Get a Grip

                      Is this a forewarning?

    Not good this morning. He said his right tricep went numb last night. The Dr ordered an immediate scan. That was midnight. Needless to say I have a sleepy husband this morning. He slept for three hours.

   The OT came in and worked with his left arm, he slept through it.

     He woke at 11am and he wanted to go for a walk. He showed me everything on his hall, he had read all the pictures and about the artists. We got permission to go on other floors. We went to the cafeteria and the gift store. The library was closed. I wanted to show him the fish tank. He didn't break anything in the gift store. I was worried about the glass. He has steering skills.

     For lunch we had shrimp pad tai with rice and fresh fruit. We sat with a grandpa man named Lee he raised chickens and sold them to Albertsons about 1000 a day, he had 5 million on his farm in chicken barns. They would roll the chickens in a rubber coated drum that would pluck off all the feathers. I googled it. Interesting. He is from Caldwell, Id.  He told us PT asked him to make change for a dollar while they shocked his left cheek. The electrodes are supposed to stimulate the muscle. He said it was hard to think of the answer while they shocked him.

   No PT today. 

     For dinner he had Idaho steak fingers which are beef strips, wild rice, green salad and blue cheese dressing, 2 big chocolate chip cookies. We saved a cookie for later, it helps when he takes pills. He is worried about his waistline. Ahem

     We plugged in his wheel chair and it is recharging. 

      He really likes the stand for his ipad. The OT lady wants to get some for her other patients. Thank you aunt Kathy! He can hit all the buttons by himself, most of the time.

      He likes using the iPad. He uses the Oregon duck yellow stretch bands to strengthen his arms.

     He is listening to a conference talk with his earbuds, small headphones that fit in your ear. How well does one listen when they snore? Redo

      He shaved himself with the electric razor. I asked him if he wanted a mirror. He said no, he was shaving by touch. I told him he missed a spot under his chin. He said he was growing an under chin beard. It's a new fad in Boise. Oh really?

     He wanted me to bring him his toothbrush. I said what do I get for doing that and he said I could have anything I want times two. I think I might go back to the gift store and get something Christmasy for the room. When I look in other rooms, I see small Christmas trees and pointsettas. I'm thinking something blinking and with lights to light up this room. My host family says they have extra strands of light. Should we put up gold and green lights? Might have to settle for white.

    He said the numbness in his arm is diminishing. The scan showed nothing so they think it might have been overworked or pinched. The nurse said they can't do an MIR unless it is an emergency because the insurance companies won't pay for it. They have to get it pre approved. The insurance companies do run the show. They have the tallest buildings.

      I saw Chaplin Tony on my way out today. He didn't recognize me, but asked about how I was doing so I told him we were back for rehab and would be around for a while.  A very caring man, I think they hire people like that here. We need a lot of compassion and caring.

     I heard the boys basketball won. 45- 35 go Tigers! Grrrr