Day Fifty Six

9:42 PM

Don said he slept well last night. He fed himself breakfast. He seemed very tired and even made the statement that he wasn't going to get up until after lunch. He slept most of the morning and finally about 11:00 Don decided that he would get dressed before lunch. I got him dressed just before lunch. He ate a bowl of chowder and that was pretty much it. The therapists got him up in a wheelchair in the same manner that we had put Don to bed last night. He went to therapy about 1:30. The OT began working with his arms and hands. She had him to do some exercises of putting rings on a telescoping rod. He had to put them all on with each hand and then take them all off. The object was stretching to the top of the rod. The OT also brought him some new eating utensils that are curved to fit into Don's mouth since he cannot bend his right arm enough to reach his mouth and his left hand has the splint and can't bend at the wrist. He will be sent these utensils at every meal. He will have a set for each hand as they are dedicated for one hand or the other. PT began with his legs and had Don to stand up using the same process as yesterday. Two of them under each shoulder and Don pushing with his good leg. The first time he was up he stood for 1 minute and 30 seconds. The second and third attempts he stood for 2 minutes. Don has to build his muscles up a lot in order to be able to pull himself up and stand by himself. He is very tired and feels he hasn't accomplished much. Although everyone tells him how much more he accomplishes each day. His wheel chair arrived while we were in therapy so they put him in it before leaving therapy. We knew he wouldn't be able to stay in the wheel chair as long as did the gerichair. He finally told me he needed to go back to bed about 5:15. The OT and 2 CNAs helped to get him back in the bed. I got him undressed and ready for bed. Supper came with his new utensils and he fed himself using both hands as he tires so easy. After eating Don went to sleep and only woke for a few minutes at a time. I set his oxygen about 8:30 and left him to sleep. He said he felt like the anxiety medicine was beginning to help some.