Well, after 7.5 weeks in various hospitals, we finally got Craig home today!!! It wasn’t easy figuring out how to get him in the house, but neighbor Frank helped, and we did it. Craig’s very glad to be home!!
So, now let me update you on the last week... Craig is being treated for the blood clots with a twice-daily injection into the abdomen of a blood-thinning drug called Lovenox. Guess what? It's got to continue for the next month. When I expressed concern about being able to do it to Craig, he got the nurse to teach him how to do it. As far as I know, my job is going to be holding the fold of skin and closing my eyes and hoping his aim is good! Craig also had an ultrasound done of his right harm. There were two clots present, but they were surface ones and not serious. His infection appears to be totally gone, so we won't have to do IV's at home. (YAY!)
I've spent a lot of time over the last week attending physical and occupational therapy sessions, getting a better sense of Craig's abilities and limitations. We also got to test out what to do if Craig accidentally falls. After it took three of us helping with Craig participating too, we decided that he is never going to fall, and if he ever does, I'm to make him comfortable on the floor and call 911 to ask for professional assistance. All of my observations then helped me to recruit two friends, Rick and Robin, who worked with me on Sunday to both rearrange our home somewhat and also install safety equipment for Craig. Rick sat in Craig's wheelchair and practiced going all over the main level of the house so we knew what hazards to remove. We set up the guest room bed with a safety bar, removed doors, put a bench in the bathtub, chairs in the toilet room, etc. etc. Then I photographed all of it, and the occupational therapist has pronounced us okay for Craig to come home! Craig has been practicing going up stairs, so going up there to visit is likely, but he is safer "living" downstairs.
On Friday, Craig and I got approval on our ability to transfer him from a wheelchair to the car. On Saturday, we were allowed a brief leave of absence to go a few blocks away to the Natural History Museum for a special exhibit on race. We discovered his being in a wheelchair dropped our admission from $20 to $9 and our parking from $4 to $0! We enjoyed the exhibit, too, and had a good lunch in their restaurant.
On the downside, all this lifting of the wheelchair and pushing Craig around is wrecking some havoc on my body. Lots of painful spots, which also led me to a meltdown yesterday morning. If I cannot manage the chair, we are very housebound. Right now he can only walk a short distance with a brace on his foot and a cane. I've requested that the physical therapist that comes to the house to work with Craig also show me some techniques with handling the chair, and the insurance company has agreed. Frankly the other challenge for me is that for all these weeks, Craig's had a team of doctors, nurses, aids, therapists, etc. etc. looking after him and all his needs. It's confronting and overwhelming to know that the team is now becoming much smaller - me! With help, though, thankfully....
There will be a nurse, physical therapist, and occupational therapist all visiting us regularly over the coming weeks. We don't know their schedule yet. We also hope that people will come to visit us and also give me breaks. I won't know for awhile whether or when it's wise or safe for me to leave Craig alone.
So, we are on to the next stage. There is an MRI scheduled for next Monday, and we meet with the surgeon and oncologist later in the week for the results and to decide what is next for cancer treatment.
Loving greetings,
Susanne (and Craig!)
1 comment:
Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!
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