**Make sure to read Part I before reading this post. It'll make everything make so much more sense.**
I came to work excited to see what Kate could accomplish today, and left work with her exceeding all my expectations. She was all ready for me when I poked my head in her room at 11am, despite laying supine in bed, staring at the ceiling. I gave her my game plan. We were going to bust out a tricep workout with her sitting on the edge of the bed, she was going to comb her hair since she looked like she just got electricuted, then we were going to have her attempt standing with the wheelchair backed up in front of her so she could hold onto the handles as if it were her walker. Kate fears using her walker to stand because she feels like it will slide out from under her. So we were going to adapt with what we had and ease her into it. Baby steps.
Without me saying a word, she lowered the head of her bed, scooted up to the top of it while laying supine (something she needed max assist x2 with when I first met her), log-rolled with use of the hand rail, and pushed herself up into a sitting position at the edge of the bed as she swung her legs over. I knew it was going to be a great session already. I asked how she felt today and she said, "I am excited to see what new things I can do". So I handed her her theraband and she started on her tricep exercises. She asked me how many she had to do. I told her since she looked pumped today I wanted her to do as many reps as she could till she felt a burn. Then we'd stop, take a breather, and do the same amount of reps two more times. She was up for it and she did them like a pro. We did a few more exercises with dumb bells (1 lb heavier than last week) since she was pretty much being a rockstar. After that, she combed her hair and I pulled it up into a pony tail for her.
Then it was time to stand. I backed the wheelchair in front of her so she could hold onto the handles. With the brakes locked, I leaned into the front of her chair with one knee on the seat and my hands planted on her arm rests to make sure it was stabilized. I must admit, I was a little scared considering it was just us two in the room and she told me her emergency call-button was apparently not working. But I knew she could do it. I wouldn't have asked her to if I didn't feel she could. I told her to take her time -she took a couple deep breaths with her eyes closed, and up she went. Once she was up, she looked at me and smiled. She sat back down and said, "I want to try it with the walker". Sweet. It took her a few seconds to get her mind in gear, but I knew that once she did it a few times, she'd be one step away from conquering her fear of falling when using the darn thing. She did it and I was so proud of her.
On top of all this, she said she wanted to stay standing for four whole minutes. She made it to three and a half when she told me she had to pee. Now typically, she'd be in bed, flat on her back. And all I'd have her do is roll to the side so I could stick her bed pan under her. But she was already standing so I asked if she felt like she could walk to her commode, which sat right outside her bathroom door (about 20 small steps). She said, "Might as well". I followed right behind her with her wheelchair and told her that if she felt like her knees were going to give way, to fall BACK. Not forward. Or better yet, just don't fall at all.
She got to the commode, pivoted, sat on it, realized she wasn't entirely on it, did a partial-stand, and re-adjusted. I may or may not have done a little victory dance. She looked up at me and said, "I did it!". Yes, she did. If she didn't have C. diff, I would've hugged her. On top of all that, she was able to get off the commode, and walk back and get herself into bed at the end of our session. That called for a high five. I told her how proud I was of her as I was leaving work today since her room is one of the last ones on the way out. She was sitting up in her wheelchair, watching television. I told her, "No more bed baths, my friend. Tomorrow you're getting in the shower." She was stoked.
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