Van Mater

     It was mid October when I arrived at Van Mater Rehab Hospital. 

    My first full day there I had Physical & Occupational therapy a few hours each day. Some things were challenging to do with a tube sticking out of your stomach but the therapists made it work until the tube could come out. Pool therapy was my favorite.

    When Joe was there, we would go to the dining room for me to practice rolling a ball across the table with my weak hand, I didn't want to but I did it. Some of the other things I had to do were picking things up with my right hand and maintaining a grip, that didn't go so well, still doesn't but it's better than it was. My handwriting is hit & miss, for the most part, it's legible. There was a time when I couldn't hold onto a utensil and ended up using my left hand. I would get mad when I was told to use my right hand but my family was right, it wasn't going to get better if I didn't use it.

    I had a swallow test to see how I handle foods, they had me on a liquid diet for a week or two, then I was upgraded to pureed, solids followed not long after. I was so happy to be eating regular foods again that I was able to have chicken strips from CSI in Sublette for our Anniversary with cake for dessert that we celebrated from my hospital room. 

    I had several more days/weeks of therapy to improve my strength and balance before I could go home.

    When Tini came to visit, she brought a Wendy's frosty for me and an adult coloring book with markers. The frosty was a nice treat and the coloring book was good hand therapy, thank you Tini. Julie Z. visited a couple times too. Visitors made the day go faster and less boring. Thank you all!

    One of the Dr.'s there thought I was depressed, maybe I was, maybe I wasn't but if you ask me again you are going to get a throat punch!

    I was discharged a week before Thanksgiving with a gold medal for being an exceptional patient. They told me that not too many patients get one, I was happy they thought I was a good patient.

    I went to Van Mater a few times a week for therapy after I was discharged.