The Difference A Year Can Make
18 July 2012 | Kingston, Ontario
A year ago we were making our way north from the Florida Keys and we spent most of our summer in Harbortown Marina at Cape Canaveral. Who would have know Al was growing a tumor. It was confirmed yesterday, the tumor was in fact benign. We will start with yearly MRI's to monitor.
Yesterday was the best day yet. We figured out yesterday why Al has been feeling so miserable and disinterested in participating in his physio. He was having frequent and very painful bladder spasms caused by his catheter. It was decided yesterday to remove his catheter. Within a half hour what a difference it made in his mood. So we are in a learning curve on managing a hand held urinal. It is clearly going to take some time for Al to master this tricky job. Fortunately his care givers on K7 are top notch and super patient. During this transition time Pampers for big boys are being used. After the catheter was out, Al was bathed and put in real clothes, real clothes people, first in 3 weeks. Shorts and a tee shirt and he shaved himself with his new electric Phillips. When Lisa arrived for physio he was not only ready but she was surprised to see him dressed and ready. We are still working on and struggling with balance, but each session there is improvement. Lisa showed me some things I can do with Al when he is in his chair for learning balancing and that are safe. It involves me removing the back rest by putting it in a recline position and then working with Al on balancing. I took Al for a spin for a scenery change and he had an applesauce and a gingerale. And Al most definitely is showing some voluntary pushing of his right leg. It was a most wonderful, heading in the right direction, kind of day. Dr. Wallace said he felt Al was on track from the complications and he is pleased.
I am taking the day off today. My sister and sister in law and I have had tickets for 4 months to see War Horse in Toronto. I have had mixed feelings of going and leaving Al, but I really need a re-charge day. Plus Kiley has agreed to pop in so Al knows he has support around and he understood and remembered I had these tickets and told me to go.