Catherine-Ann / Pure-Grace

Nov. 30, 2022

EVERY DAY = A NEW DAY TO BE GRATEFUL FOR (11.29.22)

Tuesday, November 29, 2022 7:55 PM

Hello, welcome to this winter wonderland (if you're cozy inside) &hope you didn't have to fight traffic!

 Another 'real' therapy day. Larry joined the group session first thing. Not sure what they did, but another resident said they moved everything, to get their whole body warmed up & working. When I arrived, Larry was walking with his walker (which is about waist high) around the exercise room. All the while, the physio correcting & affirming Larry's body moves. He had quite a while on the stationary bike. (Look in Pics) He looks so strong now, when he does these things. While he was cycling, the physio spoke to me about what I can do to help & encourage Larry, when he's not in a therapy session, especially on the weekends. He said that the goal for this week, is that Larry will not need to be transferred from bed to chair, or to the toilet by the Sara Steady (Look in Pics). When that happens, he will be accompanied by staff, until he is consistently strong & coordinated enough to manage on his own. It was exciting to hear the physio say "Larry's goal for this week is…"

 Larry had toast with his eggs for breakfast with a cup of coffee. Oh my! He sure enjoyed that, as he has only been given scrambled eggs & thickened juice till now. While eating his lunch ( a delicious chicken salad sandwich), he said "This is the best meal I've ever had!" He actually received 2 lunch trays, so he picked what he liked from each, until… the speech/swallowing therapist came in. She wanted him to stop drinking his tea, but he totally ignored her. Then she explained why! Until he is given the camera through the nose to examine his throat swallowing, as before, to see if he safely swallows non thickened fluids, ie. thin as water, it’s a risk. The reason is that if water sits in the pockets in his throat & he aspirates, the lungs can safely take it. But if he chokes on milk or juice, for example, the lungs will be pretty upset & it would likely cause aspiration pneumonia. He's had that twice & it’s horrible & a huge set-back. He agreed, when she clearly explained why he needed to be cautious.

  It was a long & busy morning, & he was ready for a nap at 1:00. When the snow began, I kissed him good-bye & away I went. The driving was fine. Larry's colleague who has stored our winter tires at his driving school will change our tires over, when its safe for me to drive to his PoCo location. So, tomorrow, may be the first day in 5 months, that I am not going to a hospital. Our home won't mind at all that I'm paying it some much needed attention. Larry & I will visit by phone. We're both fine with that.

 Today, when I told, once again of Larry's journey, especially the 2 battle episodes in ICU, to the swallowing therapist, saying we don't want to do that again, it made my stomach flip at the thought. Larry said today "I've been through a lot, & I don't remember much of it!" I told him that he has been through much more than most people could endure, survive, overcome… what's the word that could describe it? It's such a gift that he does not remember the horrors. One of the residents at Q.P. was a roommate when he was first transferred to RCH from Surrey. She keeps 'shrieking' when she sees Larry functioning as well as he does, because she remembers a very lifeless & extremely ill & disabled man, that she wasn't sure would make it. A new community, yet again in Larry's new home! It's such a gift, as it's coming together here!