunchtime except for the Standing Frame and got some sun tanning time in before nap time. Yesterday I had asked her to check and see if Jess could drive her to the Dr. Miller appointment tomorrow and Janet remembered to do that. Her memory is steadily improving as is her walking ability. After helping her up from nap time I had her walk to the kitchen to set the table and she did so quicker and more confidently than ever. She did use the wall for security purposes a few times but it seems that letting her do that is actually building her confidence rather than making her dependant on that “crutch”. Janet got the table set in record time and made some really nice 180 degree turns in the process, something she has long struggled with.

Escaping to the warmth of the patio after her chore was done Janet and I hid out there until dinner was ready and Karl and Chelsea agreed to back off on the damn A/C. Janet continued her excellent walking after dinner before getting in the Standing Frame. After properly repairing her wheelchair we were able to go for a nice sunset walk around the neighbourhood. To end the day, Janet had one more round trip of walking to do to get her meds and even though she was getting tired she did very well. No signs of falling and a good steady pace. She was sweating by the time she got back to her room but I think happy with her accomplishments, especially naming the meds correctly with only minor hints.

We are reading a Judy Blume book now called Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. I’m not sure where we got the recommendation but its working out much better than the Toni Braxton story. This one is funny and fast paced and full of young girl things that Janet easily relates to. She had lots of good giggles tonight and that always makes it a little easier to say goodnight. Praying for a good rest tonight and for a good visit with Dr. Miller tomorrow.

Janet, A Success Story. July 3. #TSJ

I got my phone call from Janet much earlier than typical today as she very excitedly called me right after Genie Bouchard won her semi final match at Wimbledon. Janet watched the last half of the match during her breakfast and was super excited Genie won, so much so that we are getting up early Saturday to watch the Championship live. Janet is liking both the game of tennis (“it’s played in a nice warm, clean place”) and the person that Genie seems to be (“a nice and intelligent good looking person”).

Another thing that got Janet all excited today was getting to come home for the weekend. Garrett commented that Janet really took the initiative in regards to her exercise routine this morning by walking up to him on a couple of occasions and asking if she could do something. According to Janet she was motivated by not only wanting to get them done but by the prospect of coming home. Whatever works.

Tez was in the building today and offered a few tips on walking. I’ve been nagging Janet to stop hanging onto walls and furniture while walking freestyle and Tez says not to worry about that as long as Janet isn’t leaning onto things for support. If it’s for security purposes its fine. I asked him about Janet walking barefoot for a few steps and he thought that wasn’t the greatest idea but if Janet wants to do so using her cane and carefully stepping out with her right foot so it lands flat on the floor, fine. We brought the cane home in case she wants to try. The motivation for this is to refrain from using the wheelchair as much as possible including first thing in the morning and when going to the bathroom after having gotten into bed at night or after a nap. Sounds like it may be a little too soon to really go after.

Janet was a big help at dinner time tonight, preparing a veggie stir fry by herself except for getting the very heavy frying pan out and turning on the cooktop. I could have sat back and drank wine while she cooked. Maybe tomorrow.

Praying for a long night of reenergizing sleep and a productive Friday.

Janet, A Success Story. July 1. #TSJ New Hair

There wasn’t much going on for Canada Day in Lake Country tonight so it was a good thing Connect took a bunch of residents over to the festivities in the park this morning. Janet was super excited to tell me she’d seen “some doggies doing a show”. Sounded like a Super Dogs kind of thing and she loved it.

They spent pretty much the whole morning over there which meant all of Janet’s gym work had to be done after her nap. She did have a nap today and was refreshed enough to not protest going to the gym. I did insist that she arrange it with Garrett by walking down to the kitchen area first and told her I’d meet her there. This was the first time I’ve left her unsupervised walking at Connect and I was more than a little nervous about it. Janet clearly was not though and made it down in good time, cheating a little bit by hanging onto the wall for the last few feet. Garrett and I told her if she keeps doing that she’ll have to wash the walls each day. I don’t think that will actually deter her but I do hope she stops doing that soon. Garrett ran her through the Shuttle and some stretching then I supervised the bike ride. Janet did well with them all.

The rest of the evening was pretty quiet with Janet walking a lot on her own, completing a Standing Frame session and watching a little TV. The most exciting thing today was the surprise I got when I went to get Janet up from her nap and saw her hair in a ponytail. I knew her hair was getting long and am glad we are now able to do something different with it.

Rockin the Pony

Rockin the Pony


She loves it too so now I have to learn some new tricks. If anyone wants to give lessons let me know. Praying for lots of sleep and a fun Wednesday.

Janet, A Success Story. June 29. #TSJ Relaxing

For once I felt totally OK in not having anything planned for the day and allowing the goal to be relaxation and it worked well. After quite a busy Friday and Saturday Janet had a relaxing and enjoyable Sunday which of course made it really difficult to take her back to Connect tonight.

Janet had a great Skype chat with her mom this morning and as I listened in from a distance I noticed Janet needing a minimum of cueing in answering questions and she stayed on topic really well. She performed equally well as we chatted with Scott and Nora from Chicago this afternoon. Janet was thrilled to discuss the wedding and family with someone else and loved seeing and talking to two awesome people. She even thinks its cool there is technology that allows us to do such things. We are blessed.

Slowly I am gaining confidence in my ability to back off and let Janet walk around the house on her own. She did that a lot today with varying degrees of success but never a hint of falling. I’m trying to give her space in hopes she’ll feel more free and her confidence will increase. So far I’d say its working as each time she reached her target area there was a big smile on her face and I don’t even have to ask her to walk anymore, she knows to do it and even said tonight that she “makes herself” do it. Love it!

Our relaxing day ended at Connect with Janet accepting she needs to get back to “work”. The fact she will now be coming home for weekends on Thursdays helped just a little too. Praying for a fun, progressive and productive week.

Janet, A Success Story. June 28. #TSJ Wine Tour

Not much rest for the ever active Janet. After a late night, Janet was up at a normal time this morning and we were off to do some wine touring with our Wine Club. The only thing I had to help Janet with during breakfast was opening the peanut butter jar and I give her top marks for remembering its now kept in the fridge.

The Wine Club met at Tantalus Vineyards for a very informative tasting given by their Operations Manager, Jane. Janet went in thinking she wouldn’t know anything or learn anything but she drank all four tastings and agreed it was a fun experience and a beautiful facility.

Our next stop was CedarCreek Estate Winery where Candice led us through a good tour during which I tried to help with the few fun facts that I remembered from my days of working there. Thirteen of us sat down for lunch after the tour and enjoyed the great food, beautiful scenery and fun fellowship.
WineClubatCC
A great way to end the season for our club and although Janet felt overwhelmed at the gatherings sometimes, she is looking forward to reconvening in September for the social aspect of it all.

Wine Shots!

Wine Shots!

Arriving back home, it was supposed to be nap time but Janet really wanted to finish watching Genie Bouchard’s match at Wimbledon. She won and Janet happily agreed to attempt a nap. There certainly was no snoring to be heard but maybe a few minutes of sleep before leaving for church. Janet was seeming a little tired as we arrived so I held her hand as we walked all the way in. I’m trying to get Janet to focus on placing each heel down first when she steps and as long as I remind she can do it.

Janet really liked Tim’s message tonight and told him so after the service. Its really special when Janet “gets” what a speaker is talking about and I’m impressed by how she can communicate her feelings and thoughts about things sometimes. Its reminiscent of the former Janet.

All the wine tasting, touring and socializing combined with the very short nap made for a tired Janet tonight. It’s the good tired of completing an active day where there may not have been a lot of physical exercise but there sure was a cognitive workout. Praying for a rejuvenating sleep and a positive tomorrow.

Janet, A Success Story. June 27. #TSJ Staff BBQ

To try and compare this to what will be a typical Friday at home for Janet wouldn’t be fair as we had a lot to do in preparation for the BBQ we were hosting this evening. Janet started her day with a shower which was no where near as easy as that awesome bathroom we had in Ottawa. We bypassed filling the tub up this time though and had Janet stand pretty much the whole time. It was faster but not any warmer as we couldn’t leave the water on as it would spray everywhere. If anyone has a spare 45 grand we could make our bathroom like the Ottawa one. Anyone?

Today was Mary/Gaga’s birthday and Janet remembered all on her own and called her mom just as her and Keith were heading to Toronto for a Blue Jays game. Janet’s memory continues to improve as does her cooking skills. She was a big help in prepping all the food for this evening and even did a good job vacuuming. Those activities took us right up to nap time save for a brief walk in the sun which was well deserved.

Janet didn’t sleep at all after trying for an hour so I got her up so she could set a few things out before people arrived. First on the scene were Brian and his daughter Olivia who Janet took an immediate interest in. Surprise surprise. Olivia didn’t take to Janet as quickly as she took to the bins of Barbie stuff Janet suggested we bring out. Good call.

Janet right at home

Janet right at home


The evening was very enjoyable as we got to wait on some of the staff that have worked so hard with Janet the last year and a half. Janet has a hard time keeping up with the conversation in group settings but was happy to sit back and listen. We are blessed to be able to host good people in our home.

Praying for a night of deep and reenergizing sleep.

Janet, A Success Story. June 26. #TSJ Early Weekend

When Janet called me after lunch today I could sense right away where she was steering the conversation to. Yesterday she repeatedly asked if she could come home early for the weekend since its going to be such a busy one. I made her the usual deal of getting all her therapies done by lunchtime then we’d talk. She couldn’t tell me fast enough that she’d done just that then asked again if she could come home. How could I say no and why would I?

Janet agreed to a nap before I picked her up though and she was just getting up when I arrived. We are having some of the Connect staff over for a BBQ tomorrow so there was work to be done as soon as we got home and getting dinner was first up. Pizzas are a good project for Janet to help with and she loves eating them so that was dinner tonight. We are developing a good routine around pizza making. Janet, in her wheelchair, is able to get a lot of the ingredients and turn the oven on and she’s awesome and putting the sauces on before building the actual pizzas. It used to be that half of her toppings would end up anywhere but on her pizza. Not so now, she is creating masterpieces.

For the BBQ Janet was pretty insistent on having a dessert and wanted to make a carrot cake, her favourite. My baking past is not pretty so I was a reluctant participant in our effort tonight but I must say the end result looks pretty good and the icing is awesome. Janet broke eggs and mixed things together for the cake really well then decided to chat with Laurel for a bit while I figured out the icing. After catching up a little on our So You Think You Can Dance watching, Janet iced the carrot cake before going to bed.

Because of all the kitchen work, Janet was in her wheelchair more than I would’ve liked tonight but that is the best way for her to be able to help. She did stand to ice the cake and had to walk up the two steps from the garage when we got home today as I’ve taken away the wheelchair ramp. There is a grab bar on her left side and using that she effortlessly got up both steps. High five! I may not put the ramp back if going down the steps is just as good.

Praying for a night of reenergizing sleep and a fun Friday.