Thursday

We all got an early start this morning. I got there about 9:15 and Dad had already had a PT session. Mom and I went to meet with the case worker to ask some final questions and determine what time we would check out on Friday. While we were meeting, Jamie Ellen and Eric went with Dad to the next OT session. We found them in the gym and Dad was trying to convince them he was too tired to finish. We didn't let him wimp out and so he got his full session in. Mom went home to fix lunch for Jamie Ellen and Eric. While Dad was resting for the final push, Jamie Ellen and Eric said their good-byes and left for lunch and then drove back to Little Rock. I stayed with Dad and got him back to the room for his lunch. After all the activity of the morning, he woofed down everything on his tray including some Ensure pudding. He only had about an hour before the next OT session, so I let him take a nap and ran home and ate a bite.

I got back in time for the afternoon sessions and they didn't let up one bit. He was very tired by the time it was over. The staff left him with me so I took him to the bathroom and told him to call me when he was ready to get back in bed. I made a phone call and while I was talking I hear the bathroom door open. Dad had transferred to the wheel chair by himself, which is a huge break in the rules, and wheeled himself to the bed. I helped him into bed and he almost immediately went to sleep. 

I went to Mom and Dad's to do a walk through to determine what I could do to improve the accessibility and look for hazards. Mom and I determined that they needed to switch bedrooms because there is so much more room to move around and the bathroom is so much more accessible. I did some creative, however, bad engineering at the back door and took everything back to Lowes and started over. I think I came up with a simple but effective solution for a one step hand rail. So ready or not we will be leaving institutional life at 10:30 tomorrow morning. We will give home life a try with home visits by PT, OT, and an aide. If it doesn't work out then we will pursue another avenue, but Dad needs to get away from anything resembling a hospital, we all do. 

With this huge move, there are a lot of concerns and angst for all of us. We covet your continued prayer.

2Cor.5

[5] He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. 
[6] So we are always of good courage; we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 
[7] for we walk by faith, not by sight. 
[8] We are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 
[9] So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.

God is good!