walking

Sailing Along. A week of fun and success for Janet. #TSJ #fish #Nanaimo #Duncan

This has been quite the busy week for Janet, full of accomplishments and adventure. Each day can show improvement in many areas but can also show the lack of progress in others. The trend however continues upward.

Speaking of up, Janet now has two stripper poles in her room and she is using them to stand up virtually unassisted. All she needs is some prompting to get started and once she’s up, some help in stepping or pivoting to her wheelchair, bed or toilet. The staff work with Janet daily both in the gym and her room practicing her sit and stand moves and its really paying off. Alana kindly trained me today so I can incorporate pole transfers into my time with Janet so she gets even more practice and I get less wear and tear on my back and arms. In the gym, the bike has been out of commission for a few days but Tez feels she’s ready to ramp up the leg strengthening program and has put her back on The Shuttle. Curtis took Janet there last night and reported a very successful return to the machine that caused so much stress before. Janet was able to do way more than previous, proving her increased leg strength. Hopefully she remembers that and continues to build on it. The staff continue to stretch Janet daily as well and I continue to do so in the hot tub with good results. The Botox does seem to be wearing off and I can see another dose or two in Janet’s future. Despite the diminished Botox affect, Janet is able to stand nicely in the standing frame although she doesn’t enjoy it one little bit. We try and get her in there every evening for as close to an hour as she’ll tolerate and she is being very cooperative about it. Again, I hope she recognizes the benefits and keeps it going.

The one form of exercise Janet continues to thoroughly enjoy is swimming. She tries to tell me she’s not excited about going but every time she hits the water there’s a big smile on her face and all the tension leaves her body. Swimming on her back is her favorite and with my help in turning she can do ten lengths before showing any signs of tiring. On her tummy she’s easily doing a length with no shortage of breath. Janet is turning into a bit of a celebrity at the KGH pool as she was being loudly cheered on by the folks waiting for their turn on Thursday and swam so well that even pool man Jim praised her when we got out and he hardly ever says a thing. On Monday I tried having her stand on her own, take a big breath, put her face in the water then push off with her legs. First time and every time she took off swimming like a fish no problem at all. The standing part only lasts a second of course but its long enough for her to take a big breath and go. High five! Walking with control of her right leg continues to be a struggle and I’ve switched methods to where I’m bringing her right foot along while she moves and steps with the left. At least she gets the rhythm of walking and we can make it the whole length of the pool like that. I’ve even had her try it on land a couple of times and its worked well but I want Tez to see it before I do it anymore with her just to ensure I’m not risking an injury. We haven’t been in our pool at home too much yet as Janet oddly enough prefers the hot tub and that’s fine with me as she benefits from that immensely.

I seem to spend a lot of time talking about Janet’s physical recovery so lets see if I can focus on the cognitive for a bit here. A couple of things stand out right away, most notably her conversational skills. More and more often now Janet will initiate a conversation either by asking a question or making an observation and she’ll often give very intelligent if not correct answers to your questions now too. The various Skype chats she participates in each week show this. One with Cam last week and one with her mom yesterday went particularly well. Janet even remembers portions of those chats now a couple of hours later. I find her to be less likely to converse when there’s lots of people around but she does enjoy listening to others chatter and I think will gain the confidence to jump in eventually. Her voice may be getting slightly louder now and she is talking more intelligently. As long as she is reasonably awake I can talk to her a little bit in the car where before there was no chance of hearing her. I was shocked to see how well Janet can write now. The last time I tried with her she was doing a lot of loop de loops for everything but when asked to write Heather’s birthday card she produced this on the envelope and an equally good job on the inside.

20130612-235405.jpg Janet was very determined to write the card for Heather and it was that determination that made her attempts successful. I had her practice only a half dozen times or so and could clearly see she had the idea. Printing is much better than writing for her and she needs to work on how she holds the pen. Janet says she hasn’t been practicing but obviously she has and its working. I took Janet shopping for Heather’s birthday present and she did a great job of looking at all the options and deciding what would be best for Heather. She even showed genuine concern for the amount of money being spent. That was nice to see and is very much the former Janet.

Along with the successes in the pool and gym Janet had a good adventure this past weekend as we took a roadtrip to Nanaimo to visit my mom. The four hour drive to Horseshoe Bay was easy as Janet slept most of the way.

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The ferry ride to Nanaimo was alright save for a little toileting issue. We arrived at mom’s in time for happy hour and later enjoyed a nice walk on the pier where the yachts participating in the Van Isle 360 were tied up for the night.

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We enjoyed the hot tub in mom’s building before lounging a little leading into bedtime each day so all weekend Janet never missed her leg stretching opportunities. Saturday saw us all head south to Duncan for lunch and a visit with our friends Terry and Joy formerly of Kelowna and CedarCreek Estate Winery.

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Terry is now Vineyard Manager at Averill Creek Estate Winery and we thoroughly enjoyed the visit and the tastings there. Who knew the Island would have such a beautiful winery with some pretty decent wine?

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A very enjoyable afternoon! Mom joined us for the ferry ride back to Horseshoe Bay on Sunday and we met Ashley for lunch before the long drive to Kelowna. What a nice surprise to be able to sit outside in the sun in North Van!

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The drive home was good with Janet being quite chatty for the first couple hours and nice and sleepy the rest of the way. Janet went for her first hot tub in the dark when we got home and that was a very relaxing way to end a fun weekend.

Monday was back to reality day. I did let Janet sleep in and her pool sessions were very strong. Unfortunately for her she had a dentist appointment right after swimming but she was a good patient and allowed so much work to be done that her next appointment has been shortened as a reward. In between the pool and dentist Janet very seriously thanked me for “the grand program” I have us on. I wasn’t sure what she meant at first but she said it was for taking her to all these appointments and things. That was very sweet.

After a well deserved nap at home and with the dental freezing worn off Janet and I enjoyed a nice dinner outside then reluctantly headed back to Connect. It was such a beautiful evening and we were enjoying it so much it was very hard to get motivated and out the door. Janet very gamely got into the standing frame once we got there and lasted a decent thirty minutes. The stripper pole had been installed in her bathroom while we were away and on the first attempt Janet observed that “it’s too far from the dance floor”. I’ve no idea where that came from but it was hilarious. Saying goodnight that night was tough as I was enjoying being with Janet more so than usual.

Jess and the staff often have challenges getting Janet to nap in the afternoons still and they know Janet will only do so if I lay down with her sometimes. To make things easier for her, Jess made a drawing of my face and taped it to the extra pillow on Janet’s bed. I like the resemblance and Janet likes having me with her all the time.

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Today was another solid day for Janet as was the whole week. I continue to pray for complete healing and for continued increase in confidence and strength.

Walking Tall 2. A stand up day for Janet. #TSJ

Janet’s day got off to a busy start as Tez got her into the walking sling as she stood at the parallel bars. He showed me some video of their session and I can see why Janet said it was very difficult. She was doing all the things we do in the pool but without the support of the water. The sling supports her of course but it’s a totally different sensation, much more real I think. Janet did very well and hopefully will use this as a way to realize how well she is doing.

I got to Connect this afternoon just as John was wrapping up his sing along session with Janet. They both seemed to be having fun and they gave me a little demonstration before calling it a day and Janet was certainly taking a leading role and singing well but she still needs to turn up her volume and keep her throat clear. It was nice to see her smiling as she does with John.

I convinced Janet to have a little nap after her sing along session as long as I stayed in the room with her. She didn’t sleep much and each time I tried to sneak out she opened her eyes so after an hour I just got her up. It was time for our meeting with wheelchair man anyways so off we went to meet Brian and Jared. It was a very productive meeting with Jared making what I think will be some of the last modifications to Janet’s chair before we strike a deal to buy one. The improvements were noticeable right away as Janet was able to clear some bumps she had difficulty with previously.

Next up was the weekly Skype chat with Mary/Gaga then a trip to the kitchen to see how dinner was doing. It was well under control so Garrett invited Janet to the gym for a bike ride. I think we’ve made a little progress as far as Janet’s willingness to go to the gym goes. She was quite adamant at the start that she wasn’t going but after being reminded that the bike is helping make her legs stronger she agreed to go “as long as that’s what it is”. I’m hopeful she is starting to realize what each exercise does for her and that should help her see the benefits of each more clearly. Garrett reported a successful ride with Janet’s goal being twenty minutes and she stopped on her own at 20:09. She’s smarter than we sometimes think.

Rather than put her in lounging mode after dinner Garrett brought out the standing frame and Janet was able to stand pretty nice and tall for more than twenty minutes while watching some basketball.

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There is a Keek of me “walking” her where you can get a better idea of how she’s standing. @larrylatour Her habit of staying up late has not diminished at all and she was quite alert as we watched the election results with Bob and Garrett until way past her recommended bed time.

The biggest concern with Janet right now continues to be the lack of bowel movements. It’s been over a week now and the Peg-Lyte clearly isn’t having an effect at all. If nothing happens by Thursday morning I’ll take her back to the ER so they can dynamite her.

Praying for a good sleep tonight, success in the bathroom tomorrow morning and lots of energy for an active Wednesday.

Walkies. Good day in the pool. #TSJ

No sleeping in today as we were up to get ready for swimming at KGH. We arrived in plenty of time and Janet was excited to get into the water. I think mostly because it’s so warm but she does enjoy floating around and trying to swim. I put her through the usual routine waiting for Tez to show up and coach us from his perspective. He thought we were in for an hour and turned up just as we were getting out. Thankfully he knows pool man Jim and asked if Janet could go in with the next group and it was an easy yes. Back in the water I showed Tez what I normally have Janet do and since she was all warmed up she performed rather well. Tez was happy with her kicking abilities (as a starting point) and was also impressed with her standing exercises. One new approach he showed us was to use a block so Janet’s right foot is on it with her left foot on the pool floor. This forces her to use her right leg to stand up. I felt the difference immediately. On a whim Tez asked how Janet’s walking in the water was. I hadn’t even thought to try before so took her over to the parallel bars to see what she could do. Janet actually was able to take a step but she seemed really awkward using the bars so I brought her out into the middle of the pool, stood in front of her and held her left hand and boom, she took multiple “steps”. It was very exciting and she had a huge smile on her face. I could still see doubt in her eyes but also some determination and focus. She was really thinking the moves through and managed to “walk” half the length of the pool. Huge high five! These are not her first “steps” as she did “walk” with Moira using the ceiling lift in Rehab but this is the most she’s “walked” on her own. All I did was balance her.

The back to back sessions in the pool were great and I kind of wish we had an hour each time as the thirty minutes just go by too fast. Janet worked up a good appetite for lunch at home and also was very tired afterwards and had a good long nap this afternoon. We got back to Connect in time for dinner which Janet ate heartily as well then went to the gym with Bob for some leg stretching. Bob said she did well especially with the exercises she’s to do on her own. Janet asked to watch TV when she got back and we caught the last forty five minutes of Willy Wonka which Janet enjoyed but she laughed out loud a number of times during the movie Big which came on after that. I didn’t let her stay up too late but it was ten o’clock by the time I turned her lights out and she wasn’t all that tired.

As impressed as I am with Janet in the pool I am a little concerned about her lack of power in standing to transfer from her wheelchair to the toilet or couch. She seems to have forgotten how to do it. Sometimes she can get some decent lift from her legs and other times there’s nothing there at all. She is getting upset by it now too so I’ll ask Dr. McCann about it tomorrow in hopes he has an answer. All in all it was an exciting day with Janet and she was feeling pretty happy as we said goodnight. Praying for lots of rest tonight and a productive day tomorrow.

Looking Up

Houdieno was at it again last night. This time she got out through the gap in the rails on the right side of the bed around 10:30. Bob found her and Janet thought the whole thing was pretty funny. When I asked about it today she tried telling me why she did it but I couldn’t understand what she was saying. Brian and I chatted about it and agreed that blockading her in even more is not the answer. We need to find out why she wants to get out and help her from there.

Lorne gave me a run down on Janet’s morning saying they let her sleep in till nine as she didn’t sleep very well last night. After breakfast Garret took her to the gym for some stretching and Lorne did some speech with her before Mary Lou happened by for another session with Janet.

It was a pretty busy first half of the day and that trend continued after I arrived. Damian was with Janet when I got to her room. He works with Dr. Miller and will be monitoring Janet’s cognitive and psychological improvements. I was able to have a good talk with him to give him a clear understanding of where Janet is now. We then headed off to the gym with Tez and Bob for a video recording session. The stretches Tez wants the staff to do with Janet are all recorded into a folder on the gym computer so each staff member can watch before working with Janet so they are all doing the same thing.

Tez really worked Janet’s right arm and shoulder and found significant improvement since her seizures and said sometimes seizures can actually change things for the better. Janet cried a couple of times but hung in there really well. When Tez was done his part he coached Bob through each stretch and I recorded the video. We moved on to Janet’s legs after that and found them to be unchanged so Tez decided to try and get Janet onto her tummy so he could stretch her hamstring better. With Janet doing most of the work, we got her onto her tummy surprisingly easily and she tolerated being there for a good fifteen minutes undergoing some really good hamstring work. Janet was doing so well that Tez decided to go for a big finish. From her tummy and with Bob holding the back of her knees, Tez and I lifted her to a kneeling position supported only by her left hand on my shoulder. We all were so impressed with her and I think she was too as when I asked her to look up at me she did so and started crying. She said she wasn’t hurting or anything and I think they were tears of joy. After a few minutes on her knees it was an easy flip and she was sitting on the side of the bed and feeling pretty good after a tough workout.

Deserving of a rest Janet chose to hang out in the living room watching TLC for an hour then having a late dinner. We stayed in the living room to eat while watching some basketball. Janet really was watching the tv I noticed and answered a lot of my questions correctly as to what was happening both in the TLC programs and the game. At one point I was in the kitchen talking to Bob when Clint motioned for me to come back to the living room. I saw Janet 80% out of her wheelchair and 20% onto the couch. I stood her up as straight as I could and she “took a step” towards to couch. I was holding most of her weight but she moved her left leg in a definite walking move and dragged her right one behind heading for the couch. It made me feel really confident she will walk one day and I told her so. Bob agrees and said we are still really early in all of this and Janet will improve a lot. She was so into the basketball game that she didn’t want to go for her shower until it was over. Nicole was working for the first time with Janet tonight so I helped get Janet ready for the shower which allowed me to see just how well she tolerates that task. The room is nice and warm and the shower chair is very comfy. No wonder she comes away smiling unlike at KGH.

Janet agreed it was a really good day for her and promised to get a good nights sleep in bed, not on the floor and she even told me she could push the button for help if needed. Good signs. Praying for rest and healing and thanking Jesus for the great day and all the great help from the Connect crew.