Day 33 — The day started out like gangbusters (for a hospital day).  The Occupational Therapist came in before Nyel had even begun his breakfast.  “What do you want to do today?” she asked.   “”I like to try standing up,” he said.

Not a new goal, to be sure, but given his weakened condition and loss of muscle mass — to say nothing of being able to reach the ground with only one leg — a most worthy desire.  His body seemed to say, “Your wish is my command!” and, with a great deal of physical effort and will power, he did it.  He stood up!  For more than a minute!!  He even was able to bend his right knee enough so that he could put his left foot flat on the floor for a few seconds.  OMG!  When I said to him, “You’ll be able to walk with the walker before you know it!” he responded:  “What do you mean?  I’ll be walking with a cane before you know it!”   (I tried not to let him see my tears… but then: “Cut it out or you’ll make me cry, too.)

The Shoe Fitting

Not very long later, here came the orthotics team to measure him for a built up shoe.  We showed them Nyel’s new pair from Freddie’s as well as his old (preferred) loafers and since they said the loafers would work just as well… guess who gets to return a pair of shoes on her next trip to the beach?  But Nyel is very pleased and, truthfully, so am I.  New Balance shoes just aren’t Nyel…

It looks like they will be adding about three inches to that left shoe — not quite enough to compensate for the loss of length as they want to leave enough room so he can swing the foot forward with each step and not have it catch on the ground and trip him up.  They expect to have the shoe ready this afternoon so that he can try it on and they can make further adjustments, if necessary, before he is discharged.

Nyel’s “new” shoes arrived at 4:30 — just five hours after his fitting!

Those discharge plans are still in a bit of flux.  It’s looking more like Saturday rather than Friday right now IF Seaside’s swing bed facility takes people in on the weekend.  (If not, it could be Monday.)  The only thing we know definitely is that he will not be going to the Ocean Beach swing bed facility.  Although they were approached again, Nyel is still “too complicated” for our little hospital in Ilwaco.  Dang!  We were told last week that Seaside has accepted him facility-wise; they are just waiting to see if his discharge coordinates with a free bed in a private room (which apparently is a requirement set by the team here.)

A Gift From Elizabeth

And, as if all that were not enough excitement for one day, here came one of the aides with a package addressed to Nyel, c/o St. Vincent’s Hospital via USPS Media Mail from The Poisoned Pen Bookstore in Scottsdale, Arizona.  “Who do we know in Scottsdale?” we both asked in unison.  The package contained C.J. Box’s latest book, “The Wolf Pack” and the only clue to the sender’s identity is a bookmark with a two bright red words in felt tipped marker:  “From Elizabeth.”    That narrows it down some…

Oh.  And one other thing.  As of today, Nyel is now back on all the oral meds he was on BTF (Before The Fall.)   Yay!!!  Home gets closer and closer.