bike

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

Renovation Day 43. Plumbing is done. Painting is done. Still waiting for the electrician. Randy installed drawer glides in the kitchen and built one closet in the master bedroom. That means Janet can come home tomorrow afternoon to help put things away and more importantly to help figure out where things will go in the kitchen. With a decision made there, Randy can install shelves that will be adjustable but not have a hundred holes up the sides of the cabinet.

Janet had been napping for a while when I got to Connect so I went right into her room and we had a good talk about her day so far. I need to find out more but a couple of times now, Janet has attended a group meeting with a guy named Ed Mitchell. She says they talk about what happened to them and how they are dealing with it. When I asked Janet what happened to her she said, “I just woke up and was like this”. When asked for clarification on “like this”, she said, “not a good walker or anything”. I gave her a chance to talk more about but she didn’t want to so I got her up and down to the gym for a bike ride. She’s doing so well at this slightly more difficult level that I’m going to increase it more next time.

Brian sent out his semi annual progress report on Janet today and it confirmed how well Janet is doing especially cognitively. A number of times since this all started Janet has been tested using the Western Aphasia Battery, a standardized Speech Therapy test. Her score out of one hundred back in her hospital days was less than 3, her score in December 2012 was 43.7 and her score from a few days ago was 85.9. Even Janet was impressed and believed the scores as I read the report to her. “Normal” is considered to be a score of 93.8 so Janet is almost there. High five!

I took Janet for a Shuttle session after dinner for the first time in a while and was impressed. The distance she is able to extend her legs has increased noticeably and her right leg is stronger as this time I could really feel her pushing using her quadricep. Thank you bike riding. Curtis was there for part of the session and noted Janet’s feet were in the lowest possible position and she was pushing farther than ever. A sure sign of increased strength.

We finished reading Not a Fan tonight as tomorrow’s SHElife session is the last one discussing the book. Overall it’s been an interesting read and discussion with Janet and it’s resulted in her thinking about and figuring out herself quite a bit. I think we will choose something lighter for the next book and it will be on the iPad so Janet can read easier.

Janet asked if I would re paint her finger nails before we went to the living room to watch The Voice. Once again, both of our contestants made it through to the next round. Janet is looking forward to next week’s show as we will be able to PVR it and watch it without commercials when we want to. That will be nice.

Praying for a restful and healing night that provides lots of energy for a busy day tomorrow.

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

Renovation Day 42. Move in day! Sort of.

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Our stuff was delivered this morning with the unloading beginning just before nine thirty with the last box going into the house at eleven. Pretty impressive. That gave me plenty of time to make sure things were in the right general area and also to put things in the crawl space that aren’t going to be used for a long time. Thankfully there isn’t much of that sort of thing anymore. I was shocked at how many bins of Christmas stuff we have and can’t wait to see how much of it we use.

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Frank the plumber was here for quite a while and is almost finished his work. Randy worked from home today knowing there would be a lot of clutter here for most of it and as soon as the closets and kitchen drawers are installed the move in can continue.
I did manage a little bit of decorating though.

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#gohawks !

Janet was watching Ellen with Wes when I got to Connect this afternoon and right away asked, “how’d it go with all our stuff?” I thought that was very good of her to remember that’s what was happening today and a sign of just how excited she is about getting the new house livable. She very demonstrably told me about her day, using a lot of hand gestures as she was having a little trouble naming some of things she wanted to tell me about. We then headed off for a bike ride and under protest she allowed me to check her out on some more difficult pedaling settings. We settled on level 1.5 for twenty five minutes and Janet almost made two miles keeping a steady pace right around thirty rpm. I think she can handle level two and will try that tomorrow. Wanting to get her “work” done, Janet agreed to the Standing Frame knowing she’d be late for dinner. To me, this was a really good session with a fair bit of weight going through her right leg and a really good stretch on both.

The rest of the evening was quiet and relaxed as we read, visited with some of the other residents and staff, watched the last quarter of an exciting football game and closed the night with a little of The Voice. Praying for a night of deep and healing sleep that provides lots of energy for tomorrow’s activities, especially Singing With John.

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

Renovation Day 41. Today was get ready for tomorrow day, cleaning up as much as possible and moving appliances to their permanent locations so they are out of the way for all the other stuff arriving tomorrow. Randy and his wife Claudette continued work on the baseboards and did a final clean so that when I got home tonight I could take one last look at the “empty” house.

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Janet and Suzanne were visiting at the kitchen table when I got to Connect and I had to shoo them into the living room so we could watch the football game. Janet’s morning was fairly quiet as Curtis said they gave her a chance to sleep in and make sure her tummy was ok after last night. Janet said all is well and she had a good sleep. It was an enjoyable visit with Suzanne made more so by the Seahawks domination of Minnesota and that made it easy to break from the game to Skype Mary/Gaga. Janet said after the chat that she always has good conversations with her mom and that is mostly true. I feel Janet continues to improve her recall and general conversation abilities. I intentionally said very little and tried not to coach her to see how she’d manage and she did just fine. Now to get her more confident in using the iPad so she can be more independent.

The bike is Janet’s favorite exercise activity and she said so herself three times today so there was no argument about riding before dinner. No records broken today but a strong effort from Janet who ate very well at dinner then had a good Skype chat with Andrew. Janet was not interested in the Standing Frame tonight and I didn’t force the issue but did want her to do something. She finally agreed to do some free standing in her room. She still heavily favors her left leg but made improvements in her ability to lift her left foot completely off the ground. Walking is still done by holding onto me for dear life but there is a visible desire to do it so I think she’ll get there.

Our discussion of what we read in Not a Fan tonight was excellent as Janet continues to get smarter. I was so impressed with her I asked who the president of the United States is and at first she said “Ford” which would be correct forty years ago so I gave her Barack and she quickly added the Obama as she did with Stephen Harper. I didn’t expect her to know anything about that stuff but she does. At bedtime she confirmed with me that “we’re getting our stuff tomorrow right?” She’s very excited to complete the renovations so she can spend a weekend at home. Me too.

Praying for a good sleep tonight and the ability and willingness to work hard tomorrow.

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

Renovation Day 38. The floors are done! Very happy with the look and the install. There’s one little patch of vinyl tile to be done over the trap door access to the crawl space and that’s it. I got all the old switches and plugs changed out and just have a few new ones to do when Randy gives the all clear. I actually had a couple hours of just me in the house this afternoon and I quite enjoyed that. Good thing, as tomorrow will be the complete opposite as the appliances arrive along with the blinds and the plumber and the electrician. Fun!

I met Janet as she was getting off the bus at the pool this morning and she was a little grumpy, saying, “I don’t like getting ready for all this stuff”. By the time we were getting changed she was happier but dreading the cold water. Thankfully the pool was the warmest it’s been for us and Janet was comfortable after just a few minutes. She swam really well today, faster than ever a couple of times. So fast she blew right by me like a torpedo and I just let her go this time as she is able to grab the edge of the pool and stand herself up. Her walking was decent today too. Her right leg wasn’t totally cooperating but as she walked half the width of the pool and up a couple stairs I thought her mechanics were quite good with minimal hopping. Every time we go there is improvement. Janet still isn’t totally buying into her accomplishments but had lots of smiles and laughs as people commented on her speed of swimming and her ability to roll from back to tummy and swim under the lane dividers. She went into the pool grumpy and came out relaxed and quite happy.

Janet was about to get into the Standing Frame and help make pizzas when I got to Connect later in the afternoon. She was not thrilled with the idea but did it and got a good workout in the process. Her positioning in the Standing Frame is different in this situation and she is forced to stand on her own more with the machine there to help keep balance. Fifteen minutes is about her maximum and the busier she is the better. Chopping peppers was not much fun but decorating everyone’s pizzas was. Eating them of course was better yet.

Just before dinner Janet called her brother Mike to wish him a happy birthday and had a pretty good conversation with him. There were lots of laughs, as usual, and some long term memory recall but thankfully no singing. Janet very willingly climbed onto the bike this evening and tied her personal best. That ride and the swim this morning along with the Standing Frame session took a toll on Janet and she faded quickly as we watched X Factor tonight. She was a almost asleep as I stretched her legs before lights out. Praying for a night of uninterrupted sleep that brings complete healing and lots of energy for tomorrow.

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

Renovation Day 36. Great change in the house today as the flooring install has begun. The crew were late arriving after their truck broke down but they managed to get more done than I anticipated and expect to be completely finished Friday. Randy spent the day building drawers and shelves out if his home and I continued changing out plugs and switches. Probably more of the same tomorrow.

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A sleepy looking Janet was waiting for me in the living room at Connect when I finally rolled in. She was not interested in a nap and started to perk up as we discussed her day and how we’d spend the rest of it. The first smile came when I asked her about singing with John. She lit right up and said “that was fun” and John was pleased with the lyrics I had printed off for them. Janet said she sang pretty well and they both enjoyed the new material.

Talking about singing got Janet in a good enough mood to go for a bike ride during which she sang along to Carly Simon’s, Your So Vain, impressing Bob who was in the gym working with Willie. I elected to keep the degree of difficulty the same on the bike today since Janet seemed a little too tired to be pushed. She tied her distance record today but did it in a faster time and I had her try the balance board again after her ride. There was the initial reluctance to do it but once on the board Janet actually insisted I let go of her so she could try on her own. I was unable to totally let go but did to the point where she was in complete control. After a few good shifts of weight I think she started thinking about it too much and she stalled.

In the Standing Frame after dinner Janet was able to put weight through her right leg and kept it there at east each time I checked. She didn’t argue with me about doing any of her exercises today and that made for a more fun time together. In fact I would say Janet was rather cooperative today. I hope it continues. We read some Not a Fan in preparation for SHElife tomorrow and Janet grasped some good talking points from what we read. The day caught up to her as we relaxed with the last of the leftover Halloween candy. Janet barely made it through The Voice however both of our contestants made it through to the top ten.

Praying for a restful and healing night and more control of her right leg.

The Team Save Janet Report is Out! #Team Save Janet #Remember

Renovation Day 35. No long weekend for Randy as he was at the house painting kitchen cabinets today. I took another full day with Janet but plan on working the majority of the day tomorrow as the floor guys are due to start. One week from today our stuff gets moved in!

I met Janet early at Connect again, this time so we could get downtown to the Remembrance Day ceremony. I wasn’t sure if Janet wanted to go as its outside right by the lake and can be quite cold but she was up for it realizing the importance of honoring those that served and are serving “so that we can be free”. I was truly impressed by her remembering what Remembrance Day is about. Janet also impressed me by singing along to the hymns, especially Nearer My God to Thee, which she sang with a big smile even though she said she didn’t know it.

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Janet survived being outside for an hour just fine and after a quick stop at the house and another big lunch at Urban Fare we drove back to Connect so Janet could get some exercise. First up was the Shuttle, which I haven’t had her on for a while and was curious to see how she’d do. I noticed maybe a slight improvement in strength and similar results for extension with Janet trying hard even as Curtis and I attempted to push her limits a little. Curtis then ran her through a good stretching routine including a few new ones designed to improve the lateral movement in Janet’s legs.

While we waited for a Skype chat with Heather I quizzed Janet on some family geography and she did quite well except she still is getting Heather and Leslie mixed up. There was no confusion during the Skype chat, in fact it was one of the better ones with Heather for sure.

Back in the gym it was bike ride time and Janet set another personal best, reaching the two mile mark for the first time ever. I’m thrilled with her progress on the bike and tomorrow will up the difficulty of pedaling and see how she does with that. Dinner was early and quiet leading into a good Standing Frame session with Janet putting weight through her right leg for most of the time she was up.

Having all of her exercises crammed into the last part of the day was a challenge and Janet performed very well. We enjoyed watching most of The Voice but Janet couldn’t last through the whole thing and willingly was lights out at ten ending a very diversely busy day. Praying for a deep and healing sleep providing lots of energy for tomorrow’s activities.

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

Renovation Day 34. A day off for me as I spent the entire day with my beautiful wife. Randy was at the house for at least part of the day working on kitchen cabinets. Hopefully he took some family time as well.

Since the Seahawks were playing at the ridiculous time of 10am I was at Connect early to watch the game with Janet. She had just finished breakfast and was enjoying her coffee when I got there and when I told her it was almost game time she chugged back her coffee and wheeled into the living room. If only she’d inhale water like that. The game was over fairly early with Seattle dominating. I missed our first touchdown while talking to Curtis and Jess but Janet cheered and called me to come watch and I got the replay. It wasn’t that long ago that Janet would have to have been told what just happened, now she’s right on it.

With the game in hand and the house quiet, Jess and Curtis and I got Janet upstairs to the parallel bars for some sling walking. I truly believe Janet wants to walk one day and is starting to realize that isn’t going to magically happen. She worked very hard during this session, even to the point of sweating, and all the way through I could see determination on her face and less frustration. Hopefully we can make a real strong push over the next few weeks and build her confidence and strength.

Before lunch Janet had a nice Skype chat with Leslie as far as volume level goes. There was a moment where Janet confused Leslie with Heather as she always seems to have but she recovered nicely. Lunch was with Curtis, Jess, Humberto and Kieran so there was lots of chatter which is always good. A staff member in one of the other houses is a big Saskatchewan Roughriders fan so had a viewing party for their game this afternoon and Janet and I watched the last quarter with Chris, Mark and a few others. Some of the CFL rules are truly goofy but it was entertaining and Janet came within a field goal of winning some prizes in the Pool. That was a good warm up for the Grey Cup in a couple weeks.

After a little convincing Janet agreed to a bike ride. Once again stating she wouldn’t do very well and once again breaking her previous record. This is the first time she’s gone thirty minutes and she did so strongly while singing along to a number of different songs as they came on the radio. I’ve printed off the lyrics of some of them so her and John can sing them on Tuesday.

Throughout the day Janet had many opportunities to converse with other residents and staff and she did so often. I find myself really watching her as she interacts on her own and I feel a little like a parent watching a child grow up. Praying for a night of uninterrupted sleep and an increase in confidence in her physical abilities.

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

Renovation Day 33. Randy spent the day grouting the backsplash in the kitchen, looks awesome, and priming the cabinets for painting. I finished installing lights and started changing plug outlets and switches after finally figuring out how to reconnect the doorbell. Sometimes the simplest things are the hardest.

I met Janet as she was stuck trying to get into her bathroom and was about to call for help. I love that she’s trying these things on her own. Janet is getting more comfortable using the iPhone and iPad and she called her mom to set up a Skype chat that went well. They hadn’t talked for a couple weeks as Mary/Gaga and Keith were in the Bahamas for a little vacation. Janet was happy to get caught up then agreed to a bike ride before going to church and blew me away when she started at 34RPM and stayed in that range for a good ten minutes. She finished with a personal best 1.6 mile ride in twenty five minutes. The timer was set for thirty minutes but I let her stop sooner since she’d beaten her record.

Church tonight was very cool as its baptism weekend at Trinity. We witnessed about fifteen mostly young people get baptized and share their stories. Some of the stories were quite moving and Janet enthusiastically cheered for each person after they got dunked. She really enjoyed the different format of the service tonight and stood for the longest time yet, even shifting weight a little onto the right leg at times. After another Home Depot run we went to try out a new to us restaurant and were very impressed. <a href="http://

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Throughout my time with Janet today her right leg was in varying states of stiffness. Most of the time she was able to control it enough that it stayed on the wheelchair footrest. When she was cold and tired it dragged on the ground. I warned her that tomorrow we’d be doing the parallel bars and she’s not that excited about it so hopefully I can convince her to try. Praying for a night of uninterrupted sleep that brings increased strength and flexibility.

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

Renovation Day 32. Big day today! The bathroom and laundry area floors are in! That enabled Frank the plumber to install one of the new toilets and change out most of the poly B pipe in the house. I finished installing LED pot lights and have two flush mount fixtures to go and the lighting will be done except for accent lights in and around some cabinets. Dave the painter is finished except for base boards and some touch ups. Randy completed the backsplash in the kitchen and I must say Janet picked a good one!

With so much going on at the house today I didn’t get to Connect until after four and Janet was waiting in the living room. She remembered I might be late so she wasn’t worried. After catching up on the day she surprisingly agreed to a bike ride in which she tied her personal best. I thought for sure she’d break it and think the machine was unfair to her the last six minutes of her ride in not giving her as much distance as at first. Never the less Janet seemed pleased with her efforts and obviously got a cardio workout in the process.

Janet not only ate a big dinner tonight, she ate rather speedily and when I commented on that she thought I was weird. Usually she’s a pretty methodical eater and tonight her plate was clean in no time. There was room for apple pie and ice cream though. Yummy.

While filling out a questionnaire on Janet’s abilities to perform certain tasks we came across a question on managing finances. Janet was quite indignant that I think she can’t handle her money and repeatedly stated she could. Prior to getting sick Janet was an excellent money manager and I’ve assumed she would be completely incompetent in that area now. I might be wrong though. After a lengthy and intelligent conversation we agreed that I would let Janet know each time her CPPD payment is deposited and she will assist in determining how that money is designated. I’m curious to see how this goes and expect her to be able to take some responsibility for household decisions.

Our evening finished off with some TV and Janet was quite upset neither The Voice or X Factor was on but that left more time to chat with the other residents and staff. Janet was relatively quiet tonight and called her own bedtime just after nine. Praying for a night of uninterrupted sleep and complete healing of her right leg.

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

Renovation Day 29. Lots of painting and prepping for more painting. Since some of the ceilings are finished I was able to install some of the LED lights. Looking good.

Kieran had Janet counting reps for him as he tried to do some crunches in the living room when I arrived at Connect. He apparently thinks its cool Janet can count. Old news. Tez stopped by as we were chatting and arranged to spend time with Janet and I Thursday afternoon to develop a plan of attack for this latest Botox round. He mentioned the focus will be on standing and strengthening her right leg. Brian mentioned that Dr. McCann is using Janet as a case study during a dinner for Botox type professionals tonight. Janet’s positive response to Botox treatment has been impressive and its cool her story will be shared but I think she and I should’ve been invited to the dinner in honor of that. Don’t you?

Janet chose to read Not a Fan before dinner instead of going for a bike ride, a decision she later regretted. Once again we had a very interesting discussion on what we read and I think Janet will be able to participate well at SHElife tomorrow. While the final preparations for dinner were being made I noticed Janet using her increased social skills to talk to Wes and Kieran instead of staring blankly into space like she used to. She looked totally comfortable and at home sitting at the table in a real chair conversing with them about how much more she eats than Wes. She was teasing him and he was loving every minute of it. Janet’s conversational skills were put to further use after dinner when she struck up a half hearted argument about going for a bike ride. She gave in quickly and put in a very solid performance and agreed she does better before dinner so will try to do it that way more often.

Praying for rest, strength and confidence.