New wheels

Well, last week, I was loaned a very fancy electric wheelchair,  and have been learning to drive it with head motions. Right temple tap makes it turn right, left temple tap - left, etc.

Those of you that know me remember that I used a lot of arm motions for emphasis when I talked. Now, without hand control, I use my head a lot, making for some interesting chases of me and this new chair through these tight hallways.

I am not officially cleared to drive on my own, yet, but have been practicing a lot. They tell me that I'll be tested as soon as I go for a week without demolishing something, or hitting someone. Seriously, the only person I've hit was the Director of the Therapy department, and then only because all the therapists told me he was worth 20 points. Sorry, Dustin.

We had a Care Conference this week, and for the first time that I remember, started the discussion about how I can go home. I have some of the things I will need, but modifications to our home to make it more handicap friendly is on our horizon. Recovery from this is very slow, but happening. I hope to be home by Summer.

I bought a ramp van on eBay - inadvertently. I made an offer that was rejected by other sellers of similar vans, but this one accepted it. The Carfax and Autocheck all checked out excellent, so we are now awaiting delivery of it from Florida. Since Nancy can't drive for at least 4 - 6 weeks (nor can I), I guess it will decorate our drive until we are ready for it.

Thanks to everyone that has risen to help us after Nancy's fall and broken arm. She is still experiencing pain, but is much better now. We couldn't have managed all of this without you.

Steve

Sent from my iPad

We need 4 but are down to 1!

Nancy fell yesterday and broke her right humerus (upper arm). Please pray for swift healing and pain relief. Her arms are our most precious commodity these days!

New year...new goals! (Written by Steve)

Well, today I was introduced to the sliding board as a means of transferring from bed to my wheelchair and back. It is much more comfortable to sit in my chair without the Hoyer pad, but it does need three people instead of two to conduct the transfer. My therapists have assured me that the number of aides will go down as time goes on, but I like not being plucked from bed by a machine (Hoyer Lift) several times a day.

I have moved to a double room, and have a veterinarian as my roommate. He is on his computer a lot, but always has time for our Charlie - who immediately adopted him. Chris had his practice on Hands Pike and 3L highway, so some of you may have used him in the past. 

I was able to attend Lakeside's Christmas Ève service, as well as go home again, to the condo on New Year's Day for dinner with Tim and Flora, Alex and Becky, and all the grandkids. It was great, and the dinner was good too!

On the 2nd, the  the family took me to what has become an annual tradition, the extended family's Cootie tournament. As you can imagine, when 24 family members get together- it was loud and quite a party! But suffice to say I learned that amplifier ear buds I wear of late, work well as earplugs when the amplifier is turned off. ;)

The state of my recovery seems very slow, from this side, but everyone that sees me infrequently claims I am progressing well. Christy ( my OT therapist ) says the sliding board was a huge step. Emily ( my PT therapist ) was totally surprised last week when I was able to fully pedal a floor bike. Her reaction was "...where did that come from?"

Feeling that Christy had been left out, I proclaimed that someday soon, I'd reach out and grab her, thus sharing the surprise. She immediately replied "...that would make her day!" Following that conversation, all the therapists wanted to know "...what, on earth, we were talking about..." - all quite innocent, I assure you.

I still have little or no movement in my hands or feet, but the Lord answered my prayers with regard to starting to see some muscle inflection when I try to move. He also gave me a way to fight off the various itches that I can't scratch. When I get an itch, I stop whatever I am doing and sing to myself a verse of "Jesus loves me" and the itch goes away. Try it yourself.

Well, posting a blog entry takes a while, especially with a mouth stylus.

So long, for now.

Steve

Sent from my iPad

Happy New Year (From Nancy)

Hi, everyone,

Happy New Year!  I am looking forward to this year as I expect Steve to continue his progress get home!

We had our family Christmas this last weekend and enjoyed all our family in town, Becky and Alex and their kids, Josh and Diksha.  Also, Tim and Flora and their kids Emma, Aidan, Finn and Evy.  Yes, Steve got to come home again, thanks to this family manpower.  They carried him across the threshold:)  We enjoyed a late Christmas dinner and opened presents.  

The next night, the process was repeated as Steve journeyed up to the family "cootie" party, where 67 gag and real presents were "won" by rolling dice and drawing cooties. There were were 13 adults and 12 teenagers/children whooping it up and strategizing to pick the presents that might hold something they actually want:)  Steve made it the whole four hours and then returned to Rosedale.

There are improvements in Steve every week and his therapists see a rate of increasing return of strength and ability to do more and more.  He has practiced on a transfer board a few times, even without  the use of his hands.  He bicycled full rotations for over a hundred revolutions several times.  He can sit up erectly without support for up to a half hour.  He uses the iPad a great deal for email, research and Netflix.  He enjoys having new mail in his inbox:)

Please stay tuned....more victory to come!

Love

Nancy and Steve