Saturday

Benjamin and lovely fiancée Laura with Tashie

Vicki, one of Tashie's first and most beloved teachers at Montcrest, came out from Halifax last week to visit and help Tashie continue her healing. She takes off tomorrow, after having been an amazing addition to the household in very way, from overseeing Tashie's medications to reminding her to take deep breaths to moving the sprinklers around outside.
Bethany's family reunion has been happening at the Ashram this weekend, and Tashie has been receiving visitors throughout the day.

Tashie and Rebecca the Rescuer

Wednesday

Vicki, one of Tashie's first and dearest Montcrest teachers, arrived from Halifax yesterday for a week's stay at Camp Sherman. Clarke has been the faithful and smooth driving chauffeur for Wanda, Rachel, and now Vicki - fortunately, he loves to drive, and now knows that road by heart. Tashie is working hard on her therapy, although she tried (unsuccessfully) to talk Rachel into stopping at 3 laps rather than continuing to the prescribed 6.
Bobo is in attendance for one more day, and will be sorely missed before he even leaves the driveway. Rachel also is slated to return to Portland, handing the sceptre to Vicki this afternoon. Tashie is moving around quite independently now, manoeuvering her walker with little or no outside help. She'll seems to be returning rather quickly to her pre-fall state - what a trooper! I'll send photos when the family photographers get up there on Friday. In the meantime, we can always be comforted and exhilarated by images of the land that sustains us.

Home at Last!

I have become a remote observer from Victoria, so rely on telephone conversations and emails for blog material. Last Wednesday, Bruce and Bob gently escorted Tashie  out of the St. Charles rehab unit, and back home to Camp Sherman.The first many hours were busy with her team: therapists (occupational and physio), her case manager, etc. They were assessing Tashie's environment, scheduling therapies, and generally planning her care. He first night at home was a rough one, probably due to the peaks and valleys of settling into a new space and a new routine. The second night she slept almost like a baby, and the third night (last night) she slept really like a baby. She has lots of work to do in the realm of therapy: walking, exercises, regaining muscle, and loosening areas of tightness and tension. At Tashie's request, Clarke brought the felines to CS for a visit.  They have become so used to being piled into their crate and into the car for Tashie visits that they seem to regard the mechanisms of travel with amazing aplomb.

Home Stretch

Practice stairs in background

Rachel, Clarke and Eliza drove up with the felines, to find Tashie's room empty; we were directed down to the rehab gym, where she was practicing walking up and down steps with Brooke, her physiotherapist. We just watched for a while, and when she was finished, went back upstairs with her - we had to held her back from running to Vashti and Micah, who were waiting in her room. Brooke asked that we bring a pair of real shoes for her, so that they could practice outdoor walking before discharge, so while Tashie reveled in her reunion with the kitties, and visited with R & C, I drove to Camp Sherman and picked up her shoes, socks, and Lal's walker that Cynthia, Sara and Laura have passed on to Tashie. The walker is just like the one she has been using at the hospital, except that the nieces sewed various pockets which are cleverly draped over the bars, and are tailor made by Cynthia to hold such items as a book, glasses, newspaper, etc. So the home preparations are rolling, and she is eager to get back to her nest.

Tashie's HIP re-"pear"

George writes from Toronto: "Monitoring Tashie's recovery via the blog.  Here's a little message via pears, eggs, blueberries and strawberries."

Hip Pears...

Hip Eggs...

Hooray Blueberries & Strawberries!

Square House

Since we have this rapt audience, this might be the perfect forum to spread the word that the Square House has been readied for rental. Photos tell the story.

Welcome Mat is Out!

Tashie is doing so very well that she is restless for diversion. Although she is working hard for a good part of the day, with brief rests in between, her work day ends at around four o'clock, at which time she will be receiving. Call her during the day to arrange an approximate time, so that the riches of visitors can be spread out a bit. She is in room 440 at St. Charles Hospital, and her telephone number is 541-382-4321.
The plan is that Tashie will be coming home to Camp Sherman on Wednesday, with Bruce managing the homecoming. Bob will be spending a couple of days with her as well, and then Fred and Wanda arrive on Friday night.

Note from Bruce

If Tashie comes home Saturday, Eliza readies the house, picks Tash up at St. Charles, and settles her in at home. I'll relieve Eliza on Sunday night or Monday morning.

If Tashie comes home Tuesday or Wednesday, I'll plan to be at her house the day before to make sure it's relatively hazard-free, and then will pick her up from the hospital.

Bob Levitt has agreed to come up next week, probable arrival on Tuesday. He and I will tag team until Fred and Wanda arrive in Camp Sherman, tentatively on Sunday August 8th (or Saturday the 7th; flight expense is a determinant here).

Tashie's contact information

Katherine S. Livingston
Room 440
St. Charles Bend

2500 N.E. Neff Road

Bend, Oregon 97701

(541) 382-4321

Vashti & Micah Return

Oooh, that feels so good!

Reunited

Tashie had her last feline visitation for a spell - Vashti and Micah travelled back to Portland with Eliza Sunday afternoon, and will return to Camp Sherman next weekend for more pet therapy. It is amazing to see Tashie greeting them, and they her. Micah sat on her bed quietly for some time, tending to his own needs, and Vashti settled down long enough for a cuddle.

Micah is taking it easy today

Tashie is moving ahead with Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy, working hard and getting stronger and stronger all the time. She now gets up out of bed and into her wheelchair herself, needing only the observing eye of a staff member as witness. She is also doing a good job of weaning herself from the trapeze and the multi-positional functions of the hospital bed.

Tashie has just gotten out of bed, dressed herself, and into the wheelchair! Brava!!

Philip arrived after the departure of Eliza and the felines and, at Tashie's request, brought the fixings for a root beer float. Yum yum! What a way to stoke the fires for a second round of workouts with the therapists! Philip takes off for Oakland on Wednesday, to return sometime in September.
Tashie's discharge day is yet to be determined: the earliest will be Saturday next, but it could also be moved to Monday or Tuesday.

Franceschi / Rowland / Livingston Visitations

Sunny Rebecca with Tashie

Grandchildren et al. in rapt attention

Yesterday evening, Tashie had multiple family visits: first Bruce and Bethany arrived, en route to Portland. Rebecca, Monique, and Dom and Roz came later, soaking in their Tashie stories before continuing on to Portland. And Dom is not stopping in Portland - he takes off next week to start his academic and craftsmen adventures at the American College of the Building Arts in for Charleston, South Carolina.

Monday's Schedule

Generic Google calendar

9:00 Occupational therapy
10:30 Physiotherapy
12:00 Lunch
3:00 Physiotherapy
3:30 Occupational therapy
5:45 Dinner
She generally needs to rest for 1/2 hour to 1 hour after therapy, so this should help you figure out when she might be up to taking a telephone call.

A Second Feline Visitation

Tashie with Micah

Vashti smelling the roses

Eliza brought Vashti and Micah in for another visit, and this time Micah was attentive to Tashie. Yesterday they were too curious investigating the room, and had little time for socializing. Today, Vashti continued to explore, giving Tashie only a glance or two before jumping off the bed to check out the intriguing flowers that came from the Lumbers. Holly, the occupational therapy lady, came by after about half an hour, so we packed up and left so that Tashie could focus on therapy. We have admonished her that therapy comes first - no telephone calls, no visitors when therapy is happening. Which brings to mind . . .her physiotherapist is getting concerned that Tashie is wearing herself out with telephone chin wags, so we are suggesting that you hold calls until late afternoon, any time after five o'clock. At that point, therapy will have been completed, and she will have had time for a little rest. Lunch time is a good time for face to face visits.

Sunday Family Pow Wow

Rebecca (feeling sunstruck) with minutes of pow wow

Family meeting on the Ashram deck to think about and plan Tashie's post-discharge care, with Rebecca as scribe (Her surprising expression is not typical, but her beauty shines through anyway).
Laurie will be coming in every morning M-F to help Tashie get up and dressed, prepare breakfast, clean up, and prep for lunch. A home health worker will be coming twice a week to do showers. Physical therapy and Occupational therapy people will be there a couple of times a week, but we don't yet know the exact schedule.She needs someone with her, or in the near environs, 24/7.
For all of you who have been eager to be involved in her care, there are several options available.
We need volunteers to help on a number of fronts:
1) Cover 24-hour shift
2) Prepare and bring supper for three or four people
3) Come in on days that OT / PT are not here, go through exercises with her
4) Grocery shopping
Odd jobs to do during 24 hr shift:
1) Fill bird feeder, etc.
2) Laundry, changing sheets, etc.
3) Turn on the tape recorder and record her stories as she tells them

Clarke and Rebecca listening . . . 

To the right is a hyperlink to a google calendar, which we will fill in as we hear from you, so that you'll know where the vacancies lie.

A Feline Visitation

"Where am I?" Micah wonders.

Tashie's pals, Vashti and Micah, visited today, after Eliza filled out a form that they would behave well. Pet Therapy! Tashie was thrilled - they have seemed a bit flummoxed not to have been able to find her at her house, in her bed, so they were quite glad to see her, and extremely curious about the new environment in which they found her.
Tashie worked hard learning how to get in and out of bed without the crutch or the trapeze, or the side rails. She also practiced walking, and is getting better and better, more and more steady. Although she did not have pain during her therapy session, she had quite a bit afterward, but a mighty Percoset took care of that.

Working Hard

Learning how to get to bed

Always more walking!

KD and Cameron visited.
The rehab staff fax'd their evaluation of Tashie early this morning - this is the piece that HealthNet has to see in order to make an evaluation regarding another week in rehab. Bethany just got word now that the insurance has approved Tashie's care until Saturday next! Yippee!! Why do they make this so difficult? And what happens to poor souls who don't have families with terrier-like grips? We don't know, but we're awfully glad that she got these extra days....mostly thanks to Bruce's tenacity.

Sorry about no photos recently - the photographers have been working in portland these past few days, and are now back.

Rehab Redux

Micah blissed out by KD and Cameron

Ellen Wood, another Hipster Tash Team Member, spent last night with Tashie, the last night she'll have a personal family attendant. She doesn't need us anymore 24/7, and she'll probably get a lot more rest if she has some times without one of us asking: are you sleepy? does it hurt? where? do you need another pillow? want some juice? shall I read to you?
Another item: Visitors Welcome! Both via the telephone, and face-to-face. Try to schedule your visit so that it doesn't interfere with PT or OT. IN the morning, a physiotherapy schedule is posted,
Tashie was approved for 3 days on the acute rehab unit, day one starting with her transfer from Orthopedics at 4 p.m. on Wednesday. Bruce met with Tashie's Case Manager today, trying to get approval for another week.  Meantime, we are exploring various scenarios for her return home to Spring Creek. And also meantime, life goes on at Spring Creek, and we look forward to Tashie being back here. Above are KD and Cameron fussing over the kitties that made the trek from Portland.

Milestones Met

Lift your head up!

Captain Joe training her for transfer

Tashie is really doing her part to get the go ahead to rehab - she is working hard, walking farther and farther each time, and beginning to learn about getting in and out of bed with less and less assistance.

The view from Tashie's room 440

Good news is that she met her milestones, the insurance finally acknowledged it, and Bruce moved her today to "a sweet suite with a mountain view" on the rehab unit . . . a huge accomplishment.She and Bruce and a physiotherapist met this afternoon to discuss goals, plans, etc.

Hooray!!

Is this the goal?

Tashie's insurance has just approved her move to the acute rehab unit, and she'll be moved down there today, probably this afternoon. Not sure her room number, but the unit is within St. Charles.
She is very eager to get going, down to rehab for some intense work, and then, in the next week or so, over the high desert roads to Camp Sherman.

A Great Night

Tashie and Bruce in St Charles' Garden

Tashie slept like a baby last night, in the care of Mabsie, and after having been guided through bedtime rituals and ablutions with Anne. Although her view of Pilot Butte is "nice," she is eager to get back to the ponderosas and peaks of home, so we'll be putting together a plan. Whether she comes directly home, or home via a few days in rehab, is still not decided. The insurance company has to respond to the appeals within 72 hours, so that means we should get a response tomorrow.
Fred wings back to Oakland today, and will probably return once she is home and settled. He has been a trooper, patiently waiting for the time to visit, and then having a chin wag when she was up to it, and just being there when she wasn't.
I expect Tashie will work really hard at PT today. She is getting better and better at maneuvering her body with less and less assistance, and the nurses have been stellar at pushing her diligently to do a little better each time.

Who's Who

People have asked about the identities of a few of the people mentioned, so I'll try to clarify:
Fred is Tashie's high school sweetheart they reconnected last year - another story altogether!
Rebecca is Tashie's grand-daughter via Bruce and Bethany
KD is Tashie's grand-daughter via Bruce

Nicholas relaxing in Portland

Anne and Dan Ankram are dear family friends from Portland/Camp Sherman/Bend, both RNs
Gail is a dear friend who helps Tashie stay on track, and who also happens to be a first responder/EMT.
And also, here's Nicholas, having arrived back in Portland after 5+ weeks in the Yukon, sporting a magnificent tan and 2 sprained ankles!

A Bad Night

Tashie with KD

Last night was a wasteland of bad leg cramps and no sleep...and definitely no fun. Yesterday Tashie worked really hard at physiotherapy, walking farther than she had walked before, getting herself in and out of bed with minimal help, and faithfully doing the muscle building exercises as instructed. After all that work, she had a long sleep, and then we went out to the garden with Fred and KD, and Tashie launched into story-telling mode.

Fred and Tashie

All was going swimmingly. Until we settled down to sleep at around midnight. Then the leg spasms began, and she was unable to get comfortable in any position. Pain meds didn't seem to help, nor did muscle relaxants. I think it was about seven am before she was able to drift off a bit, and then later in the afternoon she had a long sleep. It was really tough - she had earned a good night's sleep, and it just didn't happen.

A Better Day

Bruce encouraging Tashie

These photos tell the story, at least some of it. Anne and Dan continue to come three times a day to push/help/support the therapy goals, and Tashie is working hard. Bruce has been getting her up and active whenever she feels remotely like it, and alternates the activity with well-earned rest. Changing of the guard on Monday, when Bruce retires to get some rest himself, and Eliza takes over. Monday is sure to be a fireworks type of day, with jousts with the insurance sharks.

An Outdoor Interlude

Tashie's first outing to the garden

Tashie is having a pretty good day. She is a bit worried about what's next, given the insurance debacle. But the OT people got her going, and Bethany pushed her out into the sunshine for a change of scene. Nothing like blue sky and sunshine to wash away the funks.
Matthew arrived from Seattle midday, and will be with Tashie for tonight and tomorrow. Anne and Dan continue to work their magic; we have written to Pope Benedict to see about canonization.