3 months. I get up, get coffee and come back during his ROM. RT and the nurse aide are all in the room. The RT tech does not know how to snap the red cap back on so I do it properly. My husband comes by with my lunch so I get to walk out with him, my highlight of the morning.

He rests for a little bit as we have a late schedule, my favorite. No PT till 10:30 so we can take our time getting ready. He is dressed, clean ready for PT right on time. I do the transfer completely on my own and it is getting better. He has some stretches, exercises with 25 pounds now on his chest. The balancing even though his hands are still bothering him. It is a good productive session and he feels like he has worked out. Lunch break in the room, he texts his brother using Siri and hates it, then we get the mobile arm supports in the gym. He gets his hands massaged and then tries to picks up some small things. He makes several attempts and manages to grip a few small light items. Progress every day. Then he spends a bunch of time goofing around again.

After OT I head over and turn in my medical release to the district office then walk back. Some friends have come by bringing books and conversation, all welcome from the daily hospital environment. It was very nice to see friendly faces who help me relax outside the hospital room.

As they are leaving the general surgeon is exiting Colin’s room. I say goodbye and go ask Colin what the story is. He says the surgeon thinks it is still a very small hole, leaking a little bit, but it is healing. They are going to continue waiting, do the CT scan tonight or tomorrow, watching, waiting while Colin does not eat. Colin is not happy. I change Siri from a English (US) woman to a British male voice to entertain him but he is not responsive. He wants back in bed now, at 5:30. The transfer is smooth and I get him resting comfortably. His nurse comes in with meds but no food at 6. She says CT wants him before eating but they don;t know when. Colin now has standing orders there are to be no tests after 8 pm. We expect CT to be tomorrow. We are wrong. By 6:30 transportation is there. I go along with a suction kit, requested by the CT tech after the last time Colin was there.

We get down there and the procedure requires my assistance as well, so I get to stay this time. A transport tech and I hold Colin in a sitting position, he has a mouthful of “contrast” liquid. On que he swallows, we lie him down and race into the safe zone while he goes into the scanner. Repeated again to make sure a good scan was obtained. Took about 15 minutes total. Back to his room, his next feeding is at 8:30 so I start the evening program early. I have to go sooner than I usually do to get home before the roads freeze. I need a new pair of shoes for him. The vans he loves are causing pressure marks on the back of his heels. He is cleaned, turned and ready for food at 8:30. After food he relaxes, I try to work with his hands but they are bothering him again, so I back off allowing him to rest as much s he can.

By 9:30 he is sue for his sleeping meds in an hour so I set him up with a 2 hour TV sleeper, the call button easily triggered, arms comfortable, turned. Told him goodnight, left to get home by 10:30. He said he would be fine so I left for home.

Got home at 10:30, started laundry, gave our nephew a list of things to over the next couple days, gathered shoes for Colin, took a shower (since the pump switch would be frozen in the morning) and went to bed. 27 degrees at home, no heat except in the office. Thankfully, we have down comforters which make all the difference for a warm nights rest.