Brajesh's Updates

- When I leave here later today it will be exactly 7 weeks since I fell off the ladder. It’s been a long pull, helped by lots of support from friends and family and lots of good care from the health professionals  - Excitement and activity increased yesterday as we prepared for my going home.  - Eric, Gail, Xan, and I, joined by one of the physical therapy staff, ran through a session on transferring from a wheelchair to a car and visa versa. I was able to do those transfers  — safely and without pain —without help from others, and without using additional equipment. - Sabita, the wound nurse, gave Eric, Xan, and me a demonstration and lesson in unwrapping, caring for, and wrapping the injured right leg. Eric took notes and videos we can rely on as we do these things for ourselves in the future. - The head of social services went over with me and completed my discharge papers. - We learned that there’s a $200/day co-pay here at Santa Cruz Post Urgent Care after the first ...

  Today was an important day — I had my appointment with Dr. Abidi, the surgeon who did the   repair of my fractured right knee. Xan, Eric, Gail, and I went to the appointment. The leg was unwrapped and inspected, x-rays were taken, and the judgment was clear: healing had gone well and it was time for the fixator, the steel brace keeping my left from bending (and thereby damaging the surgical repair to the knee), to come off. Taking the x-rays involved some pain, moving the leg this way and that so x-rays from different angles could be taken. Removing the brace was yet more painfuful. The brace was secured to my leg by screws embedded in the leg bones. Taking the steel rod off and removing the screws from the leg was painful — and great, because the hardware, the brace, is off and history!  A big step forward on the road to being able to go home. The next big step may happen tomorrow. I have an appointment with Dr. Smith, the urologist who installed the catheter-a...

 It’s official. I’m going to be discharged and going home this Friday midday-ish. That’s just 3 days from now. Just had to share the news with my sweetheart right away. Both of us elated.               Eric’s been “carrying the ball down the field” while I applaud gratefully from the stands. He’s doing all the coordinating/arranging — everything from the delivery of my wheelchair Friday morning to arranging support people to come help me once I’m home to prescriptions for meds to rearranging the furniture in the house to make it easier for me to get around. He’s do dedicated, competent, and on top of it. I’m so blessed, to have such a son.  And 3 days from now I’ll be home with my love.  🤩🙏🏼💗 Joy! Joy! Joy!

 Another landmark success day — appointment with the urologist. Bottom line: I can go home with  a catheter-foley, then return for minor outpatient surgery to install a more permanent catheter port. Skipping over the details, the important thing for me is that from the urology point of view, I can go home. Since that’s also true from the surgical point of view, now that the fixator was removed, I’m good to go home medically. The only remaining requirement is that the physical therapy people here at the Post Acute Care facility put me through some paces to the point where they’re satisfied that I can be home safely — e.g., that I can navigate the wheelchair, execute transitions, take care of my toileting and self-care needs, etc. — that I can do safely all the things I’ll need to do at home.  There’s more to the process — insurance authorization, ordering and getting the wheelchair, training on getting into and out of the car, prescriptions for various meds, etc. All of th...

  Today was an important day — I had my appointment with Dr. Abidi, the surgeon who did the   repair of my fractured right knee. Xan, Eric, Gail, and I went to the appointment. The leg was unwrapped and inspected, x-rays were taken, and the judgment was clear: healing had gone well and it was time for the fixator, the steel brace keeping my left from bending (and thereby damaging the surgical repair to the knee), to come off. Taking the x-rays involved some pain, moving the leg this way and that so x-rays from different angles could be taken. Removing the brace was yet more painfuful. The brace was secured to my leg by screws embedded in the leg bones. Taking the steel rod off and removing the screws from the leg was painful — and great, because the hardware, the brace, is off and history!  A big step forward on the road to being able to go home. The next big step may happen tomorrow. I have an appointment with Dr. Smith, the urologist who installed the catheter-a...

Xan and I have been visited by some special guests. Xan’s two sisters, Molly and Rebecca, came and stayed in our guest space, Studio B. Molly came from Hawaii and Rebeca came from Alabama! So good  to see the 3 sisters having a great time together. Then, right after Molly and Rebecca left, Nancy and Bryan came from Colorado.and also stayed in Studio B. Nancy is my longtime friend Jim’s daughter. Shyama and  I visited them some years ago as part of our RV trip around the county. Two lovely younger people doing good work in the world.     We’re honored to have such visitors as these four coming from such distances to see us.

 Yesterday I used my freedom-from-seclusion to leave my room and, in a wheelchair pushed by Eric, go with him to a sunny outdoor area. We sat by a large enclosure housing dozens of parakeets chattering away as they flew about. Felt great to be out in the sun and fresh air. Later in the day I did the same thing with Xan. Again, a pleasure.   I’m feeling good despite my physical difficulties.. I’m deeply appreciative of all the support I’m getting from friends, family, and fellowship (3 f’sP. The visits from Eric, Xan, Gail and others from near and far lift my spirits. The many notes, texts, and emails expressing caring/concern  A list of people ready to step into driving when Gail is not available. People who ask what they can bring me or do for me. Eric, for example, has provided soy sauce, packets of my favorite tea, and sani-wipes. A longtime friend brought me some cake. People have offered to bring special meals to me, which I would accept if I weren’t as pleased as I ...

 I tested positive for Covid June 5th. Today is the 15th, 10 days after I tested positive. The period of seclusion (confinement to my room) ends 10 days after testing positive, so I’m free to leave my room. I can, for example, go down the hall to a shower room to get a delicious shower, or go outside to spend time with a visitor. Yay! Feeling liberated!

 The wound nurse tells me my leg is looking good, and the catheter/foley is working well. The next BIG step is this Monday and Tuesday, the 17th and 18th, when I have appointments with the two doctors — Abidi, The surgeon who operated on my right knee, and Smith, the urologist who installed the catheter/foley.  If — BIG IF —Abidi says the right leg steel fixator can be removed, and Smith says the catheter/foley can be removed and I can pee on my own, then I could be going home after those two appointments — say on or about June 20th. No telling about that big if, but I’m excited that there’s the possibility that I could be going home soon.

 The foley has been filling and there’s no wetness at my crotch, so things seem to be working as they should. Turns out there’s no problem.

     Greg, in an outraged storm of anger, blame, and long story-telling, finally decided to leave AMA. Fighting with most everyone to the end. (Not with me; we stayed positive).       At the same time, my urine didn’t go down the catheter-foley, but dribbled out from the catheter-penis connection onto by body and pants. Nurse Hector had me push the catheter in a little, then wait-see. It happened again, but Hector doubted me — told me next time don’t stop it, just let it go and there’ll be clear evidence one way or the other — and then we can consider what, if anything, to do.       Waiting to see.

     Of the three beds in this room, mine is the one by the window. The view out the window is lovely. There is a Black Eyed Pea Vine that is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Beautiful. And there are trees and the sky beyond.    So there’s the bad and the good. The accident and all the difficulty that has followed, together with all the things that are nourishing and supporting me.    In the end, there is just acceptance, appreciation, and gratitude.

     The wound nurse unwrapped and looked over my leg today, and said it looks just fine.    I was tested today and came out positive for Covid. I can't leave here for the next 10 days.    Fortuitously, that means I can leave here for my two appointments on June 17 and 18th.

  I have appointments to see Doctors Abidi and Smith on June 17 and 18. I’m hopeful – no guarantees – that both will say I’m ready to go home. We’ll see.

I was transferred to Santa Cruz Post Urgent Care. I’ve been here ever since. Follow up visits to both Smith and Abidi showed positive results. Smith installed a catheter and foley, and Abidi’s asst Ray said the knee looked fine and just needed time for healing. The staff here is great. They take me to their gym, where they work me hard, as I want to be worked. The more I work the closer I get to being able to go home.    Progress is slow and sometimes exhausting, but I do make progress every day, so I’m confident that I’ll be going home in the not too distant future.    The knee will take some time to heal. And by and by the catheter and foley will be able to be removed and I’ll be able to pee on my own. Meanwhile, there’s no pain, just some discomfort when I move in certain ways.    And there are lots of sleepless nights, or nights with only very partial sleep. Ambien and other meds give me about five hours of good sleep before they wear off. Then I toss a...

I needed my carry-on suitcase to pack some things for a trip. I got a ladder so I could get the suitcase down from the loft where it lives. I’ve done this many times before, going up on the ladder, getting the suitcase, and handing it down to Xan. But this time I slipped and fell off the ladder. The result was multiple fractures to my right knee and difficulty with my bladder, difficulty peeing. At Dominican Hospital, Dr. Damian Smith, urologist, inserted a catheter (folks at Watsonville Community Hospital had tried 5x and failed, with pain each time). My knee was operated on by Dr. Abidi, surgeon (Watsonville). All successful. I got 3 days of good care.