Good Week

This has been a very good week but definitely had its stressful moments. Kathy has made many improvements in strength and stamina. Her walking distance has improved to about 75 feet with the walker and she told me today that her legs feel similar to how they felt the day she walked into the hospital on March 27th. She is also doing some of her transfers totally under her own power, in fact getting out of the car today I did not even need to spot her. Earlier in the week (Tuesday) her catheter was removed and apparently this can present problems where people have trouble regaining the same level of control that they had prior to the catheter. Of course, for Kathy this was not the case and once it was removed it was as if the catheter had never been there.

Friday, Kathy and I learned that she will likely be discharged from Kessler either Wednesday this coming week or potentially a couple days later in the week. This will be determined sometime on Tuesday. This did come as a surprise and initially both Kathy and I were very apprehensive and even a bit shocked about this as we felt that she needs more time. However, the determination is made based on whether or not Kathy needs medical support ie. a doctors care 24/7. Both Kathy and I have a substantially more holistic idea of what medical means but it seems that in the doctors and insurance companies eyes medical has to do with medicine. How a body functions and an individuals ability to be independent is not a medical issue but a social issue.

Since Kathy truly no longer needs the support of a medical doctor and medicine (as defined), we both understand that coming home is probably for the best. In fact, the idea of Kathy coming home has grown on me over the weekend and I am now feeling that this is the best thing. She is ready to be back in her space and with her family and friends. This will allow her the fastest progression through the next few months of strength building. Outpatient rehab will be the next step along with strength building and stretching at home on a daily basis.

I will be very excited to have Kathy home!!