Tuesday, October 18, 2011

10/18 really?

Jesus its a war out here!  Just when I'm about to give up the flank the reinforcements come....and that man has indeed not given up.

Egg McMuffin and a cinnamon bun and a cup of coffee packed this am.  He devoured the McDonalds. 

Im drilling him on whats been going on with him and his progress and he asks to take his blood pressure.  Its 122/82.  He then wants to get up and get in his chair and move around.  Hes standing says take it again, are you dizzy?  No.....but ends up sitting down and taking it again....125/86....WHAT?! 

Just about that time the occupational therapist sees me and Buck standing in the door and comes over to say that he has been SUPER stable and rapidly improving.  WHAT?!  Yeah his tremors are almost non existent, in his left and hes been much better at his fine motor skills exercises.  o.O

His physical therapist is standing at the nurses station and the update from him reflects thee same - hes walking 150 feet easily with little to no interruption due to dizziness.  WHAT?!

I go back to Richard and say WTF - you were ready to throw in the towel a few days ago and now everyone is reporting to me that you are doing better now than you ever have been.  He says - I know...funny how circumstances work out that way isnt it....

Good lord.

For the record I went to sleep saying I need to get the fuck out of here last night.  This is the biggest spiritual and emotional battle I have ever encountered.  When he expresses disinterest in moving forward I say well wtf am I doing here?  this has been going on back and forth for a couple of weeks.

But today he is eating like a horse, he is drinking some of my coffee and not choking or coughing once - totally down the hatch.  Says he feels like hes been smoking pot hes so hungry all the time.  Hes also very thirsty as well, and nothing is ever cold enough.

We went to the roof and I made him do a world of Richard update video, and I cant find the darn thing on my phone now.. :/  His basic message to everyone was that he is having a hard time a
answering the question 'How are you doing today?'  He says in comparison to what?  Before?  yesterday?  an hour ago?  And he is having a hard time remembering his tasks in swallowing - two hard swallows after a drink - but he was on it today.  Maybe this is a small break through in that at least he recognizes this,and now it is on his mind. His volume of his voice is another concern.

Back down to his room, and he stands up - walks to his dresser, gets his electric razor out of the top drawer, sits down...hands it to me....WHAT?>!

Give me a break!  Hes like almost normal today.

I gave him the best mustache trim yet, shaved, nature boy'd his face with cream, his lunch came and so did his speech therapist and he ate again.

2 hour easy visit today, and I only left because I needed to - he wasnt pushing me out.

Hes lost his phone - for good.  Arlene has ordered a new one should be a week or so.


1 comment:

  1. Wow! What a turn around. Hope this behavior is consistent moving forward. There is some golf analogy here that I can't remember exactly...but it has to do with why people keep playing. They remember how good their game was and keep going back in hopes of repeating it. Aside from the professionals, it is such an insistant game for most. One day the shoot 10 above par and the next they are a scratch golfer. If only you can predict and repeat the same behavior.....

    ReplyDelete