Seth-n-Jode's Adventures

Wow!  I was toasting a drink with some friends the other night and we were toasting the success at having gotten Seth into Craig Rehab.  Its sort of an oxymoron.  I'd probably prefer not to be toasting to this at all but the fact is, it is what it is, and I'm impressed with Craig.  As is Seth.  We are glad we are on to this leg of the journey and we are glad he is at Craig Hospital  to walk this walk.

Craig doesn't feel so hospitalish.  All the staff wear regular clothes (not uniforms) and they don't wear rubber gloves to touch you unlike what it has been like the last month and a half.  Our nurse, Laurie, has dreadlocks, a nose pierce and is a river rat.  Plus she has a beautiful smile.  She's exactly the kind of person that will help Seth get well! I just felt this sense of relief walking in the door.  We are in the perfect place to get Seth back up walking.

Dr. Ripley (who will be Seth's MD here) came to talk to us near the end of the day.  He spent quite a bit of time examining Seth.  After doing a thorough evaluation both cognitively and physically, he said he is much less worried about Seth cognitively than he is orthopedically.  Seth aced the mini mental test that Dr. Ripley gave him.  Dr. Ripley spent a fair bit of time on Seth's left shoulder and hand.  Seth's shoulder is still very weak and his left pinky is numb.  Dr. Ripley said he would order a elbow pad that might alleviate what he said might be an ulnar nerve issue because his arm was inactive for so long after the accident. And if that doesn't start alleviating the numbness, he'll do an EMG test to test his nerves in that shoulder to see how they can best rehab his left arm.

The first test they did on Seth was an ultrasound of his legs to check for blood clots.  Unfortunately, they did find two small clots but the good thing is they are not near the big veins in his legs.  Dr. Ripley wasn't too worried about them but did say that Seth would have to go back to a two shot a day mix of blood unclotting medicine until those clear up.

Craig will be running a series of tests on Seth over the next week.  He is going to get another brain MRI (Dr. Ripley called it a super duper MRI or something like that, anyway, looks like it is cutting edge technology not just your regular MRI) and a complete CT scan so they can see how his bones are knitting.  He'll see a neuro psychologist as well as a neuro optometrist.  Dr. Ripley also said we could possibly get Seth's teeth fixed here too!  He's needs his teeth too especially with the food they had tonight!  It was turkey leg and I'm not talking about a spindley little leg but this mammoth sized turkey leg like cave men used to eat.  Seth was having a bit of a time with it with no front teeth!

Seth will be getting his speech therapy, physical therapy and occupational therapy throughout the week and they already posted his schedule.  He is in therapies from about 9:00 in the morning until 4:00 p.m.  He has breaks in between but they keep him pretty busy.  For those of you who will be here in Denver that would like to visit, it probably would be best to visit before 9:00 a.m. or after 4:00 p.m. or come in around lunch time for a quick visit since he doesn't have therapies over the noon lunch hour (at least this week anyway).  We get a schedule weekly and I'll keep you updated if any of these times change.  Craig doesn't have a posted official visiting hour policy but Seth usually goes to bed around 10:00 p.m. and gets up around 6:00 to 6:30 a.m.  Right now he is in room 214A.  But if you are visiting, just be sure to ask at the front desk where he is because they said they might be moving him around.  And if you are sending him anything, just send it to the address in my last post; Attn: Seth Furtney.  They don't really use room numbers here to identify patients.  Another way, I think, of showing how you are a person and not a number. 

So the big question is when do we get to go home?  I asked Dr. Ripley this straight out based on what he saw of Seth and his experience with Seth like type people (if that is possible!).  He wouldn't give me a time frame.  They will be having a case planning meeting next Tuesday where they go through all the test results and the first round of notes from all of Seth's therapists.  In that meeting, they will determine an estimated discharge date.  The week after that, we will have a family care conference to discuss where we are at and where we are headed and if we are on track for the estimated discharge date.  Seth will be participating in that family care conference as well. So I don't know when we'll be home.  Its very hard to say this but right now I just have to focus on being here.

Bottom line, Craig seems to be taking a very detailed, informed, methodical approach to tuning in to where Seth needs help and then setting up a plan to get us to The Plan. 

Craig has set me up in a little studio apartment that is just a short walk from the hospital.  Although I won't miss the commute from South Boulder, I will definitely miss the oasis and friendship that June and Carl Bock provided me for the past few weeks.  I was literally drowning in uncertainty when this all first happened and June gently reached for my hand and said, "I've got guest quarters with a kitchen.  Here's how to get to my home.  I'll see you tonight."  And just like that, I had a home away from home!   Truly another set of angels watching over us.

The picture for today is one that I really love.  We were hiking Paria Canyon in the Utah desert with our friend Todd a couple years ago.  I like this picture for what it is, Seth on the move (he's got the red backpack on).  Seth got a little frustrated today because they wouldn't give him a wheelchair until the doctor's orders from Craig came in that he could be up and about so he had to rely on other people to get him to the bathroom, etc.  He is so independent.  They said the wheelchair is coming tomorrow and I have no doubt that Seth will be up and walking on his good right leg here shortly!  Seth on the move!