Puncture Repair

Change of plans today, Dave from OT came to see if Stuart was up for some wheelchair gutter training at 10 o'clock. So into the shower and up in the chair quick smart. They spent the hour downstairs going up and down and up!! the downs are brilliant, but still having some trouble with the ups. Dave thought that if they move the rear wheels back it might help Stuart with the lift and the forward motion. Stuart had to then push the demo chair back to the ward, helps develop chair control with one hand.



So while Stuart was in physio showing Alex the art of removing and repairing the inner tube, Dave made some adjustments to the wheelchair. Stuart and Alex's first attempt failed. (the patch leaked) So Stuart retired to the plinth to do some stretches which are important especially when you are in that sitting position and pushing through your arms and shoulders. Tis good to get onto his stomach and stretch, he really does enjoy it. Alex and I then had another go at the puncture repair with success GIRLS RULE, but I do have to admit that we needed his help to get the last 6" of tyre onto the rim.








We then pumped up the tyres and Stuart put them back on the chair.



We then went back to 7D and had lunch together in the sitting room. Stuart was in demand, had an MRI of his R knee at 2pm and Lucy(CNS) was keen to do some education on catheterization. It was all go, so Stuart put the session with Lucy until next week.

So Maggie and I went down in the lift with him on his way to MRI (he had go back into bed for this as the Xray table is to high to transfer to from the chair) We then went back to Mosman prior to heading back to Wagga Wagga tonight. Iain headed back to physio to do some more adjustments to the chair. He swapped the front wheels so that they swivel more freely and changed his brakes to scissor brakes which gives Stuart the ability to push on and through the wheel. They fit under the frame and out of the way when not in use.

Stuart's day was derailed by the dropping of his phone off the plinth in physio. It no longer works, well not very well. Very frustrating as it's one thing that keeps him sane and in touch with all his mates. Hopefully he will get to Chatswood tomorrow and get a replacement.

News flash. I got a call from Stuart at 8.45pm on his mobile, yes it was working.

Trainer wheels off !!!!!!

When I arrived at 11am there was great excitement in the room as Graham was up in the wheelchair, it was a big moment for everyone but especially Emma and Leah his daughters. Many photographs were taken.



We then rolled around to physio as Stuart had a thumb tack in his tyre and he wanted to patch or change the tube, but alas there were patches but no tyre leavers. So he changed wheels and made a quick call to Iain to get him to bring some from the shed. Stuart is going to give a demo and workshop for the girls(physios) tomorrow on repairing punctures. Am thinking he could earn some cash on the side doing chair maintenance.

After lunch it was off to physio as usual. Stuart did a warm up on the passive leg cycle machine, some dips on the parallel bars....this exercise is hard work. He then did some work on his abductors in the traction. We then had a visit from Melissa who also up in a chair for the first time today. She looked great and loved seeing what Stuart was doing at physio. Damien then got him into another quickie, a green machine this time....it took some time and needed some delicate modifications with a rubber mallet. Say no more!!!!!





We then went outside for half an hour of gutter jumping. Alanna has allowed Stuart to take the tippy wheels(trainers) off the back of his chair. He has great skills for going down the gutters but still needs to work on the ups. Will still need a spotter, person behind when going up gutters and ramps etc. Maggie and Iain arrived in time for this session. Iain could see a huge improvement from the first session that he and Stuart did on outdoor wheelchair skills.





Over the last couple of weeks we have been clearing Stuart's flat as Tristan his flat mate has a transfer to Sydney and Stuart will move back home after rehab. Maybe he takes after his Mother cause boy does he have some stuff. Amy's room has become the storeroom

The Purple Quickie

Up and showered early (and dressed himself with just a little help), as we were going to The Forum for an early lunch. But first we rolled around to physio to swap wheelchairs. Greg another patient needed a chair with flip up footplates(as he can stand with support and weight bear) and Stuart was very happy to have the chair with the fixed foot plate.





We then headed down to The Forum(train station) to meet Rodney, Mary and Jeremy. Stuart and I practiced our wheelchair skills on the way. It was great to catch up and be outdoors. they then walked back with us, Jeremy helping Stuart just a little to get up the hill so that we would get to physio on time. Stuart was extremely happy with the purple quickie chair, it felt more sturdy, rolled easier especially on the carpet and rough concrete. The angle of the back rest can be adjusted to help Stuart get a better position for pushing uphill.

Physio was extremely tough for Stuart today with some serious hamstring stretches on the plinth followed by some vertical lifts. This are an important skill one needs to get into the wheelchair from the ground or floor, for example to get into your chair if you fall out of your chair or want to say sit on the grass.


It was then off to OT where we spent the session today chatting to Alanna about Stuart's next goals and other things we can start working on prior to heading to Moorong. Things like undressing in the chair, getting a commode to suit his needs and body shape,getting into a car on a slope and continuing to work on the wheelchair skills. Also looking at modifications that will need to be made to 1 Kauri Pl for Stuart to return home after rehabilitation.
We then headed back to the ward, Stuart went to catch up with Melissa an ex room-mate and then had his lunch(at 4.30pm) and then his tea at 5.30. Hoping he can put some weight on!!! Stuart was able to get himself into bed, undressed and connect his urine leg bag to the overnight bag.




The other exciting event today was seeing Graham sitting up in his bed, the physio's sat him up gradually to 55 degrees and turned his bed around so that he could see the sky and the view from the window. It the first time in a few months that he has not been flat on his back, tomorrow he is hoping to get into a highback tilt chair.



All in all another satisfactory day at the office.

The Three C's

Commode car and coffee.



Stuart slept in until 9am this morning, tired after yesterday and oblivious of the ward noises with his new head phones. He was in the shower when I arrived.Got a good look at his suture line this morning and decided to share it with you all.


Alanna then came to show Stuart how to transfer from the shower Chair/ Commode to the bed and back. Tis quite different from the wheelchair as the seat is padded and it is less stable??
He then had a couple of hours in bed prior to heading to physio where today he worked his upper body/ arms on the cable weights.
It was then off to the carpool carpark to have a go at Car transfers with Alanna. He managed to get himself into the passenger seat of a Holden Astra. Looked tricky and a little awkward but he did it twice. He also had a go a getting a wheel off the chair, something that has to be done to get the chair in the car. When he gets the next chair once the wheels are off, the chair will fold up and he will then put it on the back seat. The car transfers were quite strenuous and Stuart and I headed off for a Coffee. Another good day at the office.
Stuart and I dined together tonight watching the tour highlights on SBS. Another tasty meal brought in for us by Meaghan.

Train/Bus/Taxi and Dentist

Janet's blog
What a big day! Stuart was dressed and in his wheelchair at 10.15 when Chandanni and I arrived. We headed off to Chatswood walking down the hill to St Leonards Station.

Suddenly the camber of the footpath and the gradient are of importance. A bit like on the bike, a slight increase in the gradient means a big increase in the effort needed to climb it(chair or bike) the train trip was good, the station staff getting the ramp that allowed Stuart and John to get onto the train. We used the the lifts to get to and from the platforms.





Once we got to Chatswood we were allowed to explore on our own, check out the floor plan, where the lifts were etc. Stuart did some shopping and Chandanni and I tagged along. We caught up with Alanna and the rest of the gang in the food court for lunch, Stuart had a McDonalds burger....shame on him!!! The return journey was by bus, perhaps not quite as easy as the train. But certainly easier for Stuart in the manual chair, was much harder for John to park the electric chair in the allocated space and keep out of the way of other passengers.



We arrived back in time for Stuart to attend the 2pm physio session.....he enjoyed some time on the plinth laying on his back and then his tummy prior to us heading off to the Dentist. We then said good-bye to Chandanni and got the taxi to To Mosman for our appointment. Stuart enjoyed the trip in the taxi today, seemed to feel more secure and relaxed, plus the taxi driver and Stuart talked about rabbits,crows and shooting.
The Dentist was fantastic, Stuart can now smile-he removed the broken part of the tooth and a temporary cap/filling has been formed over the exposed nerve and what remains of the tooth. We have another appointment later next week.
Jess and Tom caught up with us along Military Road, we did a spot of shopping for Stuart's new room mate who is from Coffs Harbour and then caught a cab back to RNS.
I left Stuart tucked up in bed eating his evening meal and checking out Jess and Tom's photos from New Zealand.

Stuart's blog
Today was a bit hectic in the morning as we had to be ready to go at 10:30 to Chatswood. It was so good to be outside again, and Alanna took the tippy bars off so I free to do as many wheelies as I liked! We headed down the hill to the train station in St Leonards, where I learnt how to inform the guards that I need a ramp and to make sure they know where I'm going so they can be ready with the ramp at the other end. Otherwise I'm stuck on the train until it reaches the end of the line...

Once off the train it was a nice downhill run to the Westsfield where Mum, Chandanni and I were let loose on the mall. We headed Myer where I bought a nice set of Bose headphones which will knock out all the outside sounds in the ward and I'll be right to sleep now. It was good to learn how to navigate around the mall, having to dodge signs and other people and trying to get sales staff to see me. We then headed to the food court where I felt the urge for McDonalds for some strange reason. One thing I found difficult to get my head around was not being able to see anyone. Going from being 6 ft tall to about 5 makes it really hard! We then headed back up to learn how to use the bus as a mode of transport. Whilst waiting for the bus a man rolled past in a very flash looking wheelchair. I watched him get into the bus, he just lifted his front wheels up then grabbed the handles inside the door and just pulled himself into the bus. Bring on the time I'm able to do that, I think I need to lift a few more weights to get there. The bus ride was as you would expect, like riding on a bus, just that I brought my own chair.



When we got back to the hospital I headed around to the gym for physio. Alex rigged me up on the plinth so I could do some more work on my leg muscles. She asked me if I could move any more muscles, when asked to move my toes they responded! It was such a relief, unfortunately I was not able to get them to move for mum when she came back. But they moved so I can move them again. After physio I had a dental appointment, another taxi ride, this time I knew what to expect and rather enjoyed rocking around in the back of the van. The dentist was so good, really helpful for me in the wheelchair, much better than I expected. He pulled out the chipped section of my front tooth, he said the tooth was still intact in my gum, which is good news. All I'll need is some route canal therapy and then a crown, much better than a bridge or a plate. He also covered my tooth so I can now eat food without having to cut it up into little bits which is such a relief.



Jess and Tom met Mum and I up towards Spit road where we did a bit of lolly shopping for me and mum got some toiletries for Nathan, a new bloke who only came in at 10:30 last night from Coffs and had nothing with him, bit like me when I first came to RNS. Jess and Tom stayed for a bit at the hospital showing me the photos of their trip to NZ snowboarding.

Taxi travel

Sunday the 5th July

Stuart's blog.
My day today was good. Got up and showered as normal as every other day. Then at 11am caught a cab to St Vincents Private Hospital to visit a friend who has cancer. All I wanted was to get out of my chair and give him a hug, there is always someone else worse off than you. We ventured outside for a coffee which was nice, rolled down the street and around the corner where we found this nice cafe. One of the staff cleared a table inside and made room for me to get in, it was very nice. Most of the time when people see you in a chair they stare and stand still, it would be handy if they could stare but still move a bit so I could pass. On the way back Mum and I used the new skills Alanna has taught us in OT to negotiate curbs and gutter,road crossings and all sorts of obstacles. It was good fun to put them into use in the outside world. It's true what she said, you can get anywhere in a chair if you have the skills. The taxi ride home was not the best, there were no places to hold on so I was left to grabbing the chair which didn't feel safe as every corner I felt like I was going to fall out of my chair. Just something else to get used to I guess.








Tomorrow I'm heading to Chatswood finally, the trip is so I can learn how to use both the train and bus to get places. Once I learn these skills and Alanna feels I am safe,I can go out on my own. Transformers 2 here I come! It will be good because then I'll have a bit more independence up my sleeve. When we get back I'm heading to the dentist at 4pm to get my chipped front tooth looked at. Which will be great, hopefully it will be fixed and I can eat food properly. No more cutting it up into little pieces.

Stu

Case study for trainees

Saturday 4th July.
Stuart was up and showered early to be downstairs at 10.15 to be presented as one of 4 case studies. The students assessed him clinically as if he was a new patient. He said it was quite interesting seeing how they each approached the task and reached their diagnosis, especially when he knew what his injury is and they did not.
He got dressed and out of bed on the 1.30 lift round and we ventured back to Gore Hill cemetery. Our outdoor wheelchair skills have improved enormously since our first adventure and we were able to get off the main path and do some real exploring. It was a lovely afternoon and we had a great time.






On our return we caught up with Bill another patient and did up and down hill training between the RNS Private and the front foyer. It is quite steep when you are pushing a chair, Stuart found it easier to go up backwards. It was interesting for me as it was my first go as spotter/catcher on the downhill run. He leaned so far in the chair on the back wheels to balance on the steepest bit that I nearly, well did try and catch him....just have to learn to trust his balance. We turn the trainer wheels on the back of the chair up when we do the practice runs therefore they have to have someone behind until they are off their L plates.

We then hit Gloria's for a coffee and banana bread. Stuart had a visit from Tim Stewart and Nat, as well as Tim Brookes.I left them talking planes, helicopters and things and went up stairs to read my book.



I left Stuart having his evening meal in his chair, just his second meal out of bed in 4 weeks.
He rang me a short time later very excited as he had got back into bed with minimal help and then undressed himself( T-shirt, trackpants and his runners).A first for him and quite a task when you cannot move those legs, especially long ones like his. Well done Stuart!!!!

Parellel bars

Friday 3rd July.
Routine start to the day followed by visits from the Rheumatologist who was sort of happy with Stuart's knee, still a little swollen so they will do an MRI next week. The plain Xray was OK. The knee is painful if moved in the wrong way or twisted.
We then had a visit from Brandon a trainee Physcian who asked Stuart if he could be presented as a case study for medical students to examine and review his history to make a diagnosis for an assessment. He said yes and will be presented tomorrow morning.




We then headed to physio, where Stuart warmed up on the arm spinner/ergo and then went to the parellel bars. He was able to lift his body weight into an upright position, with some help from Alex who locked his knees so he would not buckle. It was hard work, but good to see him upright sort of.

We then off to OT for some more gutter hoping in the A & E carpark, alas after a few goes Stuart's right wheel sort of came loose and we had to abort. Stuart transfered into a waiting room chair and he and Alanna tried to fix it....no luck so back upstairs in another chair. Stuart and Alanna got it going again with a few shifters and spanners.then back into his chair and back to the ward.



Other exciting news is that we have a dental appointment for Monday arvo.

Downhill - keeping control

Thursday 2nd July
Another productive day at the office. Stuart and I attended to some paperwork before lunch, a few time consuming forms for centerlink......still have a bit more to do. We then got up and headed straight outside to work further on Stuart's gutter hopping technique with me as the following support person. something i found father stressful the first few goes, frightened I might let him fall. Alanna was the camera man for this exercise.





We then went outside front entrance and did some downhill training. This is a real balancing act as he has to come down on his back wheels leaning back to slow himself/ break sort of. Will let him explain!!!! Alanna gave us a demonstration on downhill on the demo chair, she was having fun.



The Dentist was our next appointment, but alas Evan Godfrey (oral surgeon ) was unable to help us at RNS. Stuart will probably need a crown or maybe a plate depending on what damage he has done to the root and nerve. We will start this process by making an appointment with a dentist in a private practice.
We then shot upstairs to catch Damien in physio to see if he could adjust Stuart's chair, change the angle of the back support so that he can lean forward more to push and get better balance in his chair. He actually got a whole new back piece......feels and looks heaps better and they have rang Moorong to get another chair for Stuart. One a bit like Alanna was using to show Stuart the downhill techniques.



We then had time for a quick coffee before I caught the bus to Warringa Mall to meet Meaghan and do some shopping for Stuart. Meaghan and I then went back to RNS with our dinner (a great curry) and his new gear, which he gave the thumbs up!!!
Just like to say thanks to all for your support and best wishes,the visitors to 7D, the many phone calls and text, food parcels to Kauri Pl, we the Humans really appreciate everything and everyone. Thanks so much from all of us.

Wheelchair trackstands..." Mono Man"

Wednesday 1st July.



Wednesday 1st July.
Early visitors today, with a work college of Iain's from Orange calling in. Followed by the joint specialist (rheumatologist) who was happy with Stuart's knee. The swelling has decreased, he is to continue on the anti-inflammatories and do not over exercise for a few days. He was talking a cortisone injection in the future if it does not settle, but we are not so keen on that idea. Will wait and see!!!!
He then went down for a knee Xray which took 20 minutes but it nearly 2 hours before he got back to the ward. He was back in time to say good-bye to Nandi and Iain before they left to fly back to Wagga Wagga. Then have his lunch and a 30min rest before getting up at 2.45 for OT with Alanna where Stuart continued to develop his wheelchair skills. He is now known as "mono man". We then went outside and did some independent curb hoping(both up and down). Hard work but boy was Stuart having fun. He can now do a trackstand in the wheelchair.
After OT we rolled downstairs for a coffee and then called in to see Melissa, who had come back to 7D after surgery last week. It was great to see her and she was pleased to see Stuart up and progressing so well. Really looking forward to getting up in the future herself, she has been on bed rest for nearly 2 months.

Here is a video of Stuart in action