HOWARD IS FINALLY HOME ! ! !

Apologies for the long awaited blog post about Howard's arrival home....we've been a little distracted....... and downloading pictures has frustrated the whole blog writing team. So enjoy the shots we got and just imagine the rest!!! Thanks.

Four months and eight days later, Howard is ready to come HOME !

And lest you think that is the only miracle of the this blog post, imagine him at home, walking up and down the hallway wearing real shoes!!! Yes, it's true - on Friday morning, the foot surgeon unfettered our father and he's free-form flying around the house, while the big black boots sit in a far away corner.

Last Tuesday, Dad took his first ride up the stairs on the "rocket," checked out the newly remodeled bathroom and paint job, and landed in his very own bed.

As mom climbed in beside him to rest from their busy morning of moving out of the hospital rehab, Dad said, "This is the best part! You just bein' right there."

A picnic lunch on the sunny deck, scarfin' down sandwiches and 3 diet cokes, Dad proclaimed, "This is the closest you get to heaven!

It has been 2 weeks already! And now, it's just Howard and me at home.

Jan and Loyd, Howard's sister and husband from Boise, Idaho helped us settle in that first week. What a big help they were with laundry, organizing and preparing a clear path for Howard to navigate. It was good to have a big, strong man around during that busy week.

One adventure we could have done without was when Howard slipped to the floor and broke his collar bone. It's been a painful adjustment for his independence, but his physical therapist, Kathy, says it will only slow him down a little - he's on the fast track for rehabilitation and continues to make several laps around the top floor of the house on his own two feet!

Thanks to the hard work of Kathi, Mike, Kenny and Joe,the new bathroom is beautiful and just right for us. Howard recently enjoyed his first luxurious shower. Ahhhhhhhhh.......
Afterwards, he slid into fresh clean sheets and promptly slept the whole night through.

To further his independence, Joe rigged up Howard's well-worn easy chair with a 6 inch platform, so now he can get in and out of it on his own. He is currently lounging comfortably in his old spot, looking contented, with an obvious appreciation for a bit of normalcy returning to his life.

I think it might be time for us to have some ice cream and watch an episode of "The Closer."
Car accident? What car accident?

WHEN A GOOD DRUG TURNS BAD

Vicodin helped Howard deal with the persistent pain in the hip area and then the number of pills had to gradually be increased to do the job. Even then the pain was always there. When he wasn't able to sleep for two days and nights he began to lose touch with who we were and tried to get off the bed and run, we gave him one Ambian to maybe calm him down. It was the WRONG thing to do for it produced convulsive like spasms and he was terrified by something we couldn't see. Next call was to 911. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise for the hospital put him into their detoxification process and in just a few days he was himself again and had no pain. His medical records now have a warning on them -NO NARCOTICS.

The doctors evaluated him and decided he was a good candidate for the Acute Rehabilitation Program. This was the BLESSING for real! He has done so well in this intense physical, speech, and occupational sessions (it takes 8 hours a day) that he will be coming HOME on tuesday the 22nd of September. He uses a little tylenol patch on the hip when needed.

Kenny has been here all week putting the tile in the bathroom, cooking breakfast and more. Sophie is helping me weed out things that would be a hazard to Howard while walking using the walker and is driving me around as we do errands and clean a bit after the construction. Kathi and Mike will be here today finishing lots of odds and ends

Howard is doing great and so anxious to be home.

BUSY BUSY BUSY

Too long a time between posts but let me tell you why.   Howard continues to improve and is planning  his "escape".  He is actively putting those feet to the floor to stand and turn, to walk using the walker, to propel himself around in the wheelchair by using his feet, eating a few meals at the dining table and figuring out how to use the bathroom.  It is far from easy but he tries hard.  Today was his first full body shower since May 13.  He loved it!  We got a prescription for a muscle relaxer at the physical therapist's request to help the hip muscles relax and stretch but we suspect the dosage is too high for his body was like a wet noodle this morning and he lacked his usual strength.  Or maybe both a shower and a therapy is too much for one day.  He dutifully does his weight lifting and leg lifts every day.

The home action is preparing to empty and remove the bookcase nearest the top of the stairs which stirs up a lot of dust.  The next time someone says what do you need help with I will say please move these books to Goodwill or the salvation army.  Until then they are in paper grocery bags lined up at the back of the sofa.  There is a lot of time spent watching and consulting with Kathi as she adds color to the bedroom and bath.  I attend therapy sessions each day so I can do a better job helping him in the weeks to come.  I am gaining a better appreciation for him as I grapple with which bills have been paid and which not.  Providence is covering all but a copay now and then.  He is a lot better at juggling appointments than I am and is great at helping me solve problems.  Found out about an agency who will give us information on a home assistant a few days a week for awhile.  

The Bruno stair climbing seat and rail is in town and will be installed next tuesday.  If I've not gotten rid of the books by then I could just put them on my lap and push GO on the remote. The big new toilet is in the garage, I wonder how much it weighs?  Things are happening and going well.  Don't think it would without God's liberal assistance.  Thank you !  Last but not least the generous gift of the garage door opener from the family is truly wonderful.  I never knew how much we needed it until it was installed.

NEW FEAT FOR THE FEET

That is right everyone -- He walked into the bathroom and back, then walked from his room down the length of the hall to the living room using a walker and those big black boots for support.  His therapist congratulated him and told him to be ready to do it again tomorrow.  It is an exciting sign of progress but makes for some serious muscle pain later natural though after all these weeks of laying flat.

The main work on the new ADA bathroom is finished and now starts the addition of paint and tile to be done by a new crew.  Howard can hardly wait, he is getting more anxious all the time to be home again.  It shouldn't be long now until the new bathroom is ready for him to shower for hours and the Bruno stair chair is delivered and installed.

A Great Time Was Had by All

The birthday party was a great success and when I arrived with Sunday paper in hand to visit Howard he was cheerfully doing his leg lifts and strengthening exercises.

The previous posts give lots of info about Howard's daily experiences as he continues to get better so  I thought you all might like to have a little update on what is happening at home.  This week has been a whirlwind of activity as well.  It began with Joe, Jon and Mario wielding big hammers to remove some of a bedroom wall and the walls of the linen closet (leaving the door and it's frame to form a closet with a one inch depth) and we are accepting ideas for how to use the space. Joe's design called for lowering the level of the space before adding waterproofing and concrete layer.  They have already vetoed a glass wall looking into the new shower or making it a display spot for very special art.  It might be just too practical to hang a broom and dustpan in there.  Mike came along to help carry enough buckets of concrete up the stairs to lay a new floor.  He cleaned up after and continues to make order out of chaos.

Then came new waterproof sheetrock walls, additional wiring and plumbing to turn the space into a wheelchair accessible room size shower with a mirrored medicene cabinet, lights with fans and heat bulbs and just the TOP of the line TOTO toilet and sink.  The wiring, taping and mudding was about finished today.  And everyone is grateful that Deb prepared lunches every day for the crew.  Mike has been here everyday and he and Kathi are turning an old cabinet into an older looking new linen cupboard that will hold all sorts of items.  The next big job will be sanding and painting the walls and then tile on walls and floor.  We will have a great wheelchair accessible shower room with a drain in the floor.

Abbie took party pictures and we soon will get one or more into this blog.  Thanks Abbie ! ! !

A Very Merry Birthday!

Good morning everybody! 

As a special treat for Grandpa's birthday celebration, they've imported a special guest blogger all the way from New York City! I even managed to get all the way through the party yesterday and the after-party nachos without collapsing from jet lag- a marvelous feat. 

But the party! Yesterday, in honor of not only Howard's birthday but his marvelous recovery progress (he can stand up in the dreaded boots!!) the family gathered at his new home to sip a little bubbly and eat an enormous cake made by mother dearest, Kelli. Grandpa was up in his chair, which had been decked out with an enormous singing balloon (a gift from his caretakers, Esther and Marian) and was greeting his guests at the door. We all adjourned to the deck for the party proper. A few highlights: the wind continually activated grandpa's balloon, providing us with some lovely background music. Grandpa had his first glass of bubbly  and declared it to be "mighty fine". The Drake family had been in Spokane the week before, and had compiled a photo album of Deer Park photos, so we could all see how the old place was doing now. We were all shocked to discover that they have their very own computer store now! Before cutting the cake, we recreated the grandchild photograph that hangs in grandpa's bedroom and on the home page of this blog (Aaron miraculously walked in just as we said "cheese"). 

For me, personally, it's been difficult to be on the other side of the country during this whole journey, although being able to read this blog has certainly helped. I was so grateful that I got to have a little time to catch up with grandpa and see for myself just how very much like himself he truly is nowadays. I wish I could stick around for a little while longer and help out more, but it's back to the big apple with me tonight (I have my own blog of New York life, if any of you aren't already reading it, at newcoastadventure.blogspot.com). All in all it's been a lovely visit, and I'm so happy that Grandpa's doing so very well!!

-- Amy 

Want Ad Posting by Howard

Dad asked me to post a request on the blog today - He's looking for someone to come and do his therapy exercises for him 3 times a day.  He can't pay you, but would cheer you on from his bed. No experience necessary.  Upper body strength workouts begin ASAP, with  leg strengthening routines to begin early next week.  Only cheerful exercisers need apply.

Submitted by Howard Shepherd