Homeward Bound

Suzanne is having her last therapy session, at the NRH, this morning. She'll be discharged from the hospital in the early afternoon. Sue will be receiving at-home physical and occupational therapy 4-5 days per week, as well as nursing visits for the next 6 weeks before re-evaluation, prior to the next surgery on her legs. The goal is to build muscle and strength in preparation for the prosthetic fitting. There is also a pending consult with a hand specialist in Baltimore, to see if anything can be done there. However, the all around good news has everyone in high spirits and we look forward to having us all under one roof again. Other than being with the baby, Sue can't wait to sleep in her own bed again and have "real" food.

Day Pass

Yesterday, Suzanne's doctor allowed her the opportunity to come home for the day. The intention was to present the real-world obstacles and daily challenges she will be encountering when she returns home next week. It will allow her to focus her efforts in this final week at the NRH. By working with countertops, baths, the bed, crib and such she was able to practice navigating these obstacles in and out of the wheelchair. One major problem we discovered is pushing the chair through the heavy carpet pile. With the assistance of Joe, Sue completed her daily exercises at the house. Along with him, were both sets of our parents and the baby for the emotional temporary homecoming. I regretted having to drive her back to the hospital for her 8PM curfew. However the end is nigh.

Rehab

It has been a week and a half since moving to the NRH. Suzanne has been spending about 3 hours per day doing intense physical therapy. This includes weighted leg lifts, stair climbing, balance exercises and transfers in and out of the chair. The goal is to improve her mobility and independence upon returning home. We have just heard that this should be at the end of the month. We anticipate she will be home for a few months before returning for further operations in preparation for prosthetics. Being out of the hospital environment will allow her to eat better food, spend more time with the baby (and me), and be outdoors while preparing mentally for life ahead. We’re all very excited about the news and look forward to updating you soon.

Monica

Several people sent me links to this article today. Monica Sprague, of the Boston area, recently had to deal with a similar situation as Suzanne. The Boston Globe Magazine has a multi-part feature, focusing on the ordeal. I feel blessed that Suzanne has been fortunate enough to have had her hands saved. I'm still digesting the article, but you can hear about it in Monica's own words with this video. There's another blog here.

All Moved In

Yesterday, around 5PM, a nurse wheeled Suzanne down the hall and through the skywalk which connects her floor in the hospital to the NRH. The delay in the move was due to ongoing battles with pain, Staph and C-Diff, as the NRH is not equipped to handle patients with those ailments, who are still connected to the IV. Today marks the beginning of her intense physical therapy, to gain much needed upper body strength. It will be needed to transfer herself in and out of a chair and later as support with walking devices. But that will come later. We expect Sue to be at the NRH for about a month, before going home for further outpatient recovery.