Day Seventy Two

Friday February 13th
I got up early and before leaving to go pick Don up I went out to tie the balloons on the banister and the fence. Just as I was tying the balloons to the fence, my parents arrived to hang the signs that they had made. I left just after them and I arrived at the center just before 9:00. Don was in the process of getting bathed and dressed. While I was waiting on him I checked on a few last minute things. Don was ready just before 10:00 and then we went around to say our good-byes to some of the residents. I also packed up the remainder of Don's items and put them in the car. Just as I was coming back in to get Don, the Social Worker stopped me and said that I needed to call the home health folks. I did and was told that since Don was coming back to the center for his OT/PT that we would not be eligible for home health. I had been told early by the case manager at the center that Don was considered "home bound" since he could not transport himself. I conveyed that info to the home health lady and she said that the insurance would not let them come to the house if Don was going to go back to the center for therapy. I told her I would have to get back to her because we wanted Don to have therapy at the center. After the phone call we collected Don's medicine that we were to take with us and his discharge paper work and headed out. Don was able to get himself into the car with no help at all. One of our friends was to meet us at the house to help Don get out of the car so Don called him to say that he would be able to get out on his own. Our friend said it was no problem for him to come and that he would see us in a few minutes. We left the center at 10:20 and made our way to the house. When we arrived, our friend was waiting on us. Don was able to get himself out of the car and then used his walker to get into the house. Our friend stayed a bit and then left shortly before 11:00. Don sat in his recliner and rested. Don's recliner is much lower than his wheelchair and makes it very difficult to get out of. We tried padding the chair with blankets and pillows to make it higher but that didn't work either. I eventually moved Don to the couch but that didn't work either. Don tried using his walker all day but realized that he would need his wheelchair in the house as the walker really tires him out. He got very depressed and began to cry and say that he was scared of being home and that he knew that it had to be the Haldol incident that made him feel that way because that was not like him. He eventually stopped crying and we got ready to go out to eat for his birthday. All the kids came to the house and we went to North Star in Dallas. We had a great time at the restaurant and headed home about 8:15. All the kids came back to our house and we watched some TV and then we all fell asleep in the living room. I woke up about 11:00 and soon the rest of the crowd woke up to. I put Don to bed in the spare bedroom. Kristi left to go home and Donnie Lee took Taylor home. Don didn't sleep well until after 2:00 AM.