Coming Home

Like any other big life event, this was mentally challenging. Coming home, not a big deal to most. After having constant 24 hour care for the last month, this was so nerve wracking. Would I be able to transition to home life? I was a nervous wreck. I consulted with ChatGPT, and it assured me these feelings were normal to have. I practiced getting in to the car from the wheelchair at the facility. No problem. These things don’t seem like much, but when you have gone from zero use of your legs, it is a huge deal. Discharge date was set for 05/26/2026. My wife worked her tail off getting the house ready for me to come home to. We ended up switching sides of the bed so it was easier for me to go right in straight shot with the walker. No tight turns or narrow paths to navigate. Now we just have to turn the mattress 180 degrees to get the proper feeling of the mattress back on either side.

I have continued my daily routine as I did in therapy. The only thing I don’t do because I don’t have the equipment are the bike exercises and a few other things. You gotta use it or you will lose it. This consists of 1,000 ankle pumps, 250 leg lifts among other things, 5 sit to stand exercises and walking with the walker. Each week I will add more paces to the walk. My legs are still not 100% but I am getting there. My first day at the new facility I could barely walk 3 paces on the parallel bars. My second day I walked twenty. Mind you, I was only at the good rehabilitation facility for 12 days.

I had to put the work in each day because I knew it was going to go by fast. I did not have a day off of therapy the entire time I was there. I needed to make the most of my time with the therapists. Three hours a day, everyday. The time was split between physical therapy and occupational therapy, an hour and a half each. Much better than the maybe, 5-10 minutes a day at the first place. This was no small task. Put the work in, make gains and get home. This was my plan and goal. Goal achieved. I pushed myself daily, more and more each day. My best walk was 70 paces. Again, this may seem like a small jaunt. I had zero use of my legs prior to. I could barely lift my right leg an inch laying down. Now I can lift it 18 inches unassisted. I’d have to use my hand to maneuver and position my right leg. I still have some right side weakness but not like before.

Will my cats welcome me back? Of course they would. I got kisses from my baby boy, Chip. Pancake acknowledged my presence in his own way lol.

Thank you to the staff at the second facility. They pushed me to my limits and I did as well. They believed in me when I doubted myself. I pushed through and accomplished my goals to get me home in a safe manner.

I’m sitting here at home, reflecting over the last week and all I can think of is you did it. Still gotta put in the daily and push.

Thank you for stopping by.
~Bruce