Nate Finally Home

As soon as Nate was moved to the rehab facility (he hates it when I call it the "nursing home" so I started calling it the rehab facility - it made him feel like he wasn't 100.) Thursday May 28 was when he moved into the rehab. The minute he got in, he wanted to get out. The Physical Therapist came and worked with him every day. Saturday and Sunday I got to bring him home just during the day because I was going to be here to help him. But he had to sleep at the rehab at night so our insurance would keep paying for it. The first couple days I went in and helped him shower so the CNA's didn't have to. But the following days when I was at work he had to be showered by young girls. Talk about awkward. But starting Tuesday he went in and showered himself. The Physical Therapist gave him a sponge on a long stick (kind of like a back scrubber) and one of those grabber things. Even though it took him a long time, he did it himself and got himself dressed. When he walked out of the shower room the aids were like "did you just shower yourself?" and he very proudly said "yes, and I'm ready to go home now". That sounds so much like Nate.

So after talking with the Physical Therapist and getting "permission" from the doctor Nate was ready to come home on Wednesday. I went in and we signed all the discharge papers we loaded him into the car and were off. We had to go by the pharmacy to pick up his pills and that was a treat. First I get there and the stupid doctor (who will remain anonymous and by the way was not our usual physician because you're assigned a new doctor when you're a patient in the nursing home... he oversee's all of the patients there) hadn't called in the prescriptions. So they call his office and luckily he was still in. (I was not about to take nate home without pain pills). So they told the pharmacist the prescriptions over the phone.... but lo and behold you can't call or fax in a prescription for Oxycodone because it's a narcotic. You have to have an original signature. STUPID! So then I had to run to the doctors office, get a prescription with an original signature and then go back. But when I was leaving the office, i got looking at the prescription and noticed it was wrong. Nate had been taking 2-3 pills (10-15mg) every 3 hours when he was in the hospital and in the rehab. This prescription was for 1 pill (5 mg) every 4 hours. Um... what? This doctor hadn't even assessed Nate's pain to see if he was okay to have his meds reduced! So I go back into the office and talk to the lady at the front. She went and talked to the doc and came back in. She goes "he feels like Nathan's pain is controlled enough to reduce his pain meds." and i go "what? he hasnt even seen Nate so how can he say his pain is being properly controlled?" and she goes "well, the doctor believe that it's time to start reducing his pain med intake before we have problems." and i go "well, without a consultation I don't feel it's appropriate to reduce the pain meds and with a fracture like he's got he is in A LOT of pain! Every movement hurts, and..." she cuts me off and goes "well, what did he do?" SHE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT WAS WRONG WITH HIM! I about flipped my lid and then I said, "he has a freaking fractured pelvis. That's whats wrong with him." she goes "oh... I didn't know that." Anyway, after I about jumped over the counter and clobbered this woman she finally got the doc to change the prescription... but when it came back the only thing that was different was it now said "1 pill (5 mg) ever 3-4 hrs"- WOW, big change. Every 3-4 hrs instead of every 4. So i clarified that now that we were out of the rehab, we were back in the care of our regular physician and I would never have to talk to this doctor again, and she confirmed that was the case. THANK HEAVEN!

So I get back to the pharmacy and get the pills. He was on the oxy's for pain, a muscle relaxer and a stool softener. But then the pharmacist gives me the shots he'd been given in the hospital that thin out the blood to help reduce blood clots. Nate had bruises all over his stomach from these shots. They're really good when you're immobile, but when your blood is circulating and you're moving around they're not really necessary. And after my insurance covered the cost I still was going to have to pay $80 but 8 shots! (Without my insurance they would have been $280 for 8 freaking shots!!!). I asked the pharmacist if I had to buy them and he said I was allowed to refuse any medications.... so i didn't buy them. I just got the other 3 and left. So instead of spending over $100 on meds, I spent $30. I felt good about that. (don't worry... I called his regular doc the next day to be sure it was ok that he wasn't getting the shot anymore... he said it was fine).

After a long process of forms, pharmacys and stupid doctors, 3 hrs later I finally got Nate home. So on June 3 Nate finally came home for good. He has been working himself each day and is improving really well. He can't get around the house without any assistance from me. so that's great. At this point, all i have to do is help him out of bed. He can do it himself, but it takes about 5 minutes, so I help to make in an easier process.

I'm glad that my work has been so flexible. They have let me come and go as I've needed to to be able to care for Nate and help him with things. It's been really nice to have such flexibility. It's going to be a long process of healing, but it's happening rather quickly if you ask me.

Last Monday Nate finally got his temporary cast removed and a new one put on. He picked camo for his color. Typical boy. We then scheduled an appointment for 2 weeks and they will be doing more x-rays on his wrist to see how long he'll have to have the cast (they estimate 6 weeks) and this doc is going to take over the care of his pelvis, so they'll be getting more x-rays at our next appointment for that. He won't be able to go back to work for probably 3-4 more weeks (if we're lucky) so i guess we'll see about that. He is getting really stir crazy but at least he's being productive around the house. I mean, the other day he dusted above all my door frames! He is definitely bored if he's willing to do that. But it's nice to have him home and I'm just thankful he's alive and doing well.