Lunch Break

It's Alison. Rob and I got to the hospital around 12:30 to spend time with Dad during our lunch break. He had already eaten by the time we got there, so he had a little bit of his cream slush for dessert.

He was super tired--dozing off in his wheelchair--and not thrilled about going to three hours of therapy. But, he's always willing, even when he doesn't want to do it. Chelsie came and got us and took us down to the gym. Occupational therapy today was all while he was sitting on the edge of a mat/table. She said she wanted to work on his hand because it is starting to show some tone (apparently that's what it's called when it starts going into a fist on its own) that Diane mentioned. She fitted him for a resting hand splint that she said he needs to use at night. She said this will help prevent his hand from going into that involuntary fist while he sleeps. Next, she put several colored cones on a table in front of him and had him lean forward to get them, one at a time, and put them on the mat next to him. It was quite a stretch and reach for him, but he did great. Each time, while he stretched forward with his left hand, he put weight on his right hand to support himself. I was pleasantly surprised with how sturdy he was while doing this. Chelsie and Danielle only had to support him a little bit to keep him from falling. Most of his weight was on his own right arm. He finished the cones and then put them back on the table. Then she set them up again and had him move the cones from one side of the table to the other.

Next, she had him sit without supporting his weight with his arms at all, so he was just balancing. Then she threw a beach ball to him and had him hit it back to her. He did great! They hit it back and forth for about 10 minutes.

Dad was totally pooped, but we had to go over to physical therapy next.  Collin decided to really challenge Dad today, even though he was completely worn out already. He had Rob and me help support Dad while he had him stand up holding onto a bar (that's right... standing without The Machine). Dad stood up for 90 seconds, twice. Collin said that it was better than he expected.  He let Dad rest for a few minutes after that since he said it had to have been incredibly exhausting.

Unfortunately, Rob and I had to get back to work, so we left just before Susan was getting there for the afternoon. So, let's hope that Susan decides to update us later (I think it will be her first post, even though she's been in the hospital many, many times). No pressure, Sue. :)