Seth-n-Jode's Adventures

Mom and I went touring today.  I wish it were some sort of bike ride but it wasn't!.  We were touring the two acute rehab facilities in Denver.  Our first visit was scheduled at Craig Rehab which is in Englewood.  Wow, what an impressive facility.  Kenny, their provider relations person, took us in to his office.  He knew some of our situation. He listened to our whole story about what happened up until where Seth is now and where we want him to be.  He explained how the process works with a head injury.  That a large part of it depends on how fit and how mentally stable the person was before the head injury.   Both characteristics which are very much in Seth's favor.  He also showed us how much Craig makes the family part of the rehabilitation process.  I finally felt like someone on the medical side understood that this trauma had not just happened to Seth but all of his family and friends as well.  As we walked through their facility, they have pictures on the walls of their survivors.  People out kayaking, biking, hiking and leading normal lives.  It was so inspirational.  Kenny had also just gotten back from a trip on the Middle Fork of the Salmon and used to kayak and also rafts so we swapped some stories of rapids we knew in common!  We then went in a spoke with Maggie, who is their Director of Admissions.  She had looked into our insurance and was starting to make some calls on our behalf.  Seth will be evaluated by their neurologist and their clinical liaison this week.  The tricky part is determining when Seth is ready for acute rehab because he can't bear weight on either leg.    But all in all, it was a very impressive facility.

We next toured Spalding which was also nice but felt a more institutional.  Not the personal touch or more of the athletic focus that I think we would get at Craig.  Also, their liaison said the approach to brain injuries is to seclude them to make sure they are getting enough sleep and then let in stimulation little by little.  He was surprised that I was already taking Seth out for stroller walks.  But Seth really likes that. 

We are going to tour Mapleton Rehabilitation Center here in Boulder tomorrow morning.  Once we've finished with that tour, then I'll figure out which acute rehab facility I will start advocating for Seth to get a spot.  We have a Family Care Conference with Kindred tomorrow afternoon so I wanted to be sure that I knew where I wanted to head that ship prior to that conference as we start to plan for Seth's next steps.

Seth, by the way, is doing really great.  He continues to amaze me with his progress and I see him every day! He now pushes the nurse call button when he needs something and without me prompting him.  He is helping to transfer himself from bed to chair.  He adjusts his bed with the up/down buttons to make himself more comfortable.  He talks completely normally and cogently and he makes the nurses and his visitors laugh with his sense of humor. Although he does tell me sometimes he feels kind of fuzzy with respect to all that is going on sometimes.  The neurologist came in today and I got reports from the nurse that he is very encouraged with how well Seth's left arm is coming along.  There's alot more strength and movement then there was a few days ago.  The main thing from my observations is his short term memory is a bit spotty.  He remembers who visits.  But he doesn't remember what happened to him except that he thinks he got in a car accident.  So I tell him the story again.  I also wrote it down for him and put it on his board to help it get from RAM to Hard Drive!  I also have a note written that tells him to eat ALL of his food so that the nose tube doesn't go back in.  He's doing a pretty good job with that too so hopefully he won't have to get a feeding tube again.  His long term memory seems good.  He remembers all our trips I've talked about so far, where we live, etc, etc.  Also he has a really great attitude about this whole thing.  I got my smile and my kiss when I walked in today. 

The picture for today is Seth with my nephew, JP, my sister and my Mom and Rusty the dog  We were out snowshoeing near Rabbit Ears Pass to pick up a Christmas tree.  My mom and my sister along with JP have been such a tower of support for me during these past few weeks.  I just like to look at this picture and know that we'll have more of these kinds of trips ahead of us!