The Waiting Game. Austin Update

The Waiting Game

I know I skipped a day in our updates. I kept waiting for more info, which kept flipping back and forth.

So l let me just sum it up:

Yesterday (Thursday) Austin had a pretty decent day. We were told he’d been denied admission into the in-patient rehab because of his level of independence, or lack thereof. Oddly, the physical and occupational therapy were kind of hit or miss.

How do you progress with your therapy if you aren’t receiving therapy? That was a question that stumped me. So we did what we could come up with in the bed with Austin. Worked that dead arm, just to keep the muscles moving.

The MRI

Austin had his MRI yesterday, and they found no obvious nerve damage. No brachial plexus injury. So no reason for any interventions, and hopefully no reason to keep him from regaining arm function eventually. They reiterated that it would be slow.

Therapy

OT came and made him a wrist splint for that dead arm–they want to keep his muscles from constructing in. It keeps his fingers separated and extended a bit. He said it’s comfortable. He’s already been practicing taking it off and putting it back in himself.

That OT girl also printed out some exercises Austin can work on in the bed for that arm. He’ll have to pick it up with the other hand, and do his best. The arm is not paralyzed, but is very weak and cannot lift. He can squeeze lightly and push against my hand, but weakly.

That was nice

At one point, Austin’s nurse graciously accommodated us to show us all of Austin’s scans. He wanted to see his broken legs, ribs, shoulder blades. We squinted at the CT scans and made more sense out of the X-rays. We all decided that people who read MRIs are probably geniuses–it all looked like hazy blobs to us. But it was interesting. Seeing those bolts holding the titanium rods in his legs made us realize why his knee has been hurting so much–they got bored right into his bones, so of course that would hurt!

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Flip Flop

We accepted the fact that we’d not be going to rehab until Austin got stronger. Then suddenly this morning the caseworker said we’d be going today.

Well, it was a case of the right hand not knowing what the left hand was doing. One caseworker had this info, the other one had other information, and I had nothing but the need to go buy Austin some undies.

While I picked up some necessaries for Austin at Walmart–shorts, socks, slip-on shoes, etc, I let the case managers try to do their jobs and duke it out.

By the time I returned to the hospital, we were supposed to go later on today. Then, we were waiting for approval of something–so, not today. Also–Austin needed PT and OT to work with him to see if he’d made any improvements. So…all day, it was hurry up, wait, we’re going, then, nevermind.

PT had Austin up and walking when I walked in. He leaned heavily on the man, but he did way better than the last time! He walked with assist 120 feet. I didn’t hear any howls, and he stood up straighter, so he has now advanced to moderate assist.

What’s the Plan?

The plan is for Austin to transfer to Encompass Rehab in Kingsport tomorrow. That’s the final plan, unless we find out that it’s not final. Sorry if I sound dubious.

We’ve heard wonderful things about this rehab. Honestly, I’ve heard wonderful things about the rehab centers here in Knoxville too, but this one has a friend looking out for Austin, and that means a lot to us.

He’ll be working hard! Three hours of therapy per day versus basically nothing, so to that’ll be a smack in the face. I mean, he’s pretty much been lying around sipping cold drinks (water) with his feet propped up for the past nine or ten days. I’m sure he’s gotten soft. 😉

He’s ready, though! I hope they plan for a little nap time! I have a sneaking suspicion that suddenly his insomnia will clear right up after all that therapy! Guessing his appetite may pick up too. He’s still eating like a little bird, but more than before.

Transport

First they said he’d go by ambulance. Once they heard he walked today, they said plan on driving him in my car. Gulp–ok! Now, the latest, is that he’ll be transported via stretcher, not in my car. Honestly, even though I thought we could do it, I felt a little apprehensive, just worrying about getting him into my SUV. It’s all better this way.

That’s the long and the short of it!

Austin got more visitors, but I missed some of them. He received some lovely flowers and a really cool sign that pretty much sums up this whole experience. See what you think about it:

In two days’ time, Austin is not hanging on for dear life as much. Wednesday (first) and Friday (second)