Day Program--Day 1

I should have known when I woke up to storms in Atlanta that today was going to be interesting.

Got to Justin's room around 8:15, not really knowing what to expect. I found him dozing and he advised they were coming in around 9 to get him up. About 8:30 Queen Bee (Barb--case manager) showed up with some prescriptions I would need to get for Justin. Shortly thereafter the nurses came in to get him dressed and out of bed. By 9:30 his head nurse was in there telling me to load up everything that had been opened because they were ours now. She went to get us a few boxes of gloves and some more condom catheters.

As I was loading the cart she brought to me, she advised that she would come back with discharge papers and would call QB back down to go over some more details.

That fast Justin was being discharged from inpatient and inducted into the Day Program. Of course, I was clueless as to what to do. We did our discharge, asked about some equipment the VA sent with us and were advised even though Justin can't use them, to keep them since they were VA issue and needed to be returned to them when his equipment they ordered comes in.

We got him back to a room that was a mess; I hadn't quite had a chance to separate out and coordinate the supplies we already had and here we were showing up with more pillows, more gloves and more equipment.

As we decided to do lunch so I could hide Justin in the hall of 2nd floor while I went to get his prescriptions filled, we found his cath had leaked and he was soaked. We had NO lift in the room. We tried a manual board transfer but I was nervous for having never done one yet and the bed was a bit too high to the power chair and wouldn't go down any further. SO, we got him organized again in the power chair, grabbed some supplies and clean clothes and headed back to 2nd floor for help. We found Beth (just gotta love her, PT therapist) who said she would check into things; in the meanwhile, we were seen by Erin-day program manager- who called housing manager and asked for a manual lift to be brought to our housing room.

So, we strolled back over to housing, got the lift and shower chair, got him in bed, cleaned up, changed and ready to roll back over for some lunch.

Now it's 1:30--got him fed and he found himselft a quiet spot in his favorite 2nd floor hall. Did I mention that it was storming here today.

So 2:15 I head to CVS (here I go with free advertisement again--ha) for prescriptions and other supplies and found Justin comfortable in his spot around 3. By this time, mom's thinking about needing a break but no such luck.

We headed back to the room for some serious organizing of supplies, equipment, had to rearrange the beds so it could accommodate the lift, chair and nightly turning so we get no bed sores. But I did manage to get some supper done which he ate two helpings of and dishes washed. We skipped out on a shower but got his backpack reorganized and ready for his first day in day program, which starts at 8:30 sharp and they want us both there for goals and more learning.

He enjoyed his new episode of House and Lie to Me, did bowel program, got him changed and comfortable in bed and as of 11:30 I think he's finally resting good.

I must say, he did say that the transfers with the manual lift worked out well and agreed that after the day we'd had we needed a break somehow. It's been eye-opening and tiring but we survived it. Thanked God already for that and prayed for continued strength and patience.

What's new with Justin: he's urinating on his own again but I'm concerned with him not being able to tolerate the ICs anymore. Too much sensation and our 10:00 attempt actually felt like his bladder is tightening up in resistance to is. I didn't continue with it only because he said he would talk with the doctor in the morning about it and his head nurse this morning said you typically don't do both ICs and Reflex. I just pray there is no UTI that sets up before we can get this figured out.

He's getting some minor sensation in his feet, has been able to feel the pain from the shots he was getting in his thigh for about a week now and actually said he could feel his thigh muscles reacting to the spasms he was having while I was trying to do some of his leg exercises. Still no function with fingers and hands but with signs in the past we feel there's a good shot of recovery; maybe not this month or this year but such small signs give us hope--like being able to slightly move his thumb and feeling sensations in three of his fingers.

Dad has some contractors lined up tomorrow to advise whether they can assist with the home modifications and how much the price tag will be. Justin was glad to hear; he was starting to get a bit anxious about whether that would be done in time and with the fast pace they do here with the day program, he's probably right to wonder if it can all get done; time sure is seeming to fly by these days!!

We continue to appreciate you all, your comments encourage us and your help, support and prayers keep us going through this all. We thank you all as we do God and continue to pray for us all for the many blessings you all deserve!!!