October 14

 Hello,

I apologize for not getting an update out yesterday.  So much going on and so busy that it is very late at night before I get to the updates.

Thursday, October 13, 2011
Nights are very long for Don as the pain really starts kicking up around 8PM usually.  The good news is that he is getting up on the side of the bed by himself now.  He is really wanting to be independent but we caution him on not being crazy and doing something to compromise his progress.  Yesterday Mom and I went to see the rehabilitation place called Life Care and on the way out of the hospital we happened to stop on the 3rd floor just below us now and it is a rehabilitation floor!!!!!!  It is really nice and we talked about it on the way to Life Care.  We really feel it would be wise if we could stay here at Sunrise Medical Center for the rehabilitation part of his care because all the staff would remain the same and the Physical Therapists that work with him now are also our Wound Vac Specialists so we could just continue on with those that know him and the severity of his wounds.  Also, if anything would need additional attention all of our surgeons that know his case would be right here and we wouldn't have to start over with all new people.  The only hitch is that if the checklist of 10 different criteria fit Blue Cross/ Blue Shield's requirements then we could stay here.  We do not know what all of those 10 things are but please put it on your prayer lists that this would be worked out so we would not have to move to a new side of town and experience a whole new staff that is not always there.

Last week Don had asked Mom and I if we could pick up a puzzle or two so he could do something to pass the time since time is going so slow for him here.  We picked them up but they were just sitting here until yesterday.  We got one of the tables set up with the puzzle and started working on it.  However, the table was not big enough and we couldn't get the whole puzzle framing to fit.  We worked on it for a while but just before dark Don asked me to go buy a card table so he could work on it easier.  So I took off and got it for him and it has worked out beautifully.  When he gets to having those bad pains in his legs and feet he just sits up on the side of the bed and works the puzzle a little while he is up.  We have over 1/2 of it done already.  Now we are just to the hard parts.  It sure helps Mom and I too to have something to get our minds off of everything.

The Wound Vac Team came in and changed out the wound vac again today.  The output is so much clearer now with so much less blood.  This is a great sign of things healing up!

Around 10PM a new bed was brought in because of his discomfort and to lessen the pressure he is getting from only being able to be on his right side most of the time.  They had the same trapeze put on it which made him so happy.  This is a bed with a special mattress made by Tempurpedic and Don just loves it.  He said it made a huge difference in his comfort.  I did not know it but he said that he felt like he was sitting in a hole.  No wonder he was uncomfortable.

I stayed up here working on the puzzle until about midnight.  Don was up when I left and he always wants me to call when I get over to the hotel.  He worries so about Mom and I being safe.