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Home Sweet Home -- Just Passing Through
Friday, 27 September 2013 14:53Home. At least for two hours.
The insurance company has been nagging, so we scheduled a home site visit for today. It was a day of successes and learning. Frankly I think it's at least a week too early to schedule a legitimate home assessment, but they didn't care for my opinion.
First, I got into the passenger seat of the Bravada without needing the foot assist tool. Awkward but go me. Then I got to drive out to Allendale and see all the summer building construction I missed. Finally I got home and wiggled out of the Bravada, even with not being able to open the door all the way.
Then it was time for the three stairs from garage to house. Without a regular railing. First step, no problem. Second step, aw dammit I didn't get my right foot up all the way and half stumbled. The OT supervisor caught me, but tried boosting me up while I was still working about stabilizing. It worked, but I was Not Happy. Stared at third stair for a long time -- got it. Meanwhile had Mrs. Dr. Phil bring a chair near the door so I could sit and rest. Huge energy expenditure.
The stairs are an 8" rise and the ones in the gym here are 7" rise -- the ideal 7-11 stairs with 7" rise and 11" tread. Nope, most of the world don't got those. Th-bbbt!
Next stop living room and my comfy chair. Nice to be able to sit at home.
Bedroom, with the new oak platform for our futon which Mrs. Dr. Phil built this weekend. Sat on a good solid chair, then on the bed. Showed I could lay down and get up. The platform is 18" -- 22" with the uncompressed futon and bedding. No problem getting up from there.
It's quiet in the house. Carpeting, 250' from the road, no traffic in the hallways. (grin)
The Big test was going to be that 15.25" high toilet seat. I did walk into the bathroom -- all this walking with a smaller four-footed cane they issued me yesterday. But given that I only just Wednesday achieved a sit-to-stand from 17" and the energy already expended, I wisely decided not to try it.
Back to the living room and while the OT supervisor went outside to make some phone calls, we had lunch. The other night the GVSU International Faculty held a dinner at the West Side Cafe -- a Polish place in Grand Rapids. And they had leftovers. Potato and cheese pirogis, kielbasa, cabbage rolls. And three kinds of dessert pirogis -- farmer's cheese, strawberry, blueberry.
Oh. Yum.
Yum, yum, yum.
Then it was time to tackle the stairs going down -- much easier. Get into the Bravada, and given that the door couldn't open all the way, getting a small boost of an inch or two with the nerve damaged left foot, isn't a crime. Drive back. Easy transfer from Bravada to cane to walker to wheelchair. And back to my current address.
The insurance company would like me discharged next Wednesday, but in my professional Physics opinion they're fucking nuts.
Managed to cadge a picture of CNA aide Ashley on her last day with the Kindle Fire HD's camera and...
Life goes on.
We'll break out of here in a couple of weeks. For real.
Dr. Phil
The insurance company has been nagging, so we scheduled a home site visit for today. It was a day of successes and learning. Frankly I think it's at least a week too early to schedule a legitimate home assessment, but they didn't care for my opinion.
First, I got into the passenger seat of the Bravada without needing the foot assist tool. Awkward but go me. Then I got to drive out to Allendale and see all the summer building construction I missed. Finally I got home and wiggled out of the Bravada, even with not being able to open the door all the way.
Then it was time for the three stairs from garage to house. Without a regular railing. First step, no problem. Second step, aw dammit I didn't get my right foot up all the way and half stumbled. The OT supervisor caught me, but tried boosting me up while I was still working about stabilizing. It worked, but I was Not Happy. Stared at third stair for a long time -- got it. Meanwhile had Mrs. Dr. Phil bring a chair near the door so I could sit and rest. Huge energy expenditure.
The stairs are an 8" rise and the ones in the gym here are 7" rise -- the ideal 7-11 stairs with 7" rise and 11" tread. Nope, most of the world don't got those. Th-bbbt!
Next stop living room and my comfy chair. Nice to be able to sit at home.
Bedroom, with the new oak platform for our futon which Mrs. Dr. Phil built this weekend. Sat on a good solid chair, then on the bed. Showed I could lay down and get up. The platform is 18" -- 22" with the uncompressed futon and bedding. No problem getting up from there.
It's quiet in the house. Carpeting, 250' from the road, no traffic in the hallways. (grin)
The Big test was going to be that 15.25" high toilet seat. I did walk into the bathroom -- all this walking with a smaller four-footed cane they issued me yesterday. But given that I only just Wednesday achieved a sit-to-stand from 17" and the energy already expended, I wisely decided not to try it.
Back to the living room and while the OT supervisor went outside to make some phone calls, we had lunch. The other night the GVSU International Faculty held a dinner at the West Side Cafe -- a Polish place in Grand Rapids. And they had leftovers. Potato and cheese pirogis, kielbasa, cabbage rolls. And three kinds of dessert pirogis -- farmer's cheese, strawberry, blueberry.
Oh. Yum.
Yum, yum, yum.
Then it was time to tackle the stairs going down -- much easier. Get into the Bravada, and given that the door couldn't open all the way, getting a small boost of an inch or two with the nerve damaged left foot, isn't a crime. Drive back. Easy transfer from Bravada to cane to walker to wheelchair. And back to my current address.
The insurance company would like me discharged next Wednesday, but in my professional Physics opinion they're fucking nuts.
Managed to cadge a picture of CNA aide Ashley on her last day with the Kindle Fire HD's camera and...
Life goes on.
We'll break out of here in a couple of weeks. For real.
Dr. Phil
