Inch by Inch, Life’s a Sinch, Yard by Yard, Life is hard!

Thursday March 8/12 it was home at last! Spent my first night at home in 7 months although it was in a hospital bed in the family room…it was at home. Leaving the hospital was relatively uneventful. Got into the car with no major problems but the ol’ butt was a little sore by the time I got home….an hour ride. 

I asked the nurses to sign my long slider board, the one I use to get into the car, and one wrote: Inch by Inch, Life’s a Sinch, Yard by Yard, Life is hard! I think that will become my mantra.

Friday evening the pharmacist came and explained all the drugs I was taking and how warfarin works and why I had to have my INR checked weekly.

 Today and last  Monday I went for a coffee with the guys at McD’s and that went very well. 

 I had a Dr’s appointment to get my INR checked to determine if I am taking enough warfarin. To get me in the car Darcy has to take the manual chair apart to get it in the trunk and put it back together at the end of the trip. Again we should have had a video camera. It was raining on Monday afternoon and I got loaded in the Bug and Darcy loaded the chair in the trunk. We drove around looking for any parking space as no handicapped spaces were available. We found one but soon realized there was a barrier, the curb. I wouldn’t be able slide out of the car because the curb was too high. We then found a handicapped space at the nursing home across the street and Darcy got the chair out and assembled it only to discover we had left the seat cushion in the garage. Darcy loaded the chair into the car then back to the house to get the cushion. Back to the Dr’s office, get the chair out of the car and it started to pour. I was wet and freezing so we decided to pack the chair and go downtown. The rain stopped so it was back to the Dr’s to unload the chair once again. The trip that should have been 2 unloads and 2 loads, became 4 of each and Darcy was soaking wet to boot. Note: the chair is at the limit that Darcy can lift and she was exhausted after the excursion.

The assistance has started and a PSW comes twice a day, in the morning for an hour for a shower and in the evening for bowel care. A nurse comes about twice a week, an occupation therapist has been here twice and a visit from the physiotherapist who went over my program. I know I have to be a little flexible with the schedul but I would really like to start at 7 in the morning but I know that may not be possible. The night visit has to be around 8:30 as that is the schedule my bowels are on…..Probably too much info.

It is my understanding that the agency, which will remain nameless, has a policy that all PSW’s have to be trained on each patient, to date they have been unable to do anything. Don’t get me wrong, the PSW’s have been great… it is the agency policy that is the problem. They want Darcy to train them how to put on a condom catheter when she only learned through necessity. They want me to lay there with several PSW’s standing around the bed watching as Darcy puts on the condom.  I hung my dignity on the door a long time ago but I’m afraid that is just too much. It still is a lot of work for Darcy since the PSW’ can’t even put on my compression stockings without training even though they put them on other patients regularly.

Just got a call from the agency, they have changed their plan. The PSW’s will be here at noon and Darcy will show them individually how to ‘attach’ a condom and we have to supply the condoms at $2.50 each. Remember a condom catheter is glued on with a very sticky adhesive so it won’t come off. It is bad enough having them ‘torn’ off once every 12 to 24 hours but 4 or 5 in an hour is unacceptable. I assumed that all PSW’s were trained professionals and would be trained in all aspects of the care they provide. I may be messing up my care but how can they expect my wife to train a healthcare professional any of their tasks. I understand that they may not be licensed to put on condoms but there has to be as better way to train them ‘cause it ain’t gonna happen this way. Hmmmmm…..is this directing my own care.

You will have to wait until the next blog to hear the rest of the condom story as they are coming tomorrow at noon…..how’s that for drama.

Being home is fantastic. The scary part is I was starting to consider Parkwood as home as I felt safe and comfortable there and was actually a little apprehensive about coming home. I am now glad they gave me the ultimatum of March 8 to go home or into the Tillsonburg hospital. The only thing I really miss is the 3 hour+ of therapy 5 days a week. I also miss kibitzing with the nurses, PSW’s and other patients. The staff at Parkwood are great.

How do I feel? As Tony would say I feel GRRRRREAT. I assume it is the meds that are keeping from getting too up or too down although I have not had any ‘downs’ since I’ve been home.

 I've gone for a couple of long chair rides... the dog hasn’t had such long walks in 7 months. Went about 3k with the Sarge today, he was on his bike. It was just good to be out.

Thanks for listening….

Last Words From Parkwood

Thought I’d write this blog as the last one from Parkwood. I know Meghan said the next blog will be written in the living room….well…the next one will be.Can’t say enough good things about this place. Here’s the last blog from Parkwood.

On Feb 28 I was  awake at 6:30 and had breakfast and was washed and dressed by 8:00 and arrived at the University Hospital for a  9 o’clock appointment. Saw the Surgeon who was/is going to do my knee when we think I am ready. He is going to see me every 6 weeks until I am ready. That is a huge load off my mind which hasn’t been working all that well for a while. I can now work on getting the leg stronger as soon as the calf is healed.

On Saturday Darcy, my wife picked me up in the VW Bug and took me home for 6 hours. A nurse helped getting me in the car and a friend helped get me out. A problem is the arms on the chair are hard to get out and Darcy has difficulty getting them out. I can slide into and out of the car but the hard part for Darcy is taking apart and putting the wheelchair together. The ride home was ok but my butt was getting a little sore as there isn’t much muscle left. THE fun part was getting out of the car at Parkwood. We had the sliding board in and I was sliding to the chair and we had left the arm on the chair. Slide back into the car and watch Darcystruggle to get the arm off the chair. I am always in such a hurray that I always forget to take my seat belt off.

Just reminiscing about my stay here, arrived on Sept. 14 and it will be 6 months in another  week. I was a big pain in the butt with all the little quirks and some big ones.Here are some of the quirks I had: eye drops had to be put in on the tip a piece of tissue, took my pills one at a time, wouldn’t blow my nose had to clean my nose with a q-tip, had to have someone feed me Ensure and a cookie at 10:30 every night, in the shower couldn’t have water in my ears, had to use the big black commode, my fingers were so sensitive I thought my wife was cutting off the ends of my fingers when she trimmed my nails,  felt every wrinkle in the sheets and I protected my knee and would react if anyone  went near it and I’d react to every move around me even if it didn’t hurt and in PT and OT I’d tense up before they would move me and the list goes on and on. I’m relatively easy to look after now, I think, as I can slide on the commode, use the washroom and do 90 % of the shower. I still need help dressing and some other personal stuff. When I look up I see the lift that took 2 nurses to lift me out of bed and into the chair or commode. Can’t remember the last time I used it. The good things that have happened other than the rehab is that I am pretty sure the claustrophobia is gone, don’t know 100% but very close, found out I have sleep apnea and my depression is being treated. When I got into the hospital I hung my dignity on the door and I should get some of it back when I go home. I really do not know what is going to happen when I get home. I’ll keep you posted.

Feb. 20 was 6 months from the crash and they say that at 6 months the body has repaired itself and you plateau and the changes are much slower after that. Here’s what I have: right arm and hand work at about 80%, the index finger and thumb on the left hand move but they are not strong, middle finger, ring finger and baby only move a little, the left wrist is turned in and it moves very little on its own but will straighten out with some help, the arm bends at the elbow and moves to the shoulder but won’t straighten out on its own. The left tricept is too weak to straighten the arm.I have a lot of muscle tone in both arms. The flexor muscles in the left arm keep the fingers clenched and the extender muscles are too weak to open my left hand. The brachialplexis is a big nerve group in the shoulder that runs the shoulder and it was damaged in the crash so the left arm is behind the right. There is also lot of muscle tone in my back and runs in a band round my abdomen from my belly button to my Chest. The band tightens when I move. It is very tight in the morning and sometimes prevents me from sitting up.

Both legs work but the left is a long way behind the right. As mentioned the left knee won’t straighten out but will bend to 110 degrees plus. I need a CPM – constant perpetual motion machine that moves my leg from 10 degrees extension to 110 degrees flexion. If anyone has a spare CPM laying around, let me know!My left foot has drop foot which means that I can’t pull my toes up. Before I tore the calf muscle I could lift it past 90 degrees but now even with a splint on it won’t come up.

As with any plateau, it takes a lot of hard work to get off of it. Now that I will be at home withno PT or OT I will have to do my own program for my right arm and legs. I will be on a waiting list for outpatient PT and OT which may take 2 to 3 weeks to get in. Just have to remember, a lot of hard work for small gains. The physio from CCAC will hopefully train the homecare worker to stretch and massage my left arm and shoulder to keep it moving.

Thanks for listening…….

Heading Home

Dad asked me to pass on some good awesome news... he is going home.  


Dad is going to be discharged this Thursday, March 8th.  He is very much looking forward to coming home...so, look for his next blog to be written from his own living room once he is settled.


Dad did also ask me to pass on, that he would like a week or so to get settled at home before he is ready for visitors, there is going to be a bit of a learning curve for both mom and dad as they adjust to life at home.


Yaaaay Dad is coming home!!!  :o)

      Picture from a cute etsy shop: Pennywishes that sells art prints and eco-friendly cards.


Can't wait to see you at home dad!