Re-Hab and Home

On Tuesday, September 22nd Sherry was transferred to the Re-Hab Unit at Kootenai Health.  The first night she was in a room with three other people and it was the first night that I do not stay with her.  I felt that my presence would intrude on the others, plus I had many things to care for at home. 

On the 23rd Sherry was transferred to an apartment-like room that has a bathroom, a fully equipped kitchen, a bedroom, and even a pleasant patio area bordering a garden.  I was encouraged to stay and to learn transferring and other caretaking techniques from the OTs, PTs, and SLPs.  The goal was to make Sherry OT safe as they say.  Before very long I was allowed to do the transfers myself.  I felt more confident in my caretaking ability and learned that there is a correct way that was not always aligned with the way I initially thought was right. 

On Friday, September 25th Sherry had an appointment with the radiation oncologist to discuss treatment options.  They ranged from doing nothing to pursuing an aggressive modality that included both radiation and chemo therapy.  While none of the treatments will lead to a cure, palative treatment can support the quantity and quality of life.   The agressive treatment seemed preferable, though that could change depending upon Sherry's response to it.   There were still many unknowns, and to dwell on them created an empty place in the bottom of my stomach. 

When we returned to the Re-Hab Unit we were met by the social worker and the KMC Chaplain.  We learned that Sherry could stay an additonal day in Re-Hab to allow me to ready our home for Sherry's homecoming.  In the apartment was a new walker and wheel chair.  KMC has elected to pay for the additional night even though Blue Cross of Idaho did not deem it necesary.  This illustrates the difference between a community hospital and a faceless HMO. 

On Saturday, September 26th Sherry and I drove up to our home.  We went immediately to the bench on the deck overlooking our pond and basked in the autumn sun.  Home, healing home.

While we believe we received the standard of care at Kootenai Medical Center the benchmarks were significant though somehow smaller.  We celebrated them just the same:  coming out of recovery into the ICU; getting unhooked from the monitors and transferred from ICU to the Neuro-Ortho Unit; getting the catheter and IVs out, getting an unrestricted diet and so on were steps forward, but none rivaled coming home.