Day 60 Friday

Leonard got up for breakfast and then proceeded to stay in bed all day. That won't be happening too often as he needs to get up and have some stimulation, fresh air and just be a part of the family. Yesterday really wore him out so I'll give him that but tomorrow is a new day and he will be up. He did do his exercises which I will make him do every day.

Our dear friends Janie, Karen and Pam are coming over tomorrow to invade our kitchen and are going to cook up some meals for us for the future. Should be a lot of laughing going on and probably one big mess but I love the fact that they want to do this for us. It certainly will help me out a lot.

I think now that he's home I may start a weekly update rather than the daily one unless there is something to report. I will do it on Friday evening, so stay tuned.

Day 59 Thursday - Homecoming

He's home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Leonard with our grandkids Dani and Eric

Dani has her snuggle time with Papa

He arrived home at 3:00 and was thoroughly exhausted. He had sat in his wheelchair for 8 hours at the hospital and could hardly sit up any longer. After a nice greeting from our neighbors from across the street Ed and Alaine, I began to get him settled in but with 2 kids running around it was a little chaotic to say the least. Our dear friend Sue came out and was a huge help to me and stayed for dinner. He tried to join us for dinner, got through with his salad and said he was sorry but he had to go lie down. He ate the rest of his dinner in bed and has been snoozing ever since.

It's so good to have him home especially today as it's my birthday and I could not have asked for a better gift than to have him home with me at last. It's been a very long 2 months.

Day 57 Wednesday

According to his night nurse she is doing the paperwork tonight for his discharge tomorrow! At last he will be coming home. We still don't know if all his equipment came in or not so we are trying to not get overly confident that this will indeed happen. If it doesn't come in he will have to stay until it does.

We went to the hand surgeon this morning and his x-rays looked good and the incision was clean and healing nicely. He can have the stitches removed in 5 days by one of his therapists. As per our luck we had to wait 1 hour to be taken back to the examing room and then we waited quite some time before he was able to get his x-ray. Their computer system had to be shut down and nothing was getting done during that time. At least the transportation went smoothly today for the first time.

Our dear friend Jim helped Leonard slide on his board from the bed to his wheelchair this afternoon so he could go to the dining room for dinner. Thank you Jim for your daily visits as it's meant the world to him and me too.

Day 56 Tuesday - Home evaluation

Papa and Dani hanging out in the guest room

First stop was the guest room as the bed is the right height for transferring from his chair so that's where he will be residing temporarily. He got his new battery operated wheelchair last night and it's very nice. It actually can recline and it's cushioned unlike a normal wheelchair. He won't be able to get into the tub so he will have to have sponge baths. I guess we can wash his hair at the kitchen sink with the hose. I could always put him out in the backyard and hose him off! He was only home for 1 1/2 hours but it felt good for him to see his house after being gone for 2 months.

He's a little sad today as his occupational therapist is moving back to PA and this is her last day. The rehab hospital has a great therapy team and he has enjoyed working with all of them. No coming home date yet but we're hoping for Thursday or Friday.

Day 55 Monday

I arrived at the rehab hospital at 7AM and we jumped right into therapy. He is doing awesome sliding on his board and doing it with confidence. I went to his next therapy class which was upper body which he is very limited because he only can use one arm and hand. He's going to have great muscles in his right arm and the left arm is going to have a lot of catching up to do.

Tomorrow at 10:30 he will be transported to our house along with a couple of therapists to evaluate the house to determine what equipment he will need for when he returns home. They will only be here for an hour but he is so elated. Our neighbor next door made him a ramp for his wheelchair and did a great job. He is going to put some outdoor carpet on it but in the meantime he installed it so he could use it tomorrow.

Sometime during the day tomorrow the doctor, therapists and case manager will decide which day he can be released and we're hoping by the end of the week. He's working extra hard to make that happen. The excitement is mounting!!! Stay tuned........................

Day 54 Easter Sunday

Spent a couple of hours visiting in the late morning and returned in the evening after dinner from our son's house. It was a long uneventful day for him and he was bored and I know lonely. I really wanted to spend more time with him but needed to be with the family as well. We are hoping this was his last weekend in there.

We'll see what tomorrow brings. We hope everyone had a blessed Easter.

Day 53 Saturday

In the courtyard

Not much to report today. He had a group therapy session this afternoon. All the patients formed a circle with their wheelchairs and they were doing various excercises and Dani kept yelling "papa is exercising". Then she was running over there grabbing his legs and hugging them. That's about the time that we went for a walk for the remainder of the hour. She was just a little distracting.

We also sat out in the sun for awhile as it was such a beautiful day. Leonard tends to just lay in bed if he's not going to therapy and I want him to get some fresh air and a change of scenery. Told him when he gets home he's not going to just lie around all day in bed, he'll have things to do!!!

Day 52 Friday

Excitement is hard to contain at this point as we think he may be coming home the end of next week. Nothing has been confirmed yet but Monday I am supposed to go to his 7AM therapy session to learn how to assist him and Tuesday the therapist is coming to our home to determine what he will need here. He was hoping to get his motorized wheelchair today but it was a little too narrow for his hinney so they are trying to locate another one. Perhaps by Monday it will be found.

He has one group session tomorrow afternoon but as usual there is very little going on over the weekends. He's so jazzed right now at how well he can scoot on the board from bed to chair that he just wants to keep working at it. His spirits are high right now and it makes me feel fuzzy all over. He knows he has a long recovery and learning how to walk all over again is scary to say the least but he will get there.

We cancelled our cruise to Alaska that was scheduled for the end of August as he said he didn't want to go until he had recovered completely and was stronger. Going as a invalid was not an option. Maybe next year.

Day 51 Thursday

He's doing so well, that there isn't much to report today but that he's doing so well!!! Spirits are great, he's eager to work hard so that he can reach his ultimate goal - to go home.

The rehab staff is trying to find him a motorized wheelchair which will be so awesome. When you only have one good hand to work with and 4 weeks more until he can use the damaged one, this will be such a good thing to have.

He continues to learn his maneuvers with sliding on the board and it's getting easier each day. So exciting for him to say the least.

Day 50 Wednesday

Today he practiced sliding from his bed to the wheelchair. Almost accomplished it by himself but needed some assistance. He wants to come home in the worst way but realistically he knows he should stay there another week or two. At the rehab facility he's forced to do 3 hours a day of therapy whereas when he comes home he might get lax and even though we have been promised home therapy they won't be coming here for 3 hours a day.

He's up to a 4 lb dumbell for his right arm. He's said "just call me Arnold" as he flecks his muscles! He won't be able to do any weightlifting on his left arm for at least 4 weeks until his hand has had a chance to heal. Everything seems to take so much time.

At least he's starting to finally feel good and his spirits are drastically improved and getting better every day. He's even showing signs of wanting to eat so I know his health is better.

Day 49 Tuesday

This was right before he went into surgery.

The medical transportation in this town is unbelievable. Today Leonard was supposed to be at the outpatient surgical center at 12:00 but he wasn't picked up until 11:45 and got there at 12:30. The surgeon was behind schedule so that worked out okay. The surgery on his hand only took one hour. They removed the 2 pins, did a bone graft taking bone from his wrist and put a plate with a bunch of screws. The doctor said it went well and doesn't foresee any problems and no more surgeries. The medical transport people told us when they dropped him off to call as soon as he went into recovery and they would be there within 45 minutes. NOT! Try 2 hours. The surgical center closed at 4:30 and 2 very nice nurses stayed with us until 4:50 when they finally showed up. It's really hard when you are not in control and have to leave things up to others. At least today we were indoors on a gurney with blankets instead of being outdoors yesterday trying desperately to stay warm in the sun until it went down. Leonard was the talk of the rehab hospital as everyone was saying "did you hear what happened to poor Mr. Lindsey?"

He was able to get in some therapy before being picked up this morning and he was able to slide on the board from his chair to the exercise bed w/o any assistance. He was so excited. Tomorrow they are going to try to get him to slide from his bed to a chair. He has to master all of this before he will be released to go home.

He was in very good spirits after surgery but he did say his hand hurt more so than any of the other surgeries. He might have been in pain but between the morphine and the sedatives that he was given those first two weeks he doesn't remember any of it. Sure glad of that.

Day 48 Monday

What a day!!! We had a 1:15 appt. with the surgeon who did his hip, leg and ankle only to be told that he was still in surgery and that it would be another hour. In the meantime he had to go for x-rays. We finally saw the doctor at 3:00. At 3:30 I called for his transport and was told it would be 45 minutes to 1 hour. At 4:45 I called them again only to be told it would be 10 more minutes. After 15 minutes I called again and was told by the 3rd person I talked to that the van was in Mesa picking up another patient and because of rush hour traffic we couldn't be given an ETA. That means the 2nd person out and out lied. I was so upset I asked for a supervisor and was informed I was speaking to a supervisor. I told her it was unacceptable but what was I supposed to do. We're at their mercy and it sucks..... About this time the rehab hospital nurse called to find out what had happened to him. They said they would send a van to pick him up but it would be 45 to 1 hour. At 6:20 he was picked up. What a fiasco.

Good news - all his x-rays were great. The doctor even agreed to follow up with his arm which was originally done by another surgeon, so that eliminates going to another doctor. The doctor said that he would be able to bear weight in 7 weeks, so we are happy about that.

Now we just have to get through the hand surgery tomorrow and hopefully we won't have a problem with transportation. Keep those prayers coming.....:-)

Day 47 Sunday

No therapy today. Just lots of rest as he'll have a busy week with doctor's appointments, hand surgery on Tuesday and rehab. It will be 2 weeks on Tuesday at the rehab hospital and we were told in the beginning that he would be there 2 weeks but if he wasn't ready to go home he would stay longer. Well folks, he's not ready! This surgery will slow things down as that means 4 more weeks of not using the hand. It gets rather discouraging at times as we both just want to hurry up the process so he can come home.

I'm repeating myself but his main goal is to be able to slide his butt on a board from his bed to the wheelchair or bedside commode and back again. Since he can only use one hand to help push himself the therapists have a very long belt wrapped around him and help by pulling him. I imagine I will be learning how to do this to help him once he gets home. Should be interesting.

Day 46 Saturday

Well, Leonard was right! They ran another culture and his tests came back negative for C-Difficile. Thank goodness for that. He only had one group session today and tomorrow he has no therapy. A day of rest, although I'm sure he would like to just keep working everyday so he's that much closer to being released and going home. That's all he talks about right now.

Dani and I spent a couple hours with him and brought him the Chinese dinner he wanted. All three of us ate of the one dinner.

Day 45 Friday

Nothing new to report today. It's a repeat of yesterday with 4 sessions of PT and OT. Getting better at the sliding routine. Tomorrow he only has one group session in the afternoon. Weekends are not very active. I guess they feel the patients should have some relaxation.

He's complaining about the food and asking me to cook something up and also to bring some Chinese take-out from our neighborhood restaurant. It's hard enough when you have no appetite and then to have food you don't like doesn't make it very easy.

Day 44 Thursday

We had a whole new issue presented to us this evening by his nurse. She informed him that he tested positive for C-difficile (c-diff) which would explain some of is bowel problems. This bacteria attacks the intestinal tract of people taking antibiotics and being in the hospital or care facility for long periods of time. The way they treat c-diff is with more antibiotics! When he was in John C Lincoln they tested him numerous times and it was always negative. He is so frustrated and he said he wanted the test re-run.

On a more happy note, he's doing well with his PT and OT and feels positive about it. Learning how to slide on that board from bed to chair or whatever is challenging to say the least especially since he can only use one hand but he's working on it.

Day 43, Wednesday

Started out early this morning with rehab. He practiced sliding on a board from wheelchair to excercise bed and back. It's very had to do as he can only push with one hand. We had a 10:30 appointment with the hand surgeon so I got there 1/2 hour prior to fill out the paper work. Leonard was brought over by a medical transport van and arrived at 10:40. That certainly wasn't a problem as we did not get seen by the doctor until 1:00. There must have been 40+ patients in the waiting room and we were told that they were short a doctor and a couple PA's and they always over book as so many don't show up. He was so tired sitting in that wheelchair for all those hours and he was understandably irrated and so was I. X-rays show that the bone in the back of his hand below the pinkie finger has not healed properly so the pins have to come out and a plate inserted and some bone graffs have to be done. This will happen next Tuesday 3/18. It means another 4 weeks of not using the hand. Not the news we wanted to hear.

We're scheduled to see the arm surgeon tomorrow morning but just before 6:00 tonight we got a call that the transportation is not available until later in the day and of course we couldn't do anything about it this late in the day. Unless a miracle van shows up at 8:30 we'll have to reschedule the appointment. Of course, we don't set up any of the appointments, our rep for worker's comp makes all the arrangements and I could reach her either. More frustrations for both of us.

Day 42 Tuesday

I think Leonard is in full rehab now as he worked really hard today as he was thoroughly exhausted. One session was 1 1/2 hours. This is good. Told him the harder he works the sooner he can come home. I don't want to have to get my whip out!

Had some friends come by this afternoon for a visit which pleased him. I wasn't able to spend the day with him as I watched the grandkids all day so I stayed with him during the evening but didn't visit much as the Suns game was on and that's important. At least they are starting to win again.

Day 41 Monday

I'm having trouble coming up with interesting things going on for Leonard right now and I do believe each day will become so routine at least for awhile as he goes to rehab 3 or 4 times daily and that's about it. He did get upset today as someone pushed his wheelchair back to his room from therapy and left him there. That person failed to put him near his call button and after sitting there for quite some time he managed to get over to the button to see about getting back into bed as he had some time before the next session and thought he could get a quick nap in. He was not a happy camper this evening.

His first ICU nurse from JCL,Tracy, came by to visit him which I think was so special. She was the trauma nurse on duty that day he was brought in and she stayed with him all day. He didn't remember her at first. She had told me she would go over to see him, so I was pleased about that. She always made a point to stop and see him throughout his stay and comforted me a numerous occasions.

However, our dear friend Sue gave Leonard a DVD of his all time favorite made for TV movie called Evil Roy Slade so we put that in for him to watch and we did manage to get a few smiles. Thank you Sue, he needed that!

Tomorrow most of sessions are in the morning with only one in the afternoon. On Wednesday he will be going for a follow-up visit with the hand surgeon. He has a pin in the hand which we understand to be only in there temporarily and will be removed but we don't know when. Our rep from worker's comp makes all the appointments and arranges transportation which makes it so much easier.

Day 40 Sunday

Leonard was supposed to have an occupational therapy session at 1:00 but he's wasn't feeling so well at that time so he cancelled it. We did have lunch outdoors as we want to enjoy all the fantastic weather while we can as we know the heat will be upon us very soon and then we will have to stay indoors.

If anyone wants to visit Leonard he's at Healthsouth Rehabilitation Hospital, 13460 N. 67th Ave, Glendale (just south of Thunderbird) and his phone number is 623-334-5394 which rings right to him. He's in therapy off and on during the day Monday through Friday until around 3:30 so I would advise visiting time late afternoon. Weekends are good as this weekend he only had the one session scheduled and I don't think they usually have much going on.

Day 39 Saturday

No therapy over the weekend so it was a lazy kind of day. I got there just about the time he was getting ready to be lifted up out of bed into his wheelchair to go to the dining room for lunch. He still doesn't have much of an appetite so going through all this hassle is not something he looks forward to for each meal. I think he would much rather eat in his room but they make you go to the dining room.

Later in the day we went outdoors and enjoyed the beautiful day. Not a cloud in the sky and the warm sun beating down on us was heavenly. I took him for a walk through the building and out in the front as he had not seen any of it before. Then it was back to the dining room for dinner. After dinner some friends stopped by which he thoroughly enjoyed visiting with them and then it was back to bed for the rest of the day.

Day 38 Friday

Mom, Jaason, Leonard and Lorrie

He had such a full schedule of therapy today, I decided to stay home and watch our grandson Eric and then go see him tonight. He had a lot of activity today with therapy, removal of the Foley catheter and he has done well with it out. Sometimes you have to be retrained on empting your bladder but he did fine all day. Another exciting thing happened today, he got to take his first shower and he enjoyed it thoroughly. The simpliest things have such a profound effect on him. I doubt either one of us will ever take anything for granted again.

Day 37, Thursday

His new best friend or should I say old! This was actually taken a few days ago at JCL

Today was the first day of "real" therapy. The therapists really worked him and he was panting and exhausted by days end. He was using 2 lb weights on his one good arm and thought they were 10 lbs. He's so weak but eager. They are very limited to what they can have him do because of the none weight bearing in place for 2 more months.

It's quite a process to get him out of bed with that hoyer lift. They spend 15 minutes getting him out of bed into the wheelchair and then he decides he has to use the bedpan. It reminds me of when I used to dress my younger brothers into their snowsuits only to tell me 5 minutes later that they had to go to the bathroom and then you start all over again.

All in all a good day!

Day 36, Wednesday

Basking in the sun for the first time


Therapist Jackie getting him out of bed and into the wheelchair

Today was mostly evaluations, some therapy but the real stuff will begin tomorrow. He got to sit in a wheelchair today and I was able to take him outdoors for the first time in five weeks. He totally enjoyed the warmth of the sun on his body but it was short lived as his tech found us out in the courtyard and escorted us to the dining room. No more eating in bed! They will get him up for each meal. It's quite a process as they have to use the hoyer lift which is what you see in the picture. Then you get in this processional of wheelchairs lined up going into the dining room.

He complained about his bed yesterday to the nurse and told him about the wonderful air bed he had at John C Lincoln and today he got one. What a difference it makes. He really has a hard time sleeping at night but now it's even harder as his roommate who is 89 years old keeps trying to get out of bed and they now have an alarm on his bed and it makes this horrible noise. This poor old soul gets so confused, not knowing where he is and keeps thinking I'm his nurse.

Leonard got his stitches removed from his leg and ankle today. The hole in his neck is almost closed as well. So many good things happening now and he's so anxious to get started with his therapy, because he wants to go home so badly.

He got weighed this afternoon and he has lost 43 pounds. I wouldn't recommend this kind of diet to anyone, but we're happy that he's lost the weight as it will help his recovery. His surgeon will be very pleased.

Day 35, Tuesday

Leonard was transferred to the rehab hospital this afternoon. He was supposed to go earlier but the gastro doc wanted to talk to him about the colonoscopy. Everything was great except he says he has an ulcerated rectum which may have been caused from what happened last week with the diarrhea because he had to have that balloon and tube inserted. Needs a follow up in about 6 weeks.

He got to the rehab hospital too late in the day to get started with any therapy but come 7 AM tomorrow occupational therapy arrives and physical therapy will be coming at 10:30. He will have a total of 3 hours per day and he will have to work very hard in order to come home in 2 weeks. He's determined and I think he will be able to do it. He is very weak from inactivity for a month plus all the surgeries so he has his work cut out for him. He'll have to be like the little engine that could movie "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can".

Day 34, Monday

He's doing great today!!! He was able to sit in a recliner in the morning and afternoon for a total of 5 or 6 hours and really was very comfortable. He would have been able to move over to the rehab hospital this afternoon but they didn't have a bed available. Tomorrow there will be five beds so tomorrow will be our big move. He can't wait to get started.

Day 33, Sunday

He continues to improve today. Sat up in a chair for 2 1/2 hours and although tired was feeling good. He still has some gas but I think that is after effects from the colonoscopy. I do believe he will move tomorrow to rehab. He wants to get started, promising to work as hard as he can, so he can come home. He's having moments of depression and I keep telling him that he has to have a positive attitude because he will heal faster if he does.

Article from the Mayer Newspaper regarding accident

Our friend Lamont came to see Leonard today and brought him this article that was in the Mayer Newspaper of the accident. After seeing this picture we truly know that it's only by the grace of God that he is still with us and recovering so well. He is truly a testament that prayers work.

Click on the article to make it larger.

Day 32 Saturday

He's looking good!!!!

He felt pretty good today and they got him sitting up in a chair for the first time in a couple of weeks. He tires very easily and only managed to sit for about 1 1/2 hours but it felt good to him at least in the beginning. He got a shave last night so he's got a nice soft face again. He's eating normal food again but trying to eat light meals and his appetite is there but when he starts eating he gets full rather quickly. We are hoping he continues on this path and will be discharged on Monday.