It takes me 20 minutes to ride to the hospital, 30 minutes to get home. Going home is a bit more up hill and by days end I’m not quite so energetic. This morning my calves and thighs are not in a civil speaking relationship with me.

It was confirmed Al indeed has a urinary tract infection and his chest xray is clear. Pneumonia would most certainly be a set back.

He was bathed yesterday and had his hair washed. The nurse said his head/incision was still tender in spots. When they were done he most clearly said “I want some aspirin”. I am grateful every time he uses his words. Because of the fever he is not very enthusiastic and he is grieving his situation. Of course I am being encouraged to be patient and its all still early. Physio was by yesterday. No attempt was made to get him sitting up at the bedside. He is just too weak at this point.

I have to take a step back and not compare his stroke to my own. Sometimes knowledge can be a bad thing. It has been agreed that they will not try a swallowing test yet. With his fevers and weakness he would most likely not pass. So now the game plan is to get him to the Rehab Hospital ASAP to start more formal and frequent physiotherapy on his limbs in the hope of getting him sitting up and maybe standing to transfer to a chair. He will keep the feeding tube but before Rehab accepts him it will need to be moved from his nose to an incision in his side directly into his stomach. I am hoping Rehab will assess him today. A dear friend and former co-worker has given Dr. Bagg and crew the heads up about the consult and the connection to me. The Rehab hospital formerly known as St. Mary’s of the Lake (SMOL) was where I worked when I had my stroke and where I spent 4 months being rehabilitated. Al will be having many of the same health care providers I had.