The Meeting

OK, the meeting. There was Fred, of course and Diane, his daughter. There was also a nurse with a hyphenated-name {like Mary-Jane, but not that} who was the nurse who looked after him and others in the morning, and Bridget, one of his physical therapists. The meeting was run by Connie, his caseworker who was madly taking notes all through this meeting, and there was also someone named Lynn who didn’t at that point, mention what she did. And, of course, me.

First, the nursing part. Fred was quite clear about the fact that he got very anxious when he didn’t know when he was going to get his medications, especially the one which helped him sleep. The nurse at the table told him that the doctor mandated a time and they had an hour to get it to the patient unless there was an emergency. So, for example, if the doctor said at 8 pm, then the patient should get it between 8 and 9 pm. He also pointed out that during the past couple of nights he had been woken abitarily for some small, unimportant reason. Lynn made a note of this and said she would look into it. So, apparently, she is a supervisory-type  person.

Then there was an excellent report from the PT person, and Fred, about how hard he had been working and how far he had come in 14 days. When he got here, he couldn’t hold his own weight up and stand. Now, he has to have a little help with getting up from the chair but he is walking with a walker {and a straight back} up and down the halls. He is not confident or strong enough to walk alone as yet but I can see a time when he will be. I am totally amazed actually. He didn’t have the strength to get on the EMT’s gurney a few weeks ago. I asked what would be expected of him before he went home and they were very clear that he would need to be able to get himself around the apartment {with a walker if necessary} dress himself {which he is mostly doing all by himself now} and be able to use the toilet alone. All these things he was able to do, of course, before he became ill and slid so far back. I also pointed out that he would have to be able to get up three steps to get home and they said there would be instruction on how to do this and practice in doing it.

I think we all came from the meeting feeling considerably more positive about the future.

Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks,

breaking rules, making mistakes, and having fun.

— Mary Lou Cook

"We are taught you must blame your father, your sisters, your brothers, the school, the teachers – but never blame yourself. It’s never your fault. But it’s always your fault, because if you wanted to change you’re the one who has got to change." — Katherine Hepburn

You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes.

You can steer yourself in any direction you choose.

You’re on your own. And you know what you know.

You are the guy who’ll decide where to go. ~ Dr. Seuss