Denver Outpost News

Dear Friends,

It is interesting to note that by 9:30 each evening, the rehabilitation floor is very quiet. Even with most of the doors standing wide open, the only sounds one hears is techs and nurses scurrying down the halls to give meds to patients, their keys jingling like license tags on a trotting dog. Quiet that is except for room 6-135. There, the door is closed, but the raucous noise of “So You Think You Can Dance” is barely contained. When staff enters here, there is no tippy toeing around.

Most folks up here get three full hours of therapy a day. The whole goal is to get them up, get them dressed, and get them home. Physical therapy works on the joints and muscles to improve strength and mobility. Occupational therapy starts immediately teaching one to dress themselves around their injuries, teaching one to navigate stairs, and other obstacles in their own home and how to bathe, groom and medicate themselves.

Rounds started this morning at 7:30, followed by breakfast, and then at 9:00 the first hour of PT began. Rachel got a half hour break, where she took a nap in the wheelchair and then began an hour of Occupational Therapy. They helped her dress in street clothes and set her in her wheelchair for an hour. At the end of that hour, she was allowed to lie down in bed in her clothes. She then received an hour and a half to take a nap. Her nap was deep, deep, deep sleep. At 1:00 pm. She was back to OT and a session of dressing and shoes. Then she had 45 minutes to rest before the PT nemesis arrived.

Finally, at 3:00 the gurney arrived to whisk her to wonderland down in surgical prep. Four hours later she was back in her room dozing off the remnants of anesthesia and asking for water and food. She ate 2 full popsicles, a single serving of tomato soup, two saltines with peanut butter, a cup of milk and a final full Popsicle. Despite her obvious exhaustion, Rachel refused to go to sleep early. She really wanted to stay up and begged us to play a card or dice game with her. After two hands of card Golf, in which we played her hands for her, she told us it was probably time to stop as her eyelids were being ornery and refused to stop drooping on her.

So here it is ten minutes to 10:00 pm and room 6-135 is slowly winding down. Teeth are brushed, side tables are being set up so some can see the digital clock, reach their tissues and water, and prayers for the night are being said. This bunch has passed initiation to Rehabilitation floor and now know why lights are out and it is real quiet on the rest of the floor.

Rachel will need two more surgeries on her right arm and foot. Both will be done under general anesthesia, with the first being to clean the wounds again, and the final one to do a skin graft. She will also get a walking boot on her right foot, but only to negotiate getting in and out of bed and various chairs. She can not walk or put any load on that appendage until further notice.

For those of you experiencing problems with Swede-mail, the operator didn’t show up, the box overflowed and some participants received error messages. They are up and running again, so keep those cards and letters coming. Rachel, Britanie and I really enjoy the conversations with you all.

Jay, Renee, Britanie, Zach and Leah’s Dad (with small contributions from Britanie Anne)

Jwhall2@gmail.com