What's on the Horizon?

Robb has an appointment on Friday for an electromyogram test. The description we've been given is that he will have needles inserted into his muscles to measure Robb's nerve conductivity. Sampling the nerve pathways at various spots, allows the doctors to pinpoint where the nervous signal is being interrupted. This will give us an accurate roadmap of Robb's current situation.

Everyone tells us that this needles-in-the-muscles test will take two hours, and that it is not a whole lot of fun. Very informative, of course, but not fun.

On a happier note

Robb and his therapists have been checking out possible outpatient rehabilitation centers, which Robb will attend once he is approved to walk stairs, and leave the house, and use public transportation by himself.

And on that subject, I was pretty thrilled to hear that on Monday, Robb's appointment with his physical therapist will be as follows. Robb will walk down the apartment stairs (all forty four of them!) leave our home, walk down the hill and meet Doreen. They will walk to the shops at the bottom of the hill, and do a little grocery shopping, and Robb will carry his purchases home in a back pack.

What I'm wondering is this: if Robb is cleared to walk stairs, an activity do does using a cane, will that mean that he will be allowed to use the cane around the house instead of the walker? Right now, he uses the cane when I'm home, and uses the walker the rest of the day.

Z is for Z-Z-Z-ZAP!

The neuro-muscular stimulation device that Robb's physiatrist ordered arrived today. This thing is supposed to stimulate Robb's muscles to get them to move. Doreen could not seem to get it set up correctly. She would hook it up to Robb's leg muscles, and turn it on, and it would make Robb's feet move a little tiny bit. What's odd is that Robb can move his feet better than the device does.

Robb and Doreen spent a good deal of time trying to get this to work. Robb's got interesting shaved patches on his leg, and Doreen tested the machine on herself, causing convulsive twitching.

Robb is going to bring this device to the appointment on Friday, to see if they have any input on how it should work.

Following Up on That

Although Robb's accident and surgery were almost three months ago, Robb has not had a follow-up visit with his neurosurgery team. We went in for xrays and a follow-up some time ago, and annoyingly, none of the hospitals neurosurgeons were at work that day. Today our insurance case worker managed to schedule an appointment. We'll be seeing the neurosurgeons next week.

And Finally

Everyone who is thinking positive healing thoughts for Robb should send some of those good thoughts to our friend Kara.

Last Thursday, she was riding her Vespa scooter in San Francisco when a driver ran into her. She remembers her helmet hitting the pavement three or four times, and she caused a considerable urban traffic jam. She also sustained very serious hand injuries, and was hospitalized for four days.

Kara's head is just fine.

She's home now, learning what life is like when one doesn't have use of one's dominant hand. She's got all sorts of external scaffolding, but she can't really see it, as her hand is so wrapped up.

Not surprisingly to anyone who knows Kara, she has loads of friends looking out for her. Friends are caring for her dogs, and washing her hair, and bringing her things that she needs. When I spoke with her yesterday, she said she actually thinks that too many people are visiting, and that she's pretty exhausted and overwhelmed by it all.

Kara brought us lots of tasty meals when Robb was in the hospital, so we owe her return care. Unfortunately, Kara is on such heavy pain killers that the only food she can stomach are broth and jello. Soon she'll mend, and then we'll bring her yummy Indian food in thanks for all her kindness.

Comments

knitica said…
Ooo, poor Kara! Don't know if she'll remember me, but please send her my love.

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