We moved rooms today. . . again! Mark was moved to a double room for the second time since we have been here. We have been back in the single room for the last month and now we have been moved again. Mark's current roommate is being discharged next week, so who knows what will happen then. Mark is technically an isolation patient because he has MRSA in his nose. He can only room with someone with the same condition (and there are quite a few). They are allowed out of the rooms and mingle in the population, but if a nurse or anyone goes into the room they are supposed to gown up and put on gloves. It's kind of a goofy rule, but the object is not to spread it from patient to nurse to another patient. Anyway, I always joke about Mark having to room with someone with the same "cooties" as he has. I am just waiting for the day when they need another double room for two clean patients again, and put us back in a single. It's goofy. Jess and I have redecorated several times already, and it's starting to get old.
He did real well in physical therapy today. He was able to slide himself out of the wheelchair and sit on the side of the mat. Then he was able to get himself down to his side and roll over to his stomach. He did the whole maneuver without any help from the therapists. Unfortunately, he was still in a lot of pain during the mat work, but getting there was a wonderful step to see.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Monday, May 12, 2008
Well, today we found out that they are not going to do the manipulation of Mark's knee to straighten the leg. He has osteoporosis in his legs from not using them, so if they were to put him under anesthetic to push the leg straight, there would be too great a risk that the leg would break. This would put him back six months while they had to wait for it to heal, not to mention all the rest of the complications a broken leg would mean.
Because of this, they will have to go back to the original plan of straightening the leg slowly by serial casting again. They have not been able to get it past -35 degrees from straight. They are now going to have him wear the cast all the time, even in the wheelchair. They have added an additional muscle relaxer and will continue with the stretching. Keeping it in the cast all the time will help keep the hamstring from tightening through the day. Then they will slowly stretch the leg and hopefully, be able to recast it straighter. They are also going to look into a brace that will keep the knee covered and be able to be adjusted straighter. The current braces he has like that allows the knee to come through the center of the brace and because the muscle tone in the leg is so great, it just pops the knee out and defeats the purpose.
Please keep your prayers coming that this will work. He will not be able to walk again if they cannot get the leg straighter. He is being very brave through all of this horrific therapy since it is so painful, but today was discouraged and annoyed at the pain. They are going to change his pain medication again so that he will be able to tolerate this therapy.
As always, we appreciate your continued support.