And then we set out for what would be 5 hours at Kaiser Downey, and would come home with 14 appointments to put on the calendar, just to start with.
Our first appointment was with the Rehab specialist, who consequently is the one who sent us from Kaiser to Long Beach for rehab. We really like this guy -- he knows Steve's case well and is thinking very "whole person" for us. We had an urgent equipment issue, and he stayed after his last appointment to help us figure it out. He laid out all the different medical issues we are dealing with (follow-up on blood clots, ulcer, surgeon, neuro, P.T., O.T., and a few others), and helped us understand how to make sure our care gets coordinated.
We happened to be able to get in with the PT right after our appointment with the Rehab doc. It was just a basic evaluation, and we don't yet have goals for PT. Denise will be going with us to his next PT appointment on Monday to help us ask good questions and get our goals very clear.
I have been sitting down this evening charting out all the appointments, when meals are being brought, when Jennifer will be here, when we need additional childcare or a ride for Steve. Oh, and somewhere in there I am throwing a birthday party for Søren. Yikes. You can pray that I am able to keep all these plates spinning. I'm grateful that I have some experience in administration!
Pray also for the timing of Steve going back to work. We think it would be good for him to engage back at work, but balance is going to be important. With all the appointments and additional time for basic tasks at home, we will need wisdom here.
Pray for my role as care-giver, that I will somehow find ways to care well for myself--for good sleep, discipline, and even a return to the fantastic exercise program I'd finally developed prior to the accident.
Each day we get new pieces of the New Normal, and each day we get more unpredictable pieces to add to the puzzle. So each day gets to be its very own day--new every morning.
Steve "working hard?" at the recumbent stair-climber
A great way to end the day--a little Family Wii
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