Today

Our day wasn't too different than yesterday. Anytime that we would release Randy's hand, it was all over. He continued with the spitting thing all day today. Since they had to wait 24 hours after putting the feeding tube in the stomach to utilize it for anything including medications, Randy didn't get his normal morning medicine that makes him relax. It was kind of nice ~ he was very active and alert.

The occupational therapist came in and took off Randy's cast and then put a new one on. They also worked with him a bit with getting him to sit up. He could hold himself up for only a very short time. They gave him a washcloth and told him to wash his face. He followed the command for the most part ~ he only washed the lower part of his face. They also told him to wash his left arm and he did it. It all wore him out, though. Right after that he zonked out for awhile. It gave me a chance to try to get some sleep.

This afternoon, we visited the Highline medical Center in Tukwila. I want to go back for another visit ~ today I was very tired so I missed a lot of things I wanted to observe and ask questions about. From the initial visit, though, it seems like a good place. It doesn't have a nursing home feel to it. Their focus is rehab, which is what Randy really needs. They can start him off slow and then work with him through the end with his rehab needs. The problem with this place, though, is that, since it is more rehab than nursing classification, the insurance would require that Randy shows progress every week for them to continue to pay and I don't know if he is quite there yet to be able to show the kind of improvement they need. I think he is close, though. He has his moments where he will follow commands and then he goes back into his own little world.

We are going to go visit another one tomorrow that sounds as if it is also more rehab than nursing home type facility. That is the type of place I would really like him to go to.