When people find out that they need to be a patient at Kessler Institute... And you have NOT suffered a traumatic brain injury... The 3rd floor is not where you want to be. Aside from the sad stories, the significant cognitive impairment, and it being a locked ward... I'm one of the only speaking people who in addition doesn't think we are living in the year 1910. Like I said- it's very sad and I do not belong up here. I am more than grateful that I am back at Kessker where I can get the appropriate care... However, I miss the first floor terribly.
I have been working so hard in therapy ... Harder than I've ever worked before and my therapists are the toughest than I've ever had. Yeah, yeah I know- this is great. It's what I need but there should be a happy medium/ a compromise. I'm talked to and treated as if I have a brain injury- I have orthopedic issues. Again- don't interpret this post as being ungrateful that I am back here- I'm not... It's just trying to deal with the lack of appropriateness for me and it is hard.
My medications are being administered appropriately, I watch out for my very impaired roomate, and I walked 35 feet with a rolling platform walker (therapist holding on of course).
My doctor here likes me a lot and is trying to find me a private room up here.
I'm working hard... Harder than I've ever worked before.
Tomorrow I see the hand surgeon for a new cast... I'm thinking blue again!
To be continued...
Stacy
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
I'm back on the saddle again...
After 19 long, depressing days at CareOne nursing home... I'm happy to write that I'm back at Kessler Institute! Unlike previous admissions I am on the Traumatic Brain Injury floor and although it's difficult for me emotionally- my main focus now is rehabilitating me-- so I am working very hard to get back to being functional enough to go home.
Tomorrow, I see the surgeon and I'm hoping the bandage can finally be removed from my leg.
On a totally different note- for those of you who know about my "tiny" obsession with snow--- here comes another one on Thursday!!
Hopefully this is the beginning of the end of this nightmare for me...
Thanks for reading and to be continued...
Stacy
Tomorrow, I see the surgeon and I'm hoping the bandage can finally be removed from my leg.
On a totally different note- for those of you who know about my "tiny" obsession with snow--- here comes another one on Thursday!!
Hopefully this is the beginning of the end of this nightmare for me...
Thanks for reading and to be continued...
Stacy
Friday, January 21, 2011
Half of 2010...
Rewind a few weeks... As I lay in Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation and I watch the Ball drop in Time Square the only thought that comes to mind was.... "is it truly possible that Ive been hospitalized for half of 2010??" It's been a while since I've written- let me fill you in...
Firstly- had anyone known how extensive my rehabilitation would have been with the 3 major knee surgeries I had June, July, and September--it's questionable whether I would have gone through with them despite my doctors telling me it was a must... Apparently the risk of losing my leg due to an infection from a non- healing wound was worse off than the 7 months it's been since I have been home.
I was immobilized with a fiberglass cast from toe to hip for 12 weeks -- then put into a soft Velcro Full leg brace for an additional 8 weeks. In the process of healing the right (surgerized knee) the left knee ( which has been healed since 2005 ) decided to open up. Unfortunately- this is something that I will continually battle with for the rest of my life because of my vitamin C deficiency. When my levels drop low- incisions- no matter how old or healed they are... they just open up. My surgeon then decided to immobilize BOTH legs in full leg braces to ensure healing. This meant no active therapy on either leg for upwards of 9 weeks! Unfortunately, my insurance company didn't want to pay the high costs of Kessler if I wasn't completely "rehabilitatable" so I was discharged on January 3rd to home.
Since I was immobilized since June- my muscles decided to take their own sweet time coming back to life so when I was home for the 20 hours --- I was bedridden....and this was not allowed by the visiting nurse who was overseeing my home care!
Which brings us where I am today. As I type this at 3:15am- I reside in CareOne nursing home in Livingston. A place nobody should have to be in -- especially someone of my age. The therapy is mediocre at best and the place is unsanitary and they are unable to care for my
complex medical needs- causing a blood clot in my port requiring the hospital to repair it..
Until my surgeon lifted ALL restrictions on both legs- I wasn't moving from this nursing home. As of Wednesday- since my surgeon got the message loud and clear and CareOne can't handle me... I'm happy to report that on Monday I will be going back to Kessler Institute for
Rehabilitation to get the appropriate therapy that I need so that I can walk and finallly go home...
7 months- gone in an instant- but all I can do is move on from here (now that I am allowed to) and I will work so hard to better myself to return home and go back to teaching... My only normalcy.
My journey continues... I will require extensive wrist surgery so I remain in a cast now for 13 months until my legs are healed enough to have my arm fixed.
I appreciate those of you who have provided endless support and caring through what has been the toughest experience of my life....
Firstly- had anyone known how extensive my rehabilitation would have been with the 3 major knee surgeries I had June, July, and September--it's questionable whether I would have gone through with them despite my doctors telling me it was a must... Apparently the risk of losing my leg due to an infection from a non- healing wound was worse off than the 7 months it's been since I have been home.
I was immobilized with a fiberglass cast from toe to hip for 12 weeks -- then put into a soft Velcro Full leg brace for an additional 8 weeks. In the process of healing the right (surgerized knee) the left knee ( which has been healed since 2005 ) decided to open up. Unfortunately- this is something that I will continually battle with for the rest of my life because of my vitamin C deficiency. When my levels drop low- incisions- no matter how old or healed they are... they just open up. My surgeon then decided to immobilize BOTH legs in full leg braces to ensure healing. This meant no active therapy on either leg for upwards of 9 weeks! Unfortunately, my insurance company didn't want to pay the high costs of Kessler if I wasn't completely "rehabilitatable" so I was discharged on January 3rd to home.
Since I was immobilized since June- my muscles decided to take their own sweet time coming back to life so when I was home for the 20 hours --- I was bedridden....and this was not allowed by the visiting nurse who was overseeing my home care!
Which brings us where I am today. As I type this at 3:15am- I reside in CareOne nursing home in Livingston. A place nobody should have to be in -- especially someone of my age. The therapy is mediocre at best and the place is unsanitary and they are unable to care for my
complex medical needs- causing a blood clot in my port requiring the hospital to repair it..
Until my surgeon lifted ALL restrictions on both legs- I wasn't moving from this nursing home. As of Wednesday- since my surgeon got the message loud and clear and CareOne can't handle me... I'm happy to report that on Monday I will be going back to Kessler Institute for
Rehabilitation to get the appropriate therapy that I need so that I can walk and finallly go home...
7 months- gone in an instant- but all I can do is move on from here (now that I am allowed to) and I will work so hard to better myself to return home and go back to teaching... My only normalcy.
My journey continues... I will require extensive wrist surgery so I remain in a cast now for 13 months until my legs are healed enough to have my arm fixed.
I appreciate those of you who have provided endless support and caring through what has been the toughest experience of my life....
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