Strides

Well, Jim started out the week with a bang.

Physical and occupation with therapies are in the morning. Sometimes, he is already in therapy when I arrive, and other times I'm encouraging him to wake up. He was super sleepy yesterday, hiding under his blanket tent. Shutting out whatever. Hardly an acknowledgment, let alone interest in getting up, having something to drink or think about therapies. 

Finally, with considerable encouragement just short of cheerleader pom poms and help from a nurse tech that answered the room red light, he got out of bed and got help to change. Shortly afterward the occupational therapist was popping in, smiling as usual, to go to work. Sometimes he is so concerned where I am and what i'm doing, that I stay behind in the room to hang clean laundry and organize a few things rather than tag long to therapy.

Later, I looked in on the therapy room from a distance and saw him peddling away on the bike machine with a fair amount of enthusiasm. In good hands, I left to do a couple of texts and emails.

 In about an hour, I hear his voice in the hall. And, there they go. Right on by the door to 308. Standing straight. Walking about normal stride length. No shuffling. Walker, yes. But no hands on him. No physical support from anyone. And only one therapist! Not two! Off they go, down the hall towards the nurse's station where the snack tray is strategically placed and easily seen. He snagged a package of shortbread cookies and kept going, acknowledging other patients along the way with a head nod, sometimes a wave, and a "hey, big guy". Around the station and back down the hall... all the way back to the therapy room to get weighed... and back up to the room. That's at least 300 hundred feet! No hands... and sitting for a brief sixty second break.

From sleepy to long strides. Good for a Monday morning.