Monday, March 19

Long day, but it was a good day. This morning’s weather kept us from getting to Henry Ford on time, but things still went smoothly.

Kerrie’s blood counts, and other “numbers” all look good and the BMT team is very pleased with how she is coming along in this area. We get to discontinue her daily IV of potassium, so that’s one less thing we have to do at night ( and I just learned how to give it yesterday.. oh well). The BMT Team still wants to keep a close eye on her, so she’ll be going to Henry Ford every Monday and Thursday for a while. Not sure how long, but that’s the plan for now.

Getting her into the car to go the the hospital wasn’t too bad.. getting her into the car to go home was an entirely different story. She was pretty tired, after being out of bed for 6 hours and didn’t have the strength to try to stand. I tried to assist her, but she just slumped over when she tried to stand up and I was holding on to her lifting belt, just trying to keep her from falling on the ground. We managed to get her back onto the seat of the wheelchair, but just barely. Mom and I both tried to move her back in the seat, but it was no use.. finally had to have two BIG guys on the Henry Ford Security Staff help us lift her back into the chair, help her to stand and then help her to get in the car. Poor Ker-bear. She was scared and I just kept holding onto that lift belt and promising her I wouldn’t let her fall. We’re going to have to see about getting a Wheelchair Transport Van to chauffer us back and forth to Henry Ford. It’s just too early to have Kerrie trying to get in and out of the car… and there is no way Mom is going to be able to do this without me here to help.

We met with the in-home Physical Therapist today as well. She knew Kerrie was worn out from her day, but Kerrie still did a pretty good job of showing her what she was capable of.

As of right now Mom and Kerrie’s schedule looks like this:

Monday – Henry Ford

Tuesday – Visit from In-home Health Care Nurse

Tuesday – Speech Therapy

Thursday – Henry Ford

Saturday – Speech Therapy

The Home Health Care Nurse is also planning on Thursday’s, but Kerrie will be at Henry Ford.. so she’s going to have to pick another day. The Physical Therapist and Occupational Therapist still need to schedule their two days a week, but it looks like Wednesday and Friday are the only totally open days right now. PLUS.. PT & OT have to be scheduled around when she would need meds, IV’s, Feeding Tube, etc.

Mom’s beginning to wonder where there will be time to do anything like relax.. and after being here for the last four days.. I am too!

Well, neither one of them will be bored at least!

I’m on my way back to Ohio and will be coming back in on Friday night. This is probably going to be a stressful week for both Mom and Kerrie, but once they get things organized and a routine schedule going it should get easier.

Kerrie is looking foward to visitors and hopes you will come to see her soon. You may want to call ahead to make sure she isn’t at Henry Ford, in one of her Therapy sessions or completely comatose in bed. Hard part is that by 6:00pm she’s usually knocked out cold. Just depends on how much activity she’s had.

As with the hospital… visitors have to wash their hands the minute they walk in the house, no flowers, no plants, no fresh fruits or veggies, no one whose been sick within the last week, had vaccinations within the last 3 weeks or been around kids ( for extended periods) who have had vacinnations within the last week. We were told we can lighten up on having her wear a face mask when she goes outside, as long as it’s not windy and not a lot of dust, etc. being blown around.. but other than that, all other transplant precautions still stand.

Going to go give my sister a goodbye kiss and hit the road..

Jenn