Hello, All,
So sorry I haven't updated in a while, but as you can imagine, things are pretty busy for us here at home since Rick came home. We have been settling into our new routines, and are constantly looking for (and sometimes finding) better ways to accomplish simple tasks.
Rick returned to work immediately after his discharge and worked mornings for the first week, then he worked 5-6 hours a day for the next several weeks, and now he has gotten the approval from his doctor to work full time. We have hired a woman who helps him get ready for work in the morning, and get his breakfast. The Kingston para-transit bus picks Rick up at our driveway and takes him to work. At noon our helper visits Rick again at work in order to address some of his physical needs, then I pick him up after work. For a while, he was doing physical and occupational therapy 2-3 times per week, but the insurance company has been reluctant to allow more than one visit per week recently. Hopefully they will re-assess his case and approve some more frequent therapy. Rick has made tremendous strides since he first arrived at Helen Hayes and we'd like to see the progress continue as much as possible.
Rick had a driving evaluation in October through VESID, and was thrilled to be behind the wheel again. It was determined that the standard hand controls would work for him, so now we are awaiting notification about when his driving instruction will begin. We will look for advice from the driving instructor regarding which van would be best to purchase and which types of modifications will best meet his needs. One of the big pushes in therapy will be to work on Rick being able to independently transfer from his wheelchair to a van seat so that he might be able to drive on his own at some point.
We were able to get to Hobart to see Brad in early October for Parents' Weekend, and during the last weekend in October we travelled to Syracuse to see Dana participate in the last two marching band competitions of the season. During our Syracuse trip, we stayed in a hotel with a truly accessible bathroom and Rick enjoyed his first shower since being discharged from Helen Hayes in August. We are eagerly anticipating our own bathroom modifications and hope that they will be underway soon.
Again, we thank everyone for their prayers and contributions. The retired teachers of Bailey school have been cooking up a storm and those meals were truly appreciated. Many people participated in a Casual Day fundraiser through the county offices--some were people we don't even know! The golf tournament fundraiser in September was a lot of fun for us to watch and we hope the participants enjoyed themselves also.
Please continue to keep us in your prayers.
Lyn
