The Next Chapter

It seems like times flies and stands still, all at the same time. We're nearing the two week from the wreck point and it seems like it just happened yesterday, but everyday seems to last forever and I wish we could just skip over the next few weeks to a point where he can see an end to this.

He is very frustrated and constantly tries to talk people into finding a different halo, or just getting a wrench and taking it off for a little while. He was looking for a handyman with tools on Wednesday morning. He calls it 'that chair strapped to my head."

Getting the meds adjusted has been a challenge. He was getting Ativan in the ICU when he was getting IV morphine. He was changed to po pain meds, but they kept the IV Ativan at night and he was turning into this crazy person all night long. I dozed off at one point on Tuesday night and he managed to unbuckle one side of the halo vest. They stopped the Ativan and tried Seroquel, which wasn't much better. Chuck stayed that night and said he didn't sleep over 15 minutes at a time.

Last night we asked for no 'psych' meds. Just pain pills and a plain old sleeping pill (Ambien). David Smith stayed and said he wasn't really crazy, just restless at times and would want to stand up. They stood him up three different times during the night and he would then lay down and sleep for a while. Right now the goal is to reach a point where he understands the halo and that it is a permanent thing for the next several weeks. Second goal, that he will use the call light to call for the nurse before trying to get up. Learning this patient role has been difficult for him.

I think the biggest obstacle at this point is denial. He just cannot grasp the extent of his injuries and the complexity of his recovery. And he is doing some bargaining. 'Just take this off so I can wash my hair and I'll let you put it back on."

This morning when I talked to him, he sounded more like himself and was able to actually carry on a conversation. He thinks the therapists are kind of 'pushy'. I told him they were paid to be that way. This week-end we will be investigating skilled nursing facilities. The rehab people feel he is not yet able to tolerate three hours of therapy per day and will need to go to skilled until he gains more strength. Unfortunately, his insurance is United Healthcare, and there are not many options for placement. The initial plan was for him to go to the new LTACH on Hwy 169, but the insurance would not approve it.