Saturday 14 April 2012

It is Julies third day in the acute care section of the Spinal Injury Unit (SIU).  She is in the acute section because of the tracheostomy which requires extra nursing care, dressing changes and the need to suction to clear phlegm from her lungs.

On Thursday Jules was put in a chair using a portable hydraulic hoist that is much quicker than the manual handling method used in the ICU.  Once in the chair she was taken on a tour if the SIU.  Through the various wards which had 1 or 4 plus the 6 bed acute ward.  The one bed rooms are generally used for infectious patients.  There is a kitchen where the meals for the patients in the SIU are prepared and a communal dining room where people can mix socially as well as dine.  There is a physiotherapy gymnasium where Jules will have intensive treatment to retrain her limbs.  The occupational therapy room focusses on teaching skills that will enable patients to return to the community.  Patients are trained in skills to use eating utensils to feed and care for themselves.  The staff are all very friendly and positive, the place has a good feel about it.

Kylie arrived later on Thursday afternoon, she is such a calming influence.  Jules was getting distressed as the doctors had indicated they may need to change the tracheostomy tube.  Based on Jules memory of the previous change the process can be very painful.  After the doctors had left Ky suggested that Jules prepare a list of questions for the doctors to get them to wexplain the risks and benefits of a change.  This was discussed with the doctors the next morning and any change will be delayed while they monitor the situation.

Julies ward is much more relaxed than ICU with little of the procedures and night noises that prevent or interupt sleep.  She has had a good nights sleep every night she has been in there.  The air mattress she is on evenly distributes pressure to her body minimising the risk of pressure sores developing.  On the air mattress she only requires turning once during the night.  Jules has met and chatted with with the other patients in her ward, things are much more friendly and "normal" than ICU.  Skype is wonderful as she can have face to face conversations with friends, she speaks to Darrel most days and has been able to chat with Larissa and hopes to chat with Margie next week.  We are going to check out an iphone 4G with Siri voice control next week.

Darrel arrived late on Friday evening and we just made it to the SIU before the doors were locked for the night, Jules was very pleased to see him.  He had organised with the staff to have a Saturday barbeque on the verandah.  The SIU has a couple of BBQs and tables and chairs on the verandah for patients and family to use.  We wheeled Jules bed outside about 1:30 and cooked ate and chatted for over three hours.  Being in the sun and breeze after over 5 weeks indoors was a luxury.  Two of the other patients joined us and tried some of the food and chatted about their experiences.  Gail had her accident 41 years ago and lives in the community, she was back in the unit for treatment of a pressure sore.  She was excited about going home before the end of the month after five months treatment.  Ken from Mackay, the other patient who joined us with his wife was driving home 21 months ago rolled his car and woke up in hospital and hasn't been home since.  He expects to go home soon.  The OT staff have helped with modifications to their house so he can live there.  I took some pics but haven't figured how to download them from the camera Ron will help me when I return to the office on Thursday then i will post them here.

Julie is in a very positive frame of mind and looking forward to getting the rehab regime going next week.  In the meantime we are doing the wrist, finger and arm exercises that the physios and OTs have trained us to do, we can feel the improvement in strength and control.  The improvements are small increments but everyday it is better.  She intends to participate in the blog with the assistance of visitors to help with the typing.

We will try to post daily, watch this space

Norm