Day 46

The furry fiends return

Again, we apologize for the lack of entries this week and promise to get back on track. This week was a busy one on all fronts for the Sterns. As Burt continued to work hard in rehab, Connie and David went about the uncertain task of determining Burt’s next stop. They visited a bunch of short-term rehab facilities on the area trying to find the best one. What they came to realize was that they are all, unfortunately, embedded in nursing homes—these are not easy halls to walk. Burt, though he is battling his body at the moment and clawing his way back, is still of vibrant mind and vigorous spirit and doesn’t seem to belong in these places. Silvia, the unfortunate catatonic wheelchair troll stuck in the hallway of one establishment, almost had Connie and David ready to pack Burt up, bring him home and deal with it from there. However, they persevered throughout the week and ended up with two quiet viable choices.

Tuesday, Burt will move from the Acute Rehab unit to the sub-acute rehab facility where he will continue to work for the next 100 days. The facility has a short-term rehab wing with private rooms with a crowd around Burt’s age. While Burt may not qualify for this the day he moves in, the prognosis is that it won’t be long. It is not an easy move, Burt has gone through a lot with his dedicated and intrepid team, they don’t want him leave either, but go tell that to Medicare. So, his chin up Burt marches forward to the next stop, step with the right foot… schlep the left.

Don't hate the playah, hate the game

Burt was cleared to move from prime rib flavored yogurt (it turned out to be false advertising) to homemade soups… pureed to death. Within twenty-four hours there was black bean soup and homemade applesauce. Another twenty-four brought split pea soup (note to all: pureed split pea soup while still tasty takes on a rather disquieting effluent color). The rehab unit fridge has begun to fill up with small containers with Burt’s name on them, literally. You can’t keep a Jewish mother down and restraint has no meaning where a loved one and a fridge are concerned. There is a new black bean stew waiting in the wings, and butternut squash soup is on deck. A slow cooker has been purchased, so let the soups begin.

soup in all sorts of noxious colors

Priceless moment overheard in the rehab gym this week:

Cast:

(the names have been changed to protect the gainfully employed and the demented)

Rachel - sweet 20-something physical therapist.

Gladys – less sweet senile patient with a really bad wig bought in 1982.

Rachel: Do you know where you are?

Gladys: Rehab.

Rachel: But do you know where you are?

Gladys: Rehab.

Rachel: Do you know how old you are?

Gladys: 44.

Rachel: No… do you know how old you are?

Gladys: 64.

Rachel: No, dear, you’re 87.

Pause

Gladys: 87? Oh my god.

Black

This week Burt began the initial work of learning to walk with a cane. He still needs a lot of help but he is steadily trying to relearn the rhythm of walking. The rolling table was removed, his left arm was put safely in a sling (only for the duration of the exercise), and his right hand moved the cane. With his extraordinary therapy team moving around him Burt walked, first using the wall as a guide and then out into the room. It is hard work for all involved, most of all for Burt who has to rethink every step, but it is amazing to watch.

working up to a silver handled walking stick

Burt continued to work with Randy and Mike on his affected arm. He has been put on a new medication called Dantrium. It is intended to relax his muscles and decrease the tone that tightens up his affected muscles and makes them painful and hard to work with. It seems to be helping.

OT with randy and Mike

Burt had an uneasy moment this week as his INR (the blood thinner quotient) spiked one day to 3.3, which is the upper range of the safe zone. He was given a very low dose of his blood thinners for 24 hours until the numbers came back into the normal ranges and was then put on a mid-range dose to keep it steady. He was given a higher dose when he should not have been. All is well, but Burt and his advocates are extremely careful with his INR as that is what put him here in the first place.

On pins and needles.

On Thursday, Lonnie came by again and worked with Burt, putting a few nails in all the right places. They are still concentrating on Burt’s shoulder, leg, general health, and, of course, the swallow. Burt relaxed as the needles worked their subtle magic and visited with Lonnie for a bit. On Friday night, Cousin Robert drove up from Westchester and he, Burt and David visited for a couple of hours. Cousin Rob, like his father before him, has always been a favorite of Burt’s. With a wry sense of humor and a no nonsense optimism, he had Burt joking and laughing as if nothing at all was amiss. Earlier in the week, Connie’s cousins, Lynn and Fern, drove up to see Burt. They had a great visit with Burt and Connie. While Burt will not be making the traditional family Thanksgiving this year in Rhinebeck due to his rehab, he was assured delivery of his favorite nut cookies as soon as it is deemed medically safe that he can eat them.

Burt works his shoulder range with Sarah

Today was a day of relative rest for Burt, a spate of new admits tot he rehab unit meant that Burt was bumped from the rehab list. However, Sarah, one of the physical therapists came by to work Burt’s shoulder at the end of the day just to make sure it didn’t get too tight.

Shave and a haircut

Afterward Burt had a visitor he had been anticipating all week. Scotty from Sim’s Barbershop came by to give Burt a long overdue haircut and shave. Burt felt he was starting to look a bit like the Wolfman and wasn’t enjoying the personal comparison. Scotty and his case of clippers, trimmers and weed wackers had Burt looking like himself again in short order. After his haircut, Burt went back for a bit of a nap before watching the Yankees beat the Twins and drifting off to sleep.

If anyone doubts that Burt is coming back...