https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/jimtruitt/journal
Wednesday, October 14, 2009 6:43 PM, PDT
What a long day! Yesterday Jim called to say that the Nursing/Rehab home plans on discharging him next week. We are working at getting the home health care folks to be at our home on the day of discharge. We are praying that things will line up well and our home will soon be a comfortable safe place for Jim to be.
The VA visit went well. Sadly, the plan extends our hopes out for a couple months. In 2 weeks Jim's right (whole) leg will be having an EMG (electromyography) which tests the electrical activity of muscles. This will give doctors a better idea of just what use he currently has and also a perspective outlook of how much he may recover. Still a guessing game, but perhaps a better educated guess.
After the test, Jim will be fitted for a knee-ankle-foot orthotic (KAFO). This particular one will lock at the knee when he stands on it. Then when pressure is release the lock will open and knee will swing freely. There is a two step fitting process for this and is expected to take about a month.
After he has the finished KAFO, he will then be fit for a prosthetic on the left leg. This is expected to take another month. Jim has decided to go with the in-house VA prosthetist.
After the prosthetic comes in Jim should then be ready for a couple weeks of VA inpatient rehab to learn to walk. It sure looks like this step will take place in January. That will be six months from the accident.
It is a long road to travel, but Jim is determined. Determination, faith, and family (friends too!) are a tremendous asset towards healing.
Thank you for your continued comments, prayers, and visits. Soon the visits can be at home...or I'm sure Jim would love to go somewhere with friends (hint, hint)!
~Wendy~
------------------------------------------------------------
Monday, October 12, 2009 8:41 AM, PDT
Thursday a friend came out and built a ramp to the house. Yay! Now Jim has access to his home! Nice job and thanks so much, Keith and Mikaela.
Took Jim to the prosthetic dr on Friday. The intention was to have his leg and foot cast to begin making a prosthetic. Then they decided to wait until after the VA appointment. If the VA accepts Jim as a patient he can have casts done there. Or they might accept him and have the casts done elsewhere which means we could use the same dr.
Saturday we picked Jim up and brought him home to test the ramp and have a quick dinner. Then we headed out to church and Jim made his first appearance there since July. What an evening to celebrate!
Yesterday we enjoyed a family outing to Leavenworth (which is not such a wheelchair accessable town!) Still it was good to get out and see the fall colors. It made for a long day for Jim. He said his backside was very sore, yet he was glad he could go.
Wednesday will be the big appointment at the VA. They will do a thorough exam to access all of Jim's health needs. Then decide what the next step will be. Will he be admited as an inpatient? Will he be a therapy outpatient? Can he have prosthetic casts done that day? All questions to be answered Wednesday. Please send prayers for this.
Thanks,
~Wendy~
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thursday, October 8, 2009 12:00 AM, PDT
Last Sunday we took Jim out for a drive to Cabela's. Quite the trip but lots of fun! The doctor appointments last week went very well. He was given approval to be fit for a prosthetic. We go to Seattle for the first fitting this Friday.
Next Wednesday is the next appointment at the VA. This will be for a full physical to evaluate him for rehab. Not sure what the next step will be. Could be inpatient rehab but most likely not until the prosthesis comes in a few weeks.
There is the possibility Jim could be returning home in the meantime. That would mean home health care and rehab visits in the home for a while. We just don't know at this point. Primary insurance seems to have come to an end for the current rehab facility. Secondary insurance might be picking up where they left off. Just have to wait and see after all the paperwork settles. Of course that is teaching us patience. Not sure how we are doing on that!
Jim is a pretty healthy guy right now. Just waiting on the slow return of use of right leg and prosthetic for the left. He is building strength in the arms, doing very well with bed/chair transfers. As for weight bearing on the right leg, they park the wheel chair between the parallel bars and help Jim into a standing position. He has been able to stand for a minute and half now with most weight on his leg. He had control of how much weight by using the strength of his arms. Jim has also been able to sit from a laying position, but only on the rehab mat. His bed has an air mat on it that is not condusive to helping him sit up.
Thanks for your continued thoughts and prayers for home changes, guidance in decisions, and health for all of us.
~Wendy~
