43 replies to this topic

[GottaHaveFaith]

Thanks for sharing your story! I'll share it with my brother.

My brother also has his other sister and his daughter fighting for him him.

Beth Whalen from the rehab center at PRMC in San Francisco is fighting the State Insurance company to get them to approve it. I hope she can pull it off!

Update: Dad just called me! Beth did it! (Dad said the hospital helped too. I bet it was my brother's guardian angel OT!)

He is going tomorrow!

Simon, now we can change the name of this thread!

Edited by GottaHaveFaith, 10 March 2011 - 02:11 AM.

[GottaHaveFaith]

My brother is in an ambulance (his daughter is with him) on the way to San Francisco. New adventures in rehab and new friendships await him.

[GottaHaveFaith]

The only report I got from my niece (secondhand at that) is that the facility is great (no details though) and so are the menus (salmon and pork chops are on the dinner menu tonight). *laughing*

Edited by GottaHaveFaith, 11 March 2011 - 05:48 AM.

[jenny407]

Glad to hear your brother is better and things are working out about rehab. Well done!

(Ehem, and did you rename this thread in honour of Bev? Did you? Ok - she deserves it. 100 % Just don't let things go to her head .....)

[GottaHaveFaith]

jenny407, on 11 March 2011 - 10:51 AM, said:

Glad to hear your brother is better and things are working out about rehab. Well done!

(Ehem, and did you rename this thread in honour of Bev? Did you? Ok - she deserves it. 100 % Just don't let things go to her head .....)

Nah, if I did she'd have my head! She'd say, the thread is supposed to be about your brother, not me! *laughing*

Though now when I see the word "wing" I think of Goldwing motorcycles! *grin*

[Edinburgh Colin]

Good News, I hope he settles there and does well.

[GottaHaveFaith]

Thanks, Colin.

He'll settle in fine (he's a flexible person).

We know he'll do well because he works hard on his recovery.

We are so excited for him!

Edited by GottaHaveFaith, 11 March 2011 - 05:04 PM.

[S&W Winger]

GottaHaveFaith, on 11 March 2011 - 02:24 PM, said:

jenny407, on 11 March 2011 - 10:51 AM, said:

Glad to hear your brother is better and things are working out about rehab. Well done!

(Ehem, and did you rename this thread in honour of Bev? Did you? Ok - she deserves it. 100 % Just don't let things go to her head .....)

Nah, if I did she'd have my head! She'd say, the thread is supposed to be about your brother, not me! *laughing*

Though now when I see the word "wing" I think of Goldwing motorcycles! *grin*

Uh no Jenny, my head is not that big that I think that the World revolves around me...but as YOU know, Lovey, I would think that one quarter of it does...

As if you didn't know [but am certain that you do since only us dumb 'Mericans don't know about other things] "On a Wing and A Prayer" is an old saying, you know, we here think of as only here in the States, though maybe not in Germany [ ] but is very fitting for Faith's brother and his situation...mere coincidence that my name is Winger...



Faith, you have no idea how happy I am about the way things have worked out...though I did have a whole lot of faith it would!!

Please tell your brother to keep up the good work!

Edited by S&W Winger, 12 March 2011 - 08:03 PM.

[GottaHaveFaith]

Three of us family members visited my brother yesterday.

The facility will finish his eval tomorrow then he'll know how long he will be there.

His blood pressure is low again. I guess this is to be expected after the operation? And he tires easily. Is this also to be expected?

I filled out paperwork so we can bring his dog when we visit next weekend. This will be her first trip to San Francisco.

[Soryfam]

Glad things seem to be settling down. Being tired is VERY normal. It will take awhile to get back his energy. I don't know if low blood pressure is "normal" after surgery, but I also experienced it. It needs to be kept watch on. A quick drop or one too low can be dangerous. Several time they gave be transfusions to help raise my pressure while I was in rehab.

It will be wonderful for him to get to see his dog. Thanks for the updates.

Sandy

[hooplady]

Low bp is pretty common. My b/f has had bp numbers that don't even make any sense medically...I think once it was 30/70 or some such crazy thing? In rehab they would give him extra fluids and tilt him back in his chair (when he had a tilt-in-space). I swear sometimes he was practically standing on his head and trying to drink at the same time.

Glad things are finally starting to look up for your bro'!! That's very cool that they will let the dog visit. Sounds like they understand the things he needs to get his life back to normal. A new normal, mind you, but more normal than it has been.

Edited by hooplady, 15 March 2011 - 01:02 AM.

[gsp23]

Yes being tired is normal, I remember being too tired to even eat and had people feeding me broth through a syringe then trying solids and falling asleep trying to eat one hot dog cut up into little tiny pieces. The muscles that are still left are working extra hard to make up for the loss of others is what I think happens. I also had very low blood pressure as well so as long as he is at a good place that he is now then I wouldnt worry much about it as they will keep an eye on that closely. I know one thing is to try and move around more so they were trying to get me into my chair to move around as much as possible when I was awake so that I could be in a more upright position for periods vs the inclined position of a hospital bed.

[GottaHaveFaith]

Thank you for answering my question about low blood pressure.

Yesterday my sister spoke with his case manager: they are working with him on walking and voiding.

Today I spoke with his case manager. She said they are working with on his gait (walking) and finger function.

His stay is not gong to be a long one. I was surprised to hear this. She said they are building on what he learned at Memorial. I think I was hoping he'd be there a couple of months and he'd regain more function in his hands while he was under their care.

I am findibg that coming to grips with a central cord injury (no pun intended) is more difficult than if the spinal injury was confined to the legs. Any thoughts on this?

Faith

[gsp23]

GottaHaveFaith, on 16 March 2011 - 08:19 PM, said:

I am findibg that coming to grips with a central cord injury (no pun intended) is more difficult than if the spinal injury was confined to the legs. Any thoughts on this?

Faith

Yes and no...

I remember when I was in rehab they wanted to get me out sooner than I thought I was ready for, but at the same time I just wanted to go back home again. They told me that they just wanted to see that I could accomplish what I needed at home and I would then be released. As I didnt live alone then if my answer was that my husband would do stuff for me, I had to tell them this and what times etc as they watched me get ready for the day. So at night when my dad was there I would have him get all of my clothes and bring them next to my bed so I could dress in bed. I tired so easily that I didnt have the energy to go get them and bring them back so I would start to dress before OT came in to watch and they would see that I could manage that. They didnt mind if someone brought me my clothes as long as someone could do that at home as well. Just the idea of getting out into the real world sooner so you start doing for yourself what you can.

As far as recovery, etc its another double edge sword. There is a lot of times that I was told that if I could stand I could walk and I tire so easily that walking isnt much of an option. Using my chair I dont tire anymore and can do everything I used to. At the same time someone who is a complete would argue that that little bit is more than they have and they wouldnt sit back in the chair (little do those people sometimes realize its not a choice for some us either but a necessity because it takes so much energy with the braces and crutches along with the additional wear and tear of weight through the wrists and arms that outside the home the chair really is the only option.