Counting Down - One More Week!

Pattie had another patient conference today. Dr. Bruce, Dr. Warren, even Dr Hostin was there. Along with the nursing and therapy coordinators. And Ted was there by conference call.

As they always do in these weekly meetings they chart how well the patient has progressed. And in fact, Pattie has made a lot of progress, Just yesterday she managed to get up from the wheel-chair without assistance for the first time. They noted that Pattie still requires limited assistance with transferring from the wheel-chair to the bed or to the potty, but the pain levels are decreasing as the mobility activities are increasing.

But the main agenda up for discussion was going home.

Yesss!!!

One more week - July 28. The medical staff made it clear that there was still a lot of therapy to be done between now and then, and then even more after she is at home, but this will be done on an out-patient basis. And so the therapy coordinator will contact Warm Springs here in San Antonio to begin that process.

One more week - July 28. Pattie and Ted have been discussing the trip home. Flying would be the best option. Or would it? That would mean that Adam and Ted would have to be in Dallas to take us to the airport. Adam would drive home with the walker, the potty chair, the shower accessories, and all the other assistance items Pattie will need as she goes home while Ted and Pattie would fly. But then we factored in the time spent in the airport, the flight time, the arrival and who would pick us up with Pattie's wheel-chair?

On a good day, flying is a huge hassle. And considering our situation... driving looks like a good choice. Or is it?

Ted knows.

Ted tries not to think of the number of trips he's made the last couple of months between San Antonio and Dallas. He tries not to think of the number of times he made the 267 mile drive each way on IH 35 - One of the busiest interstates in the world.

And if.... If you drive it non-stop, you can make it in four hours. But with Pattie needing to stop and take a break each hour, then the trip will take 6 hours? Maybe more??

And which car do we take? Mother's Chevy Caprice is a good call. But that transmission is iffy. Better not.

Pattie's Xterra? Good luck in attempting to climb into that!

My truck? It'll hold the wheel-chair and all the other assist items, plus it's not quite as tall as the Xterra. We'll go with that. If nothing else, Ted will find a ramp and wheel Pattie into the bed and she will ride home Granny Clampett style. (Or maybe not.)

Did we mention how well Ted knows the road between Dallas and San Antonio?

As Pattie will need frequent rest breaks, we might stop at some or all of these following break locations:

40 Miles
Exit 394
Rest Stop

64 Miles
Exit 368B
Exxon

80 Miles
West, TX
Czech Stop
(Best kolaches in Texas. Yum!)

86 Miles
Ross Road
Exxon

95 Miles
Exit 339
Cracker Barrel

111 Miles
Exit 323
Conoco - Brookshires

127 Miles
Exit 306
Loves Travel Stop

152 Miles
Exit 282
Rest Area with his/hers/family restroom with handicap accessibility

208 Miles
Exit 227
Slaughter Lane with Walmart, Jack in the Box , Whataburger

220 Miles
Exit 215
Kyle, Texas with an HEB

242 Miles
Exit 193
Travel/America Center

267 Miles
Exit 168
Home!

Not quite sure at this point just how we will get home, but we will. And we know that when home.... there is still much more work to be done. But we must be careful. Dr. Hostin told us today that some patients relapse after getting home. They try and do too much - too soon. Just because you might be out of the hospital, doesn't mean you're out of the woods.

Details. So many details.....