Jim Comes Home!

Where have the days gone? They are all a blur. It's a cliche', I know, but it best describes how things have gone since Jim returned home. 

He came home on 04 September 2013, with a PICC line (peripherally inserted central catheter/ type of I.V.) and a supra-pubic catheter (a line inserted above his pubic bone that goes straight to his bladder). 

Walgreens delivered several bags of antibiotics and an I.V. pole, and after a visit from a home nurse we were on our own. I made his meals, gave him antibiotics, helped him walk with his walker to the bathroom and to the shower, showered him, dressed him and emptied his urine bag. In addition to that, I was taking my son to school, picking him up after school, cleaning the house, doing the grocery shopping and trying to spend some time at work seeing patients. I couldn't have done it all without my daughter and her boyfriend and my son. They all pitched in when they could, taking out trash, running the vacuum, helping me with clothes. Still, the work never seemed to end.

Gradually, he became more comfortable at home. Sleeping in his own bed was a treat, and being at home was a blessing. But sitting around while I buzzed around the house, made phone calls and tried to figure out bills was driving him crazy. When I took Sean to school one morning, he said he wanted to come. We all piled into the car, and it was his first 'non-official' trip in a while. Later we had to go to CVS to pick up some of his medication, and he wanted to come there too. I was afraid he'd have a hard time, but he was a champ! Before we'd left Saint John's hospital, his physical therapist advised me to make sure I corrected his gait and his posture. He has a tendency to lean to the right since it's his weaker side right now.

I know you're wondering about the patch over the eye. It's something his neurologist wanted him to do to help correct his vision. He has "double vision" and his eyesight won't line up so in order to see better and to train his eyes he wears the patch over one eye for a while and then switches sides.

Just a few days ago, he was dying to get out of the house. My clinic has an extra wheel chair, and some of the staff suggested I borrow it. I brought it home and by using it we were able to take him further outside. I walked Paris, and Kira walked Jim (in a manner of speaking). Jim often finds he is 'cold' despite the 70-80 degree weather, and we've had a cool spell in Ventura which is why he's all bundled up!

This week has been full of doctor appointments, home health/ physical therapy and occupational visits, and visits from would be renters of the house we have to move out of. Just yesterday, Jim had to go to see the urologist. Instead of suggesting surgery, or seeing if there was a blockage, the doctor prescribed a brand new medication. "Let's try this first," he said. The physician is an older Chinese man who is very conservative in his practice. I suppose it's good, but I know Jim is getting tired of carrying his friend "Bags" around. He's graduated from having me empty the bag, to doing it himself, which is another step toward autonomy and gives me a little more time to get other things done.

After the visit to the urologist, we had to hurry home because the physical therapist was due to arrive for his PT assessment. The young man had Jim do several exercises and had him sweating like crazy! Still, Jim felt good about the things he was doing and received several 'homework' exercises to do.

Today, the occupational therapist came and did an assessment as well. He taught Jim how to go up and down the stairs by himself, and how to get into the shower by himself. The visit was extremely useful and seemed to cheer Jim up a bit. After the OC therapist left, the home health nurse/case manager came in for a visit. She took his vitals and inquired about how he was doing, then left. We ate a lunch of Tofurkey slices and veggies wrapped in a burrito sized tortilla, and then went for a walk outside. I thought maybe he could make it to the mailboxes down the street, but he was doubtful. He wanted me to follow him with the wheel chair in case he got tired, so, I did . . . 

 He not only made it past the mailboxes, but continued on along a back path/park where we take our dog (Paris) to walk. It's a circular route. He was doing so well, I suggested that he try walking behind the wheelchair while gripping the handles. This worked very well for a bit, but the wheelchair kept scooching together. Ever able to solve a problem, I promptly sat in it and Jim pushed me in the wheelchair all the way around (6/10 of a mile)! He had expected to be tired, but after taking a nap earlier, he found he had the strength and energy to make it all the way. Needless to say, it was a very good and productive day! 

Although he's doing better, we have a long way to go and sometimes there will be setbacks (we know). Jim was doing great physically today, but had trouble mentally finding the words he wanted to express how he was feeling or what he was thinking. I spent a lot of time on the phone talking with his new case manager from Tricare (in Hawaii) and trying to arrange his future appointments. He'll have an MRI and MRA soon, and will see a few more doctors this week and next week. One thing's for certain, neither of us will be bored in the next few days. With the pending move to an apartment at the end of the month, his physical therapy/OC therapy and his doctor appointments, it will be October before we know it!