Bill, August 15; therapies and visiting and Tri-Met

During physical therapy today, Ryan/Derek attached neurostimulators to Bill's torso. If you have ever had PT for knees, you may have had the same treatment. Adhesive pads were attached front and back (six or eight total). An electric stimulus is administered, dialing up from 0 until Bill indicates he can feel a tingle. Then the dial is increased until he says that's enough for now, and the setting is held for 10 or 15 minutes.

The action triggers the muscles into responding, and the therapists can feel the tic or contraction of the muscle(s). After the torso, they did the same therapy on his left arm.

The speech therapist will, hopefully, use the stimulator on the neck tomorrow to help activate the vocal cords (he's still basically a whisperer).

VISITS

Someone asked yesterday about visits, and I had meant to include info on the post!

Visits right now are tricky just because his schedule hasn't settled down. Two days ago we thought everyone agreed he would have therapies in the morning, leaving the afternoon for rest, chair time, and possibly visits. Yesterday that didn't happen at all, and activity was spread all over the clock. Ayn said some friends want to bring things by -- all appreciated, truly, but we think we just need to hold off a bit longer.  Last night I wasn't able to take her to get food until 8:00.  Today she was working her way through paying mid-month bills, a task Bill normally handles, so she was just a little stressed in trying to make sure she didn't miss anything.

I'm hoping, with Bill's and Ayn's permission, to get a short video of his whispers. And those of you who are used to his long hair and beard can see the short version!

TRI-MET

Bill has an appointment next week, and the facility makes the transportation arrangements. The gal asked me what we preferred to use, although we had been told on admission that they always use Metro West. She said she didn't know if we were set up for Tri-Met or other options. Really, we could use Tri-Met's Lift program?

Egad, today she gave me Tri-Met's application forms. five pages to send in, and about seven pages describing the program and eligibility. But in my ever-so-synthesized way:
*Fill out the forms (and I faxed them back)
*Five days later they will schedule an evaluation (you don't want to know, but it is interesting shall we say)
*Twenty-days is their timeframe to make a decision.

Hmm, his daughter could be able to drive him by the time this would be set up. Or maybe his niece, who just turned two years old, if we have to go through an appeals process...