Kerry update from Lynn

All,

Kerry, as of last Friday, was moved to her fourth and hopefully last hospital, this one a nursing home with an orthopedic wing for rehab patients such as herself.  Unfortunately it is not connected in any way with the last hosp where we really had a good relationship to the doc in charge and she with her nursing staff.  So we begin again in this one and that is hard  and in addition she is always frightened of yet new poeple in charge of her. 

 

She feels so terribly helpless as she cannot eat by herself, or potty as she is still on full bedpan care as getting out of bed involves getting into her body armor "turtle shell" and that takes two people about 15 minutes to accompliosh.  This hosp is less hospital and more nursing home, but does have daily therapy to get her back into functioning as an adult.  The neuro surgeon will see xrays on April 9 of her back and at that time determine if and when the shell can come off.  She had many thoracic and 4 lumbar vertebrae broken, a rod and bovine bone placed between her subluxed vertebare on the T breaks and if that is all set up properly off comes the 'turtle shell' that she must wear daily presently.  That will be a BIG step towards some sort of recovery as she will then be more ambulatory, be able to move about in bed on her own  and hopefully move her along much more rapidly. 

 

John continues to be with her all day every day as she is very lonely and indeed bored as her only diversion all day long is TV (YUCK) and PT .  She is unable to read as holding a book is next to impossible.  I think her ability to concentrate has been compromised as well at this point but should improve when she can go home.  I hope with double crossed fingers that this nursing home experience will be as possitive as the rehab hosp was as mentally she really needs positive at this time.  She is very frustrated, depressed etc etc.  Thank you for your concern, we return to Fla for one week this Tuesday.  Hayden and his 3 little girls and wife will be in Venice, at Kerrys home for a few days.  She is so looking forward to their visit.       Till Later       LYNN