Education

Part of our journey at Spaulding includes education, not just learning, but actually "passing" some areas:  understanding spinal cord injury (skin checks, health), positioning (Greg has to be turned every 2 hours to relieve pressure),  transferring in and out of bed, wheelchair mobility, grooming/bathing, equipment, home accessibility. Today, I passed some of transferring-I am now able to transfer Greg from the wheel chair to the bed and position him on his side. We use a power Hoyer lift that is guided on rails in the ceiling. Greg travels in a sling.

This was very important because quite often Greg gets tired at the end of the day and wants to get back to bed. There have been times when the staff is so busy with other patients that we have had to wait. Waiting has caused him to get very cold, suffer from pain in his neck and me watching the suffering. Now, I can just get him back myself. This independence was such a gift. I really hadn't realized until today that Greg has given almost 100% of his independence and me about 90% to pretty much total strangers. For 2 independent people and one type A (which one of us is that?) this isn't always easy-OK it is pretty hard.

Tomorrow is a an important day for Greg-he graduates Clinton Community College with and Associate in Applied Science in Individual Studies. Greg's major areas were Business, computers and industrial technology. I am so proud of him and he graduates with honors. I have found it very hard to celebrate anything since Greg's accident. My wonderful daughter has taken care of birthday and holiday presents. I know my sister-in-law Betsy and her daughter Charlotte are also helping with Christmas presents. Yesterday, there were Christmas carolers singing in the lobby and I couldn't get out of here fast enough.

It is not that it is making me sad, I just walk around in my little bubble and I don't want to the world to enter or I don't want to enter the world. But sometimes when I force myself it is such a good thing. I went to a meeting today with another caregiver and a patient. There are meetings right on the floor once a month by a local chapter of the National Spinal Cord Injury Association. It was good to be with people who understand what I am going through and for me to listen to there experiences and learn from them. It is one of the reasons why I felt coming to Spaulding would be beneficial. Another, of course, is the kind of therapy Greg would have. That is proving to be true-what someone might consider such small steps, are huge for Greg and we celebrate each and every one.