Seth-n-Jode's Adventures

Seth has decreed that all therapists and doctors should from this day forward have a degree in empathy, real life experience with all things which patients must endure...this includes Heparin (anti blood clotting) shots, MRI's, and most of all, the dreaded Speech Therapy tests.  He's trying to convince the therapists and doctors that this is a good idea but no one seems to be getting on the bandwagon! However, I think he may be on to something here!

Seth had his MRI's (brain and shoulder) today.  He said it was particularly claustrophobic but that it was fine as long as he kept his eyes shut.  Dr. Ripley said he would go over these with us tomorrow. 

He did 3 mini block hops today!  I also got certified to be his official mini block hopper so that I can do the mini block walks without a PT being there! Hooray.  I am hoping we can get 5 tomorrow.

Now out of the hospital and into life...

Seth and I have a little game we play.  He is always faster than me particularly when it comes to biking.  He often does what we call dog laps.  Where he goes on ahead and then laps back to check on me and then goes back on ahead and so on and so forth.  When I get near to the top of the hill, he is always there.  I'll holler out to him "Pull me!  Pull me!"  He always smiles and then throws me an imaginary rope which I catch and then he pulls me in, one hand over the other on this imaginary rope.  It is amazing how strong this rope is because as soon as I catch it and he starts pulling, the hill gets easier!

Today, I went out on my first mountain bike ride since the accident with my friend Lori and a gaggle of other girls.  I am just trying to get back into the saddle but got bucked off today.  I suppose it started with the dirt on my mountain bike that was still there from the trail we did that fateful day two months ago.  The Hermosa Creek Trail has many creek crossings so our bikes were pretty dirty near the end.  A crack in my armor.  Then as we were ascending the hill on the ride today, a rider came down that had taken a fall.  He had cuts on his arms and legs.  A pit of fear in my stomach.  We finally reached the top.  I was worried because we didn't make the top until 7:30 and I had told Seth I would be back at 8:00 to help him shower and spend the evening with him.  A dash of stress.  As we started our way down, I took up my usual position near the rear.  I don't go very fast downhill either so I like to let all the speedy guys go first.  And as I was descending, one of our group had taken a fall over her handlebars.  I didn't see it but I came upon this scene after the fall and ran up to her.  She was fine.  But the dam broke.  All of these memories that I thought were securely locked away in a special cave that I thought had no key came flooding out.  I panicked seeing over and over and over in my mind how Seth looked when I first saw him after he'd been hit.  Memories that are simply too acute to process.  I felt like I was falling into an abyss.

My friend Lori had the rope today.  She threw it to me and pulled me out.  This picture is one of us two canyoneering in the San Rafael Swell.  I didn't want to get my shoes wet and so she carried me across one pool.  I thought this picture was particularly appropriate considering where I was headed today.  Thanks Lori.

Seth did his first block walk with his walker today!  At home, we walk blocks often.  If we are pressed for time, we do a 1 block walk.  If we want to go get a bit of sun and air, its a 2 block walk.  If we want to really get something off our chest, its a three block walk.  If we have time, its the full neighborhood block walk, a trail hike, or through the college down the nature trail to Carvers for breakfast.  Basically, we walk.  Its a habit we've had for years and years.

So Seth took his walker and hopped around the intererior corridor of the west wing of the hospital.  So I count that as our first mini block walk.  He did great!  He kind of hops like a one legged bunny right now!

So the other big news for today is that we have an estimated discharge date of August 29th!  And then home to do outpatient rehab in Durango!  We have a care conference with Dr. Ripley and therapists on Monday and I'll get more details.  But bottom line, Seth is doing so well that Craig is saying he can go home.  And we will be really happy to be home.  I don't think we will have to change much in the house.  By then, Seth will be pretty agile with his walker or crutches and I'm sure they will teach him to negotiate stairs by then.   So sorry guys, no showers on the deck I'm afraid!

My mom and her husband came to visit today.   In one of Seth's therapy sessions, we ended up teaching his therapist how to play blackjack.  Seth was the banker and his pot today looked similar to the take he got when we played with Erinn, Darren and Eric on one of our camping trips. 

Seth speaking now:  Jody and I nearly cheered when we heard that August 29th is our projected end date cruising the hospital network here in Denver. That's a period we can both get out heads around and plan for.  We're already planning our exit trip and the people, sights, and places we will visit on our trip home.   Now to seriously focus on strength building...getting the legs strong enough to walk the neighborhood, and the shoulder powerful enough to do its share of work  We're on our way!

Tomorrow is the big day.  The docs and all the therapists are having a case conference and will determine our estimated discharge date.  We asked Dr. Ripley to give us an indication and he said it would be sooner than later but that was it.  I don't know what sooner means in terms of Craig language.  So we shall see tomorrow....In any event, I am quite confident that they will choose a date that is best for Seth to come home when he is ready.  I definitely feel like the doctors are making the decisions here which has given me great relief. 

We had a nice weekend.  We ate out with friends and had heated political debates about the state of our nation.  It was fun!  Dave and Greg, please do provide your definition of Utopia!  I'm still waiting for the magic answer!

Seth and I went through a thorough PT routine on Saturday and Sunday.  He doesn't get therapies on weekends so those days can drag on a bit.  However, next weekend, this should not be the case.  I got trained in how to transfer Seth into our truck.  So hopefully Dr. Ripley will sign off on letting me take him out for short jaunts.  We plan to take in the new batman movie at the IMAX theater and dinner on Friday.  And then I will figure out a plan for Saturday and Sunday after we do his PT.  We've never really explored Denver so I think it will be fun to see what it has to offer in terms of museums, music, and art!  If anyone has any suggestions about what's best to see in Denver, let me know.  And of course, if you find yourself in our neck of the woods, we'd love to have your company this weekend.

Being here at Craig, I see first hand many stories that are hard to see.  I was pretty worried about this when we first got here wondering if I could handle it. Wondering if my nightmares would continue or even get worse.  But what I have witnessed repeatedly is the incredible determination of the human spirit.  I realize that in spite of what has happened to us, we are really lucky.  I have not had a single nightmare since arriving here. 

The picture for today is Seth somewhere in the Maroon Bells wilderness area.  We had hiked in on Labor Day a few years back and a storm came in and just raged leaving the mountains with a feathery white blanket of early snow.   While we aren't witnessing the wildflowers this summer or perhaps even a scene such as this this fall, we learn to adapt.  And thus I find peace in a place that I never thought was possible.

Seth had his own version of olympiad today.  He stood for about ten minutes on his right leg in a group therapy session.  He was shaking like a leaf and had to rest at the five minute mark.  But I figure we'll continue working him on standing on his right leg over this weekend to help strengthen it.  And then on Monday, he gets to toe touch on his left leg and his PT said they would set him up with a walker so he can walk short stretches and work up his strength. 

It is amazing how much stronger he is getting.  Day by day, I really see it.  I'm so glad we are here at this hospital.  All of the staff from the administrators to the doctors to the nurses to the therapists are simply amazing.

After his therapies this afternoon, we came over to my apartment and he read while I did some paperwork.  It felt so normal.  Like living in a home together again.  We then went to dinner and then came back to the apartment to watch the Olympic opening ceremonies.  We hardly ever watch TV.  In fact, we only get one channel with our rabbit ears and I'm not even sure which channel it is!  The one thing we do watch every two years is the Olympic opening ceremonies.  We were snuggled up like bugs in a rug under the covers.  It was pouring rain and thundering and lightning outside. It felt so safe and secure in our little abode with the tempest raging outside.  And then to see the brilliant display put on by the Chinese.  It gave me shivers.  I was really happy to be there with my mate taking in the extraordinary show.

When we got back to Seth's room tonight, they had posted his therapy schedule for next week.  He is nearly solidly booked from 8:00 a.m. to about 3:30 - 4:00 p.m. every single day with a break for lunch.  I think since he is able to do so much, they are giving him more to do.  Which we both really appreciate.  He's hoping to sign up for the water therapy soon too where he can swim around in a swimming pool.  He did four hopping laps today on the parallel bars.  Every day, he makes progress.

I'm taking the weekend off again from posting to the blog so I'll next update sometime Monday evening.  Sorry to those of you who have complained that this causes you SBW (Seth Blog Withdrawal)! :)

The picture for today is Seth and Joel on an overnight kayak trip we did on the Chama down in New Mexico this spring.  I'll have to show Seth this stretch so he can do it in PT tomorrow!  That ought to cause him to groan a bit!  Joel was stretching too....to get all of his gear into his boat.  It all fit except Joel's size 16 shoes which Seth had to store in his boat.  But it all worked out...was good ballast really.

Happy Olympics to all!

Seth hopped on his right leg using parallel bars today.  He did two laps.  It was just awesome to see him upright and moving around.  Although later that day, he beat me in foosball which we played down in the rec room.  How is that possible with a hurt arm???  :)

And the evaluations continue!  I think speech therapy has mapped most of his brain at this point and his occupational therapist has examined each and every single muscle and nerve and tendon in his right and left arms and hands!

I did become certified to take him off campus within walking distance.  So now he can come over to my apartment between therapies and we can go have some lunch close by.  We are thinking of going to a Thai restaurant on Saturday that is just down the block. We'll go around noon.  If you are in the area and you'd like to join us, let me know!

Today's picture is of Seth and our nephew JP imitating the pictographs behind them in Canyon of the Ancients.  A few years ago when JP was 3 or 4,  Seth took JP, my sister and my mom on what he called a "stroller trail".  The problem, it was up Sanitas mountain near Boulder which would be hard to imagine as a stroller trail.  Its steep and rocky.  Seth ended up getting JP up the trail by pretending that JP was a frog and then Seth would hop him from rock to rock.  Ribbet! And so we made the top.  Hippity Hop.