I received clearance from my doctors and have a plane ticket to Phoenix for this Saturday. Everything has been as good as it could be. But both Lori and I are excited to get back to the west side of the country.
All in all, we have been very blessed. The staff at both hospitals have been very nice and attentive. The church members have been helpful in bringing each of us a Book of Mormon to read during our "down" time. We've felt the power of everyone's prayers. We've been surprisingly upbeat and peaceful about everything. We are really grateful that we are both on the mend and are going in the right direction.
I'll be flying to Phoenix but then spending time at my parents' home near Tuscon. That way they'll be able to help me while I continue outpatient rehab therapy. I'm still taking it one day at a time.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Stapleless
More good news.....I no longer have staples in my leg. They were taken out today. Yeah!! Also Lori received clearance to go home on Saturday. She's excited to get back home to her family.
The team is going to meet and discuss my release date tomorrow. I kind of feel like I'm the subject of an IEP meeting to see if I've met my goals. Weird being on this side of things.
Therapy is going good. I am doing leg lifts, leg kicks, hip raises, side kicks. It's coming along slowly. I don't think I'll be replacing the Rockettes any time soon.
Tomorrow I should know when I'll be heading back west. I'll keep you posted.
The team is going to meet and discuss my release date tomorrow. I kind of feel like I'm the subject of an IEP meeting to see if I've met my goals. Weird being on this side of things.
Therapy is going good. I am doing leg lifts, leg kicks, hip raises, side kicks. It's coming along slowly. I don't think I'll be replacing the Rockettes any time soon.
Tomorrow I should know when I'll be heading back west. I'll keep you posted.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Upgraded to Orange
Well, Lori and I survived our first full day of therapy. Thursday we didn't have therapy - we were just checking in. Friday was evaluations. Saturday we had a group session for just 1 hour. And Sunday there was no sessions. So today was 4 sessions. We dealt with walking, putting pants on, putting socks on, getting in and out of tubs, and strengthening exercises.
Well the hard work is paying off. We have been upgraded from yellow to orange status. Yellow meant that we were at high risk of falling and needed assistance for every time we walk. Orange means we can get out of bed by ourselves and go to the restroom by ourselves. Yeah, small miracles.
I also talked with the doctor. He says that my staples should be coming out in the next few days. So more good news there.
I'm feeling pretty good. I feel great after I take a Percocet. I feel ten times better than the night of the accident, with or without drugs. Nothing was as painful as that night.
The staff here I guess haven't dealt with Mormons before. For the first 3 days, we had coffee on our menus. I asked the nurse to change the order due to religious reasons. She said "oh okay" and then we started receiving decaf coffee. I then made a call to the dietician and explained the situation. Now we've been coffee free for 2 meals. :)
Also, they aren't used to seeing Mormon missionaries. We have 2 Elders visiting every few days. One nurse thought that it was cute guys visiting me. Another nurse thought they were from the CIA or FBI. Another nurse asked if they were our lawyers. I just have to laugh. Trust me, I would not hire 19 year old lawyers.
Anyway, that's it for an update. Thanks for your prayers and calls and e-mails. Keep them coming. I hope to come back to Arizona soon. :)
Well the hard work is paying off. We have been upgraded from yellow to orange status. Yellow meant that we were at high risk of falling and needed assistance for every time we walk. Orange means we can get out of bed by ourselves and go to the restroom by ourselves. Yeah, small miracles.
I also talked with the doctor. He says that my staples should be coming out in the next few days. So more good news there.
I'm feeling pretty good. I feel great after I take a Percocet. I feel ten times better than the night of the accident, with or without drugs. Nothing was as painful as that night.
The staff here I guess haven't dealt with Mormons before. For the first 3 days, we had coffee on our menus. I asked the nurse to change the order due to religious reasons. She said "oh okay" and then we started receiving decaf coffee. I then made a call to the dietician and explained the situation. Now we've been coffee free for 2 meals. :)
Also, they aren't used to seeing Mormon missionaries. We have 2 Elders visiting every few days. One nurse thought that it was cute guys visiting me. Another nurse thought they were from the CIA or FBI. Another nurse asked if they were our lawyers. I just have to laugh. Trust me, I would not hire 19 year old lawyers.
Anyway, that's it for an update. Thanks for your prayers and calls and e-mails. Keep them coming. I hope to come back to Arizona soon. :)
Thursday, October 15, 2009
NY, new hospital
I am still in New York, but have been transferred from a trauma center to a rehab center. This is the next step in the process. Now I have my days a little more structured. I'll have 2 physical therapy sessions, 1 occupational therapy session and 1 recreational therapy session daily. Yeah, I feel like I'm back in school.
This is to last 2 weeks. After that, I'll probably go to Tucson and spend a while with Mom and Dad. This will help me test to see how back to normal life and independent I can be. :)
Slowly but surely. That's what I keep saying in my head. The stats that I hear is that it takes 6 to 8 weeks to heal bone. Should I start singing "All I want for Christmas is to walk around"?
Well, pain meds are kicking in. Thanks again for everyone's support and prayers.
This is to last 2 weeks. After that, I'll probably go to Tucson and spend a while with Mom and Dad. This will help me test to see how back to normal life and independent I can be. :)
Slowly but surely. That's what I keep saying in my head. The stats that I hear is that it takes 6 to 8 weeks to heal bone. Should I start singing "All I want for Christmas is to walk around"?
Well, pain meds are kicking in. Thanks again for everyone's support and prayers.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
I Love NY
Here's the update - warning, it's a long one.
On 10/2, Lori and I left for a NY trip. Lori is an old college roommate of mine. Her husband gave her the trip for her birthday and she shared it with me. Our plans were to watch conference in the hotel Sat & Sun. Monday - Thursday = we became the proudest NY tourists that we could. Thursday night = fly back to Phoenix.
Notice I said that was our plans. Life has been derailed a little bit. The plan was great until Tuesday night 10/6. We had just finished seeing Lion King (a great play by the way, but that will be for another post). We traveled back to our hotel and we had gotten off of the bus stop 2 blocks away from the hotel.
As we were crossing the street, we were hit by a car. Neither one of us saw it so we don't know where it was coming from, was the driver drunk, was he texting? We just don't know or remember. I remember hitting the car and then hitting the street. I didn't lose consciousness, but I knew I couldn't move my right leg. Ambulances came and both Lori and I were taken to the North Shore University Hospital. We got in touch with our families. Lori had fractures in her face and pelvis. I had broken my right femur bone and needed to surgically repair it with a rod.
By Wednesday morning, I was being prepped for surgery. Surgery went great. I don't even have a cast on the leg. I have several staples holding things in place. My left leg is pretty bruised, but it just is soft tissue damage, no broken bones there.
Wednesday evening until now 10/13 - I've been on the 2nd floor (surgical wing) of the hospital. I have been able to hobble to and from the bathroom with a walker. I'm stable enough to be transported to a rehab facility behind the hospital. However, we've been waiting for Lori's husband to go pick up the police report. Hopefully the transfer will take place this evening or tomorrow morning at the latest.
Lori is doing well. She had surgery on her face Friday morning. She is also waiting to be transferred to rehab.
Overall, we are counting our blessings that it wasn't worse. The church members here are wonderful. Someone from the stake high council went and got our belongings from the hotel. He and his wife came by Saturday night and left a copy of the Ensign for me to read. Another young couple is nearby. The husband is an intern at the hospital and they live 5 minutes away walking distance. They have come by to visit.
Ryan and his family came to visit Sunday and Monday. It was nice to see all of them. It was the first time I saw the twins. They are cute little guys. Cooper was full of questions and Adriene was full of answers. So good times were had by all. :) Thanks for coming guys.
That's about it so far. I will keep people posted on this and via Facebook.
Love you all.
On 10/2, Lori and I left for a NY trip. Lori is an old college roommate of mine. Her husband gave her the trip for her birthday and she shared it with me. Our plans were to watch conference in the hotel Sat & Sun. Monday - Thursday = we became the proudest NY tourists that we could. Thursday night = fly back to Phoenix.
Notice I said that was our plans. Life has been derailed a little bit. The plan was great until Tuesday night 10/6. We had just finished seeing Lion King (a great play by the way, but that will be for another post). We traveled back to our hotel and we had gotten off of the bus stop 2 blocks away from the hotel.
As we were crossing the street, we were hit by a car. Neither one of us saw it so we don't know where it was coming from, was the driver drunk, was he texting? We just don't know or remember. I remember hitting the car and then hitting the street. I didn't lose consciousness, but I knew I couldn't move my right leg. Ambulances came and both Lori and I were taken to the North Shore University Hospital. We got in touch with our families. Lori had fractures in her face and pelvis. I had broken my right femur bone and needed to surgically repair it with a rod.
By Wednesday morning, I was being prepped for surgery. Surgery went great. I don't even have a cast on the leg. I have several staples holding things in place. My left leg is pretty bruised, but it just is soft tissue damage, no broken bones there.
Wednesday evening until now 10/13 - I've been on the 2nd floor (surgical wing) of the hospital. I have been able to hobble to and from the bathroom with a walker. I'm stable enough to be transported to a rehab facility behind the hospital. However, we've been waiting for Lori's husband to go pick up the police report. Hopefully the transfer will take place this evening or tomorrow morning at the latest.
Lori is doing well. She had surgery on her face Friday morning. She is also waiting to be transferred to rehab.
Overall, we are counting our blessings that it wasn't worse. The church members here are wonderful. Someone from the stake high council went and got our belongings from the hotel. He and his wife came by Saturday night and left a copy of the Ensign for me to read. Another young couple is nearby. The husband is an intern at the hospital and they live 5 minutes away walking distance. They have come by to visit.
Ryan and his family came to visit Sunday and Monday. It was nice to see all of them. It was the first time I saw the twins. They are cute little guys. Cooper was full of questions and Adriene was full of answers. So good times were had by all. :) Thanks for coming guys.
That's about it so far. I will keep people posted on this and via Facebook.
Love you all.
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