Isabel has a new motto. A short quote in "Chicken Soup for the Golden Soul" is inspiring Mum as the days shorten and winter sets in.
LIFE IS LIKE A BICYCLE. YOU DON’T FALL OFF UNTIL YOU STOP PEDALLING.
In addition to her Physio-and Occupational Therapists and their assistants, Isabel has a new Exercise Therapist who sees her for leg strengthening and hip flexion exercises and general conditioning. This work is done through bicycling ~ or we might say "horscycling".
So how does a horscycle work?
Isabel's power wheelchair is named Rufus 11 after a horse that she had in the 1940s. Isabel "rides" or drives Rufus 11 down the Wascana halls to the Physiotherapy Department and backs him up against a wall. He is a well-trained horse who neck-reins well! Then the Exercise Therapist pushes the front wheel of a bicycle in front of Isabel. Mum stretches out to reach the pedals and away she goes. Last week she pedalled 2.4 kms with relative ease while sitting her in her power-chair.
Mum wrote in her Christmas Letter this year: "LIFE IS LIKE A BICYCLE. YOU DON’T FALL OFF UNTIL YOU STOP PEDALLING. I am still pedalling!!!!!"
Lance Armstrong, look out!
Monday, November 30, 2009
Sunday, November 29, 2009
May the Door Continue to Swing Open Wide!
Buried among Isabel's accomplishments of 2009 (listed on the last blog entry) is a line that says:
"spending time off the ventilator".
We've been keeping a secret for a few weeks, but Mum is telling her friends, so we are joining in her enthusiasm.
Isabel is weaning herself off the ventilator that helps her breathe. She has a goal of being able to be "vent-free" for approximately 4 hours a day.
In the course of three short weeks, with minimal coaching from her Respiratory Therapist, Mum is now comfortably off the ventilator for three hours a day. She visits using her letterboard, and one day this week, participated in an "easy" exercise program in her wheelchair while off the ventilator.
On Friday, two of us walked into her room and as we came up behind her, all we could hear was the quiet clicking of her word processor as she composed another letter. There was no sound of the ventilator sending 8 puffs of air a minute to Mum's lungs. The blinking lights of the computerized ventilator were all off and there were no hoses anywhere.
We are so grateful to Unit 2-6's Respiratory Therapist, and Mum's Respirologist, and Physio- and Occupational Therapists who see her potential.
Someone once asked me what I pray for in Isabel's life. I thought for a moment and replied: "That the door of her room stays open to possibility."
Yet another possibility has come her way. Although it is very rare that any vent weaning takes place in long-term care in Saskatchewan, the Respiratory Therapist has back-up support in a short-term position and her new colleague is Isabel's new weaning coach. Extra staff plus Isabel's good health and determination were the 3 requirements to begin this process. Thus this weaning trial has begun.
We need to emphasize that the goal is that Mum will be off the vent for approximately four hours a day. There are no plans to go longer than that, however, one sixth of a day is huge accomplishment!
May the door continue to swing open wide!
"spending time off the ventilator".
We've been keeping a secret for a few weeks, but Mum is telling her friends, so we are joining in her enthusiasm.
Isabel is weaning herself off the ventilator that helps her breathe. She has a goal of being able to be "vent-free" for approximately 4 hours a day.
In the course of three short weeks, with minimal coaching from her Respiratory Therapist, Mum is now comfortably off the ventilator for three hours a day. She visits using her letterboard, and one day this week, participated in an "easy" exercise program in her wheelchair while off the ventilator.
On Friday, two of us walked into her room and as we came up behind her, all we could hear was the quiet clicking of her word processor as she composed another letter. There was no sound of the ventilator sending 8 puffs of air a minute to Mum's lungs. The blinking lights of the computerized ventilator were all off and there were no hoses anywhere.
We are so grateful to Unit 2-6's Respiratory Therapist, and Mum's Respirologist, and Physio- and Occupational Therapists who see her potential.
Someone once asked me what I pray for in Isabel's life. I thought for a moment and replied: "That the door of her room stays open to possibility."
Yet another possibility has come her way. Although it is very rare that any vent weaning takes place in long-term care in Saskatchewan, the Respiratory Therapist has back-up support in a short-term position and her new colleague is Isabel's new weaning coach. Extra staff plus Isabel's good health and determination were the 3 requirements to begin this process. Thus this weaning trial has begun.
We need to emphasize that the goal is that Mum will be off the vent for approximately four hours a day. There are no plans to go longer than that, however, one sixth of a day is huge accomplishment!
May the door continue to swing open wide!
Saturday, November 28, 2009
A Toast to Isabel
On Friday evening, Isabel's "girls" and their families gathered to celebrate with her and to launch the Advent & Christmas seasons, and Mum's birthday season! We toasted her with "Barnsley champagne" (Canada Dry ginger ale) as each one of the 10 of us named an accomplishment of Mum/Grannie B of the last year. These included:
* transferring from bed to chair by standing with a little help from a nurse or two
* being able to talk out loud again; and then even more so, with a speaking valve
* successful surgery for contractured feet
* spending time off the ventilator
* learning to walk again
* learning to drive a power chair around Wascana Rehab and Wascana Park (all the way to the Legislature). Yea! Rufus 11!
* typing letters including her Christmas letter
* pedalling a bike
* dishing out advice to her daughters and grandkids and still "calling the shots" at a faster pace than last year!
Cheers to you, Mum! We are so proud of your dogged determination!
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Memories by Miss Robertson's Students
This summer, Isabel wrote another retired teacher friend about her experience of "Normal School", the training ground for teachers on the prairies for many years. Mum recounted memories of her Normal School instructors (school superintendents). The Math Superintendent said he would teach the young women to do farmers’ income tax because most would marry farmers! The English instructors spent most of the time on plurals of words. One that Isabel remembers was gladioli!
They weren’t much help when these young teachers found themselves in country schools. Grades 1 to 8 or 10. Mum says that she learned more in two days at her home school at Bradwell when the teacher there invited her to listen in for those 2 days before she began teaching at a country school.
Mum went on to teach for a number of years. This fall we invited the students with who she is still in touch to write their memories of those school days. The stories rolled in by email and Canada Post and now make up a three-ring binder. One former pupil sent copies of his report cards from 60 years ago with Isabel's signature.
Just last week, another of Mum's former Abernethy students digitized 50 years of photos of former students, the old school, Mum's colleagues and large class photos into a coil bound book for easy reading. Thanks, Lynn! If you have anything to do with Abernethy, and show up in Isabel's room in the next while you are in for a five decade treat!
They weren’t much help when these young teachers found themselves in country schools. Grades 1 to 8 or 10. Mum says that she learned more in two days at her home school at Bradwell when the teacher there invited her to listen in for those 2 days before she began teaching at a country school.
Mum went on to teach for a number of years. This fall we invited the students with who she is still in touch to write their memories of those school days. The stories rolled in by email and Canada Post and now make up a three-ring binder. One former pupil sent copies of his report cards from 60 years ago with Isabel's signature.
Just last week, another of Mum's former Abernethy students digitized 50 years of photos of former students, the old school, Mum's colleagues and large class photos into a coil bound book for easy reading. Thanks, Lynn! If you have anything to do with Abernethy, and show up in Isabel's room in the next while you are in for a five decade treat!
Saturday, November 14, 2009
"From Spring Chicken to Tough Old Bird"
Isabel digs out her AlphaSmart Laptop Word Processor several times a week to record more stories of times past and present.
Mum is not much of a sleeper and while her CD player runs continuously all night, her mind cycles through the years as she remembers family events, students, friends, and travel.
In the morning, a nurse pulls out her word processor once again, and the stories get recorded.
The inspiration for the Subject line of this posting comes from a cartoon that Mum requested be placed on her bulletin board this fall. "Maxine" looks up from her computer and announces "I am writing my memoirs! From Spring Chicken to Tough Old Bird!"
The pronouncement fits for someone else we know!
Mum is not much of a sleeper and while her CD player runs continuously all night, her mind cycles through the years as she remembers family events, students, friends, and travel.
In the morning, a nurse pulls out her word processor once again, and the stories get recorded.
The inspiration for the Subject line of this posting comes from a cartoon that Mum requested be placed on her bulletin board this fall. "Maxine" looks up from her computer and announces "I am writing my memoirs! From Spring Chicken to Tough Old Bird!"
The pronouncement fits for someone else we know!
Friday, November 6, 2009
Side by Side
Isabel has a wall plaque in her room from her friend Annabell in The Orkneys which reads:
Side by Side
or miles apart,
Friends are forever,
Close to the heart.
We had another rendition of Side by Side this week. Each Wednesday evening, the Wascana 7 o'clock coffee gang wheels down to the Concourse to enjoy informal singing with two local fellows (and whomever else they can round up).
The story goes that a new fellow moved to town; noticed the lovely Baby Grand in the Concourse while walking in Wascana Park one day; and has come to tickle the ivories every Wednesday evening since that first walk. A banjo player accompanies him. The pianist has printed songbooks and the 7 o'clock coffee gang show up every week to sing and tap their feet.
Isabel joined Unit 2-6 friends for the merriment and an especially lively rendition of "Side by Side".
Oh, we ain't got a barrel of money,
Maybe we're ragged and funny;
But we'll travel along, singin' a song,
Side by side.
Don't know what's comin' tomorrow,
Maybe it's trouble and sorrow;
But we'll travel the road, sharin' our load,
Side by Side.
Through all kinds of weather,
What if the sky should fall;
Just as long as we're together,
It doesn't matter,
Doesn't matter at all.
When they've all had their quarrels and parted,
We'll be the same as we started;
Just travelin' along, singin' a song,
Side by Side.
The Wascana 7 o'clock coffee gang goes on ~ travelin' along sharin' their load side by side ~ every evening. Thank goodness for community of all sorts!
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