Yesterday morning we met with the physical and occupational therapists. It was sort of a show and tell day. We were shown what his rehab has consisted of, how it has progressed and how Benjamin has met or exceeded the goals set at the onset of his stay. They practiced exercises and stretches. They showed all the skills for independent living such as showering, getting in/out of a car, toileting, putting on socks and shoes, safely transitioning from a lying to sitting position and sitting to standing position. It is remarkable what they've done for him in the last two weeks. He's not the same person that was transported here by ambulance. I've told you numerous times and I'll tell you again. God is has been so good to us. People have been so good to us. Benjamin's therapists all gave him hugs on the way out, making him promise to WALK BACK IN one day to visit. One therapist gave him a nice card, telling him she was praying for him and gave him some Scripture to stand on.
It's been almost a month. That's a long time. I remember driving away from the hospital when we had our first baby scared to death. I felt like I had a fragile cargo of eggs that I needed to be very careful with. I checked the streets twice for on-coming traffic, so protective. I felt the same way today. I was nervous, like the first time I sat behind the wheel. I pulled up to the doors of the exterior of the hospital and Benjamin, as he practiced many times, got into the car. We stowed the wheelchair and walker in the trunk and started the 40 minute drive home. Home!
We arrived to balloons on the mailbox, signs on the house and well-wishers. He emerged from the car all smiles.
I'm sure we're going to cramp his style for a while. He's used to living in Lake Charles in a house that he and Tanner and Owen (his roommates) rent. Now he's back with us for a while. He will start out-patient rehab three days a week here in Jennings starting Monday. That will go on for four weeks. In two weeks he has an appointment with his orthopedic surgeon. Hopefully, at that point he will be deemed load-bearing on his right leg. Then we have an appointment with his neurosurgeon in early November along with x-rays to gauge where he is in the healing process.
For now, though, he exhaled and was happy to be home.
Belle, his Great Pyrenees, was SO happy to see him. In a later photo, that I wasn't able to capture, that big old dog tried to climb in the chair with him.
Then it was up the ramp and into the house. What a homecoming!
He still has a lot of work to do. Our next goal is to get him back to work. With his mother following behind us in another vehicle, I had an opportunity (a captive audience) to talk to him on the way home. He wouldn't have therapists working with him, pushing him every day, although he'll go 3 times a week. The other days it would be incumbent on him to push himself and not slack off if he wants to continue the progress he's made.
I told him to keep up the hard work and make it to the finish line. I brought to his attention that he has four titanium rods in his legs and two in his back. That's a lot of titanium. I had googled the value of titanium per ounce and it ranges between $0.52 and $10.00 per ounce. I told him that's a lot of money and warned him that if he starts slacking off, I'd sell him for scrap. He laughed and promised me he wouldn't let us down. I know he won't.
Home Sweet Home.
No comments:
Post a Comment