Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Recovery Continues
Movement for 9/17/08:
- This morning, upon awakening, Mom decided an aching shoulder shouldn't stop her from walking to the bathroom for her bath. I supported her, even though I know that most of her pain happens when she's rising, sitting or using her arms for support as she walks. She seemed to do fine into the bathroom, though. I asked her about pain and she claimed she had none, except when she arose from the bed. It was difficult for her to find exactly the right way to rise with the least amount of pain. She also felt, after bathing, that she "should be able to walk" into the dinette for breakfast. I didn't discourage her but made sure the wheelchair was set up and handy, just in case. Once she'd made it from the toilet to the bathroom door, looked out and saw the wheelchair just to her left, she sighed and said, "I'm glad that's there," and moved to sit in it.
- Needless to say, I also wheeled her into the living room from the dinette. She leans heavily on the banister with her left arm and it just didn't seem like a good idea, to me, to encourage her to take the steps, yet, although I felt she sure could walk around the kitchen table; but, we didn't try that. For the same reason, we used the wheels to get her into the bathroom before her nap. I asked her if she'd like to try walking into the bedroom, but she said, "I think I've had enough of that for today," and that was that. Recovery from shoulder injuries can be protracted, so, at this point, I'm happy with whatever we get.
I will, of course, report back later on our evening. - It was wheeling all the way this evening. She has begun leaning to the right, which often happens when she is feeling weak and/or in pain from an injury. This increases her difficulty in walking substantially. She made a valiant attempt to walk into the bathroom, of her own accord, but it was clear to me just from her rising-from-the-bed technique that she was going to have little luck. After the second time of her giving up when trying to move her feet forward and sitting back on the bed, I suggested that maybe a wheelchair night was in order. She agreed.
It's always important for Mom to be allowed to try to accomplish whatever technique her spirit tells her she can accomplish before we seek another avenue. After two challenging transfers, one involving a change of underwear, in the bedroom and bathroom, I suggested that we not try a transfer from her wheelchair to the rocker in the living room. She agreed. She reported very little pain, though, and, believe me, I ask her obsessively; so much so that last night she piped up, "I wish you'd stop asking me that! Can't you figure out, yet, what hurts?!?"
I laughed, and begged off the question, sort of. I defended myself by telling her that I need to keep a mental catalog of what hurts when, especially after an injury.
"Well, I think you're catalog is mighty full, by now!" she scolded.
Transfers going to bed were much easier. She was standing straighter, although with effort, and was able to move her feet to turn from wheelchair to toilet, toilet to wheelchair and wheelchair to bed. She was also significantly more alert through the second "half" of her day than through the first "half". The naps and night sleep are certainly accomplishing a healing purpose.
# posted by Gail Rae @ 20:39 email...
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