Friday!

03Aug

Busy day at physio today - I was support person for Carman, as usual, and also helped Ibrahim, Shilpa and one other patient whose name I don’t even know yet. They were all unsupported today for various reasons so I gave them a hand with getting weights, wiping down equipment, moving tubing from spigot to spigot and getting water. This made physio lots of fun for me, as usually the support person feels more “in the way” than supportive. We’re often juggling with one another for a spot to stand in and not be in anyone’s way, but today, since there were less support people in the room, I had lots of jobs and lots of space to do it in! I felt honoured to be able to help each one of them...they are all working so hard to get themselves in prime shape for their respective transplant surgeries!

Once everyone was engaged in an activity that would take them 20 minutes or so, I headed downstairs to check on Heather - I was going to get her some yummy soup to replace the ugly food she’s been having as a patient. They had taken her for a plasmapheresis treatment about 20 minutes before I arrived, and that takes a couple of hours so I headed back upstairs to the Treadmill Room.

Most excellent form!

Jess was rocking her program, moving thru each of her exercises without too many coughing breaks today! Carman did well until he hit the stairs...those 2 steps are everyone’s nemesis! It’s the favourite thing to HATE for all of the lung patients because it is the most challenging and breathtaking activity they do. Up 2 steps and back down, 20 times. Carman’s O2 sats dropped to 82 so he’ll be using the Re-breather mask for that activity from now on (he will also continue to use it for the bike and treadmill). On the upside, I was across the room helping Ibrahim move to a new station when Carman did his squats (the second favourite thing to hate in the program). Brad & Jess assured me his form was bang on, and then he demonstrated - they were right! This may not look too difficult but is very challenging, requiring that you maintain your balance, keep your knees behind your toe and get your butt way out behind you - use of major muscle groups so takes lots of oxygen!

Kristy’s Dad, Jim, was her coach today...it was great to meet him and to see Kristy so excited about the weekend (which means her fiance, Derek, will be back in town tonight).  Carman and Jim had a good visit while I helped my other people finish up, then headed back downstairs to check on Heather again. The porter was just wheeling her into her room when I arrived and I could tell she was exhausted as soon as I saw her. I waited until she was moved from the wheelchair to her bed, then popped in to drop off a magazine and tell her I’d be bringing the soup another time, so she could just have a nap.

I collected Carman, we booked dinner with Shilpa for Tuesday after physio, then headed down to the 10th floor to have a quick hello with Jane. She is now 3 weeks post transplant, has been off oxygen for 2 days and is waiting to be moved from the step-down unit to the regular floor (as soon as a bed becomes available). Go Jane! We'll be seeing you in the Treadmill Room in no time!

We had a veg out Friday evening...the heat and humidity are building for the long weekend, so we just watched Olympic replays and did some reading.

The view from the treadmill room...you guessed it, another crane!

and greetings from Teddy, 

Dj's dog, for everyone to have a great long weekend 

(he will, he is in the car and on his way to the Van Winkle's cottage - hooray!)