Milestones

Robb told me today that he wasn't going to let a day go by without reaching some kind of new landmark. Some of these milestones may not be anything particularly grand. Some may be as humble as the pebble in the road at the ten mile point. But we're going to count them, and value them.

Today, Robb was working on walking, when he realized that he could feel the bones in the front of his right foot for the first time. He says he still can't feel his flesh, but he's feeling the pressure of his own weight on his feet. Robb continues to work on the part of walking that involves the transfer of balance from the heel to the toe of the foot.

He also sat on a couch for the first time since the accident. This is the first time he's sat somewhere other than the bed or a wheelchair. For Robb, this was a delightfully normal activity.

Robb continued to work on walking up and down stairs. He went outside during two of his therapy sessions. He also worked on daily skills while using a walker. He watered the plants in the dining room (something I did a lot during the beginning of Robb's stay). He practiced getting in and out of a bath tub. There is a therapy kitchen in this facility, and Robb started working on developing strategies for working in a kitchen while still using a walker. The therapists say that soon they'll walk down to the grocery store and then cook a meal.

Another thing that Robb continues to work on is the series of motions involved in standing from a seated position. The therapists are working with Robb so that he can stand up by just holding onto his knees. No pushing up off of or pulling on anything. It was difficult to replicate yesterday's successes with this procedure, because Robb's back muscles were aching and this was interrupting the flow of movements. He's going to try to do a better job of staying on top of his pain management prior to his therapy sessions.

Out and About

When I was touring rehab facilities, I noticed an article on a bulletin board about recreational activities for people with physical disabilities. Robb asked Chona, his recreational therapist about this today and she told us about the Bay Area Outreach Recreation Program. Once we have a better idea of Robb's release date, you know that I'll be signing us up for some of the events that this group offers.

http://www.borp.org/

Kara was also telling me about an organization that she has worked with called the Bay Area Association of Disabled Sailors. She worked crew with them last summer, and thinks this would be a fun adventure for us.

A Night Off For Everyone

Robb's parents took the opportunity to do some San Francisco sight-seeing, and were really tired afterwards. Robb and I had already discussed my not going into the hospital tonight, because I had House Stuff to do. And Robb was dog tired, too. So we all "took the night off," and hopefully will all get some well-deserved rest. This will be the first night since the accident that I haven't seen Robb. The night of the accident was the first time I had ever spent alone in this apartment.

Comments

Popular Posts