Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Latest Adventure
From:
Bat Goddess
Date: 29 Apr 12 - 06:19 AM
Well, the reality of it is the homecoming is postponed for at least another week and he's under doctor's orders not to travel -- specifically to the Connecticut folk gathering over Mother's Day weekend that we've been going to for over 20 years. AND he can't put weight on the ankle for at least another 4 weeks.
Okay, here's the report on Tom's appointment with Dr. Blitzer Friday -- new x-rays, brand new pretty blue cast (he could have had hot pink...or lime green...or any of about a dozen colors), and the knowledge that he can't put any weight on the ankle for another four weeks. AND Dr. Blitzer doesn't want him to travel -- spoiling long-standing plans for Mother's Day weekend.
That also means at LEAST another week in rehab. Tom was very, very depressed leaving Seacoast Orthopedics after the appointment. And the fact that through some medical snafu, his usual maintenance dosage of Welbutrin had been halved for the past six weeks certainly didn't help.
We sat in the car and talked for quite awhile before heading back to Langdon Place. (The other good news is he's having no trouble getting from wheelchair to car and back.)
And the other good news was, when we got back to Langdon Place, I had a nice talk with Kathy, the head nurse -- who had been just about to fax some of Tom's blood pressure info to Dr. Blitzer. First, we got the Welbutrin problem ironed out -- she speculated that somewhere along the line, an old dosage had gotten into Tom's records (despite the fact I hand out a printed sheet with Tom's meds and dosage and medical history and doctors to EVERYBODY from the EMTs that took him to the ER, to the hospital doctors and the rehab facilities). She agreed that Tom will heal a lot better not being dogged by depression. Then I joined Tom back in his room with Katie, his occupational therapist, and another of his regular therapists and we had a very productive meeting of the minds.
We'll probably do a home visit on Tuesday or Wednesday so they can find out exactly what Tom has to deal with to get in and out of the house so they can work on ways to do it. That's the only catch in his coming home -- once he's in the house, he'll be able to maneuver just fine. They also brainstormed about ways to safely get him to Indian Neck and back -- say in the back seat with his leg up and frequent stops. But I talked to another friend who is a nurse Friday night at the Press Room session and he says that probably wouldn't satisfy Dr. Blitzer; that Tom IS better off NOT traveling to Connecticut. And the issue is blood clots -- because he'd be more or less immobilized during a long car drive (even with his leg up in the back seat and frequent stops) it could be dangerous. And, disappointed as Tom is, he doesn't want to risk it. Anything that Katie and Jenn come up with would have to be okayed by Dr. Blitzer anyway before we'd do it, of course, and it looks like that probably wouldn't happen. But it made Tom feel better that everybody was working together to try to make the situation better.
Kathy came in, too, and added some more ideas, especially as far as making his continued stay in rehab better and even more focused on being able to leave.
Tom was, by this time, in a LOT better mood than when I'd wheeled him back into the room.
Yesterday, I headed over late morning and brought the rollator (wheeled walker with a seat) so the therapists can see what he has available and teach him how to best use it. Then I took Tom out for a ride. He's getting really good at getting between the wheelchair and the car and back again, but really wants to work with the rollator. Unfortunately, that probably won't happen until Monday.
After I left Tom yesterday I took a bunch of stuff that would otherwise have gone to Goodwill over to a fiddle-playing librarian friend and actually did a wee bit of socializing (outside of the Friday Press Room sessions). I'd woken up way too early (again) and was too tired to even think about a glass of wine, but a couple other friends showed up (vocalist and bodhran player and vocalist and cittern player) and we had a GRAND time all afternoon talking about Life, the Universe...Everything. (And petting the dog. Or, at least, ME petting the dog. He's a pound dog who came, believe it or not, with the name Schulz -- my name -- and he took to me much better than to most women, letting me rub his belly and tickle his ears and generally not stop.)
I really needed yesterday afternoon. I didn't get home until after 7 and called Tom, apologizing for calling him so late. He said he figured I'd get hung up and hadn't really expected the call earlier.
Linn
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sj
