Day 138 - Tuesday 13th September
When Tracy arrived this morning, we had a spy in on kp from a very dark room, and saw Karen's head shining bright, the sunlight reflecting over her VERY shiny head. She had had a good night's sleep but was sweating like a pig (perspiring profusely).
Tracy had a good natter with kp but I was a bit tired after sleeping with the dogs last night (Tracy doesn't like them between her and the loo in the middle of the night). The dogs slept with me, on me, around me, everywhere. They were up, down, barking, wanting to go out etc etc...
So, I was ready for a snooze almost as soon as I arrived. Tracy had kindly brought me a present of a collapsible camp bed (for the hospital). We put it up and I slept for about an hour. Thanks Tracy and Mark. At about 11.30am, it was time to wake up and go for a bath. We collapsed the bed and did the bath thing and then it was time for Fish and Chip Supper.
I nipped out whilst Tracy finished the cosmetic part of the bath routine with kp.
The Fish and Chip Supper was enjoyed thoroughly in the Day Room, a bit more spacious than kp's room which is great for 2, but not for 3 to eat.
After lunch, kp lied down a bit before physio.
Physio today consisted of kp standing from the wheelchair and resting her right hip on the bench
By the way, I have just remembered that I said I would post pictures of the wheelchair that Deborah and Lydia tarted up and I have forgotten. Sorry Lydia and Debs, memory like a sieve. Above is the wheelchair along with wing mirror and more stickers than a formula 1 car saying such things like :-
Drive it like you stole it
Caution : Mad Cow in Wheelchair
Once her hip was on the bench, she had to stand on her right leg (the one that can fully lock) and lift her leg in the air, hold it, and then stretch it out and lock it straight if she cans.
These were very tiring, and if you want to know how tiring, try standing on one leg for a few minutes and then lifting your other leg up, holding it and then lowering it down. It always amazes me how much stamina kp has. By the second time of doing this, she was flagging.
But she did a third.
And then it was time for some left hand exercises. Her left hand/arm has very little sensation and is VERY weak from the shoulder downwards.
The physio lifted kp's left arm upto her right arm (on the bench) and got her to run it along her right arm. At first, he had to help her run it along most of the time, but within a few minutes, kp could gradually move it along her other arm.
By the end of the physio session, he had her left arm down by the wheelchair foot holder and he got her to move the footholder (no foot in it) from back to forward. I was VERY impressed as this arm/hand simply isn't used day to day for ANYTHING. It only gets in the way of other things kp is doing.
Physio over, we went back to the room and kp went straight to sleep.
Tracy and I went out for a coffee.
We should have stayed as while we were out, she had a visit from the orthopedic surgeon who had come to check her buttock wound. His verdict is he is quite pleased with it, but is sending her for x-rays to get it checked out. I get the impression he is not sure if he should suture it shut or not. He is going to send the x-rays to Mr Cross at Sunderland (the guru) for his opinion on how well its doing.
He seemed generally happy according to kp.
That's it for now.
Tracy had a good natter with kp but I was a bit tired after sleeping with the dogs last night (Tracy doesn't like them between her and the loo in the middle of the night). The dogs slept with me, on me, around me, everywhere. They were up, down, barking, wanting to go out etc etc...
So, I was ready for a snooze almost as soon as I arrived. Tracy had kindly brought me a present of a collapsible camp bed (for the hospital). We put it up and I slept for about an hour. Thanks Tracy and Mark. At about 11.30am, it was time to wake up and go for a bath. We collapsed the bed and did the bath thing and then it was time for Fish and Chip Supper.
I nipped out whilst Tracy finished the cosmetic part of the bath routine with kp.
The Fish and Chip Supper was enjoyed thoroughly in the Day Room, a bit more spacious than kp's room which is great for 2, but not for 3 to eat.
After lunch, kp lied down a bit before physio.
Physio today consisted of kp standing from the wheelchair and resting her right hip on the bench
By the way, I have just remembered that I said I would post pictures of the wheelchair that Deborah and Lydia tarted up and I have forgotten. Sorry Lydia and Debs, memory like a sieve. Above is the wheelchair along with wing mirror and more stickers than a formula 1 car saying such things like :-
Drive it like you stole it
Caution : Mad Cow in Wheelchair
Once her hip was on the bench, she had to stand on her right leg (the one that can fully lock) and lift her leg in the air, hold it, and then stretch it out and lock it straight if she cans.
These were very tiring, and if you want to know how tiring, try standing on one leg for a few minutes and then lifting your other leg up, holding it and then lowering it down. It always amazes me how much stamina kp has. By the second time of doing this, she was flagging.
But she did a third.
And then it was time for some left hand exercises. Her left hand/arm has very little sensation and is VERY weak from the shoulder downwards.
The physio lifted kp's left arm upto her right arm (on the bench) and got her to run it along her right arm. At first, he had to help her run it along most of the time, but within a few minutes, kp could gradually move it along her other arm.
By the end of the physio session, he had her left arm down by the wheelchair foot holder and he got her to move the footholder (no foot in it) from back to forward. I was VERY impressed as this arm/hand simply isn't used day to day for ANYTHING. It only gets in the way of other things kp is doing.
Physio over, we went back to the room and kp went straight to sleep.
Tracy and I went out for a coffee.
We should have stayed as while we were out, she had a visit from the orthopedic surgeon who had come to check her buttock wound. His verdict is he is quite pleased with it, but is sending her for x-rays to get it checked out. I get the impression he is not sure if he should suture it shut or not. He is going to send the x-rays to Mr Cross at Sunderland (the guru) for his opinion on how well its doing.
He seemed generally happy according to kp.
That's it for now.
posted by David Pollard at Tuesday, September 13, 2005
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