Fall, surgery, 3 months in rehab facility

[oldrooster]

eggcited I knew people who where in similar type facilities that's why I asked and offered some different options, unfortunately the rehab wings are hit and miss on telling people what is available in the other areas for entertainment (I realize people reading this think really bingo? that does not sound mush fun, but it's better than doing what the Statler Brothers sang about, that is counting flowers on the wall (paper)) make sure to have someone check with the local the library for the possible delivery service, as I said before these facilities are hit and miss on providing info and sometimes the facilities don't sometimes know of services outside places may offer for all or part of their patients.....

 

[onedoodle3]

Glad you can get around to visit the other residents and at least do a few things! Maybe the boredom won't be so bad. Praying for a quick recovery for you!!

 

[onedoodle3]

Eggcited, I was just wondering how you were doing. It's been a little while, and with Christmas fast approaching, I wanted to check and see how you were holding up. Are you up and visiting the other residents? Hope you are recovering quickly! We are still praying for you. If I don't get to post again before Christmas (having ISP problems with my DSL carrier..

), I hope you have a very Merry Christmas!

 

[eggcited2]

Eggcited, I was just wondering how you were doing. It's been a little while, and with Christmas fast approaching, I wanted to check and see how you were holding up. Are you up and visiting the other residents? Hope you are recovering quickly! We are still praying for you. If I don't get to post again before Christmas (having ISP problems with my DSL carrier..

), I hope you have a very Merry Christmas!

Thank you for checking and asking. I have not been on byc again till today - Jan. 6, 2013.

Most people here only come out of their rooms to eat meals, and then go back in. They do have bingo on Saturday afternoons that quite a few go to and I go to it. It helps pass an hour and is fun.

This Tuesday - Jan. 8, will be 11 weeks since the break and Wed - Jan. 9 will be 11 weeks since the surgery. As of this time, the surgeon can see no healing at all. None of the breaks are healing. It is what is called a non-union fracture. He wanted a bone growth stimulator gotten for it, to try to get some bone growth/healing. But of course, as when dealing with insurance, they said no. They said to resubmit the request in three weeks and they "might" consider it then. My insurance will be up on paying for me to be here on Feb. 5 and I will go home (weather the leg is healed or not). Plus it still at any time could fall apart (the rebuilding of the leg, putting all the many pieces of bone back together) at any time and that would mean more surgery. Open the leg, cut off the femur (bone that goes from knee to hip) up to undamaged bone, put in an artificial knee called a hinged knee. Those are not really good. They wear out quite fast (average is 1 - 3 years). They are the last kind of artificial knee that can be used. Once it wears out or fails, there is no other knee that can be put in to replace it. That would be about an 8 hour surgery. That also makes for a higher chance of infection. If an infection would set in, then the leg would have to amputated.

We got notice yesterday, Jan. 5, that the mortgage company (Chase) will auction off our home on the court house steps Jan. 24. We have not been able to pay the house payments. When my husband retired April of 2012, he then found out he would only get $2,100 a month for us to live on. With a house payment of $1,700 we just couldn't make the payments. We also have two vehicle payments. The entire $2100 would not have covered those things. Let alone buy food, pay electricity, pay for gas to heat the home, pay for gas for vehicles, both of our medicines we have to have daily (insulins, heart med for me, and other necessary meds), and so on.

I am not at home to be able to do any packing to move. I asked family to help, but my brother said no. He was separated from his wife the past year and he lived with us cause he had no other place to go. He and his wife got back together a couple months ago and he has no interests in having anything to do with me. Since I won't get out of here till Feb. 5 and the house is going to be auctioned off Jan. 24, I am beyond frantic and worried about how to get anything packed to move. And if I do go home, there is an extremely good chance that my leg will still not be healed. And you can't walk on a broken leg. Especially one as damaged as mine is.

We do have someplace we could move to in Illinois, but how can you move when none of your possessions (clothing, cookware, plates, glasses, everything) are packed and you can't do the packing and family will not help. And if things did get packed, we have no one who would help load them onto the pickup my husband has. Including larger items like: bed, mattress, dinning table, washing machine, dryer, refrigerator, etc. If by a miracle all that did get done, it would be a 4-5 hour drive to where we would move to. No one would be there to help unload any of that stuff. And again, with me having a leg that has no healing of the broken bone, I would be pretty much worthless to unpack and put away things. I can only set in a wheel chair (which I do not have a wheel chair at home) and only use a walker for 'transfer'. Transfer is like get out of bed into wheel chair, get out of wheel chair into a living room chair, get out of chair to the comode, which has to be right next to where I sleep/set. I have to hop on the unbroken leg to move at all using the walker. But I can not do it for very far, because the movement of hopping and coming down on the good leg puts a force on the broken part of the other leg. And that could cause the breaks to fall apart.

Thank you for the holiday wishes. I was in here for thanksgiving, Christmas, of course the new year stuff, and will be here on my 40th wedding anniversary. Bill was able to come in for thanksgiving and Christmas day. No holiday things were done here, as it is a jewish facility and Christmas is not really done much here. I was able to have a poinsettia (from a cousin) in my room and my best friend sent a wonderful evergreen arrangement.

I do have to say that I am very lucky to have been placed in this facility. The people here are beyond wonderful and caring. The nursing staff and aids are great (most. you get a sour one occasionally, but for the most part, they are great). The therapy people are amazing and so caring. I have physical therapy for 30-45 minutes every morning (to build strength in the non broken leg) and occupational therapy for another 30-45 minutes every morning (upper body work, also help taking a shower, and daily living things). I have the physical therapy before breakfast, I go down about 7:00 a.m., have breakfast at 8:00, and then back down to therapy gym soon after eating breakfast.

 

[donrae]

Okay, personal questions, but I'm a nurse so I'm just nosy. Hey, at least I'm not asking the personal bathroom questions your nurses are asking you all the time, right

Do you have private insurance or are you Medicare?

Do you have a church family that could help you? Other friends? How much can your husband do?

Look at where you are planning to move to. Is there a church there that could help you? Or a service organization like a Lions Club? I love the Lions at a rural town where I work, they build ramps for folks with wheelchairs, they get used medical equipment--if you need a hospital bed or a trapeze to help you get in or out of bed better, etc. And they tell me all the time they have resources, they just don't know where the need is. Even contacting things like 4-H groups or scouting groups. Community service type projects are always needed for Eagle scouts, etc.

Have you talked to the social worker at your facility? Seems to me like she should be able to be a resource for you on these things, too.

Sorry you didn't get a better holiday season........glad you're in a good facility. Your nurses and physical therapists can make all the difference, they just can't heal that darn bone for you!

 

[caspernc]

All I can say is WOW. I'm praying hard for you. I'm praying that your needs will be met and you will get the help you really need. His loving arms are around you and I hope you feel Him with you now. I hope you beleive. At a time like this it has to be a trial.

 

[redhen]

Oh gosh...I don't even know what say..
What a horrible nightmare for you...so sorry.

 

[chickenzoo]

Goodness.....prayers to you and your husband. I hope you can find someone to help you..... And your leg gets better. Things will get better.....its just a.bumpy road.
Sending warm wishes.your way.....

 

[justbugged]

I have posted this thread's link on the Missouri State thread. I am hoping that somehow we can come together as a group to help you at least pack up your belongings. It would help to know where in the state of Missouri the OP is. At this point unless some of us strangers don't help out, then there isn't a lot point to worry about what will happen next. This is all that needs to happen to anyone of us, to become homeless.

I must say that I do get put out with truly helpless men. Older men seem to be some of the most helpless people on the planet. Egg I can only pray that you learn to let control over the coming events go. Otherwise you will only make yourself crazy. I know that it isn't easy when we have been taking care of everything most of our lives. Now I am hoping that you will let us help if we can.

I don't know how I will feel if we can't help. I am so just far away.

 

[davony's chicks]

Thank you for checking and asking. I have not been on byc again till today - Jan. 6, 2013.

Most people here only come out of their rooms to eat meals, and then go back in. They do have bingo on Saturday afternoons that quite a few go to and I go to it. It helps pass an hour and is fun.

This Tuesday - Jan. 8, will be 11 weeks since the break and Wed - Jan. 9 will be 11 weeks since the surgery. As of this time, the surgeon can see no healing at all. None of the breaks are healing. It is what is called a non-union fracture. He wanted a bone growth stimulator gotten for it, to try to get some bone growth/healing. But of course, as when dealing with insurance, they said no. They said to resubmit the request in three weeks and they "might" consider it then. My insurance will be up on paying for me to be here on Feb. 5 and I will go home (weather the leg is healed or not). Plus it still at any time could fall apart (the rebuilding of the leg, putting all the many pieces of bone back together) at any time and that would mean more surgery. Open the leg, cut off the femur (bone that goes from knee to hip) up to undamaged bone, put in an artificial knee called a hinged knee. Those are not really good. They wear out quite fast (average is 1 - 3 years). They are the last kind of artificial knee that can be used. Once it wears out or fails, there is no other knee that can be put in to replace it. That would be about an 8 hour surgery. That also makes for a higher chance of infection. If an infection would set in, then the leg would have to amputated.

We got notice yesterday, Jan. 5, that the mortgage company (Chase) will auction off our home on the court house steps Jan. 24. We have not been able to pay the house payments. When my husband retired April of 2012, he then found out he would only get $2,100 a month for us to live on. With a house payment of $1,700 we just couldn't make the payments. We also have two vehicle payments. The entire $2100 would not have covered those things. Let alone buy food, pay electricity, pay for gas to heat the home, pay for gas for vehicles, both of our medicines we have to have daily (insulins, heart med for me, and other necessary meds), and so on.

I am not at home to be able to do any packing to move. I asked family to help, but my brother said no. He was separated from his wife the past year and he lived with us cause he had no other place to go. He and his wife got back together a couple months ago and he has no interests in having anything to do with me. Since I won't get out of here till Feb. 5 and the house is going to be auctioned off Jan. 24, I am beyond frantic and worried about how to get anything packed to move. And if I do go home, there is an extremely good chance that my leg will still not be healed. And you can't walk on a broken leg. Especially one as damaged as mine is.

We do have someplace we could move to in Illinois, but how can you move when none of your possessions (clothing, cookware, plates, glasses, everything) are packed and you can't do the packing and family will not help. And if things did get packed, we have no one who would help load them onto the pickup my husband has. Including larger items like: bed, mattress, dinning table, washing machine, dryer, refrigerator, etc. If by a miracle all that did get done, it would be a 4-5 hour drive to where we would move to. No one would be there to help unload any of that stuff. And again, with me having a leg that has no healing of the broken bone, I would be pretty much worthless to unpack and put away things. I can only set in a wheel chair (which I do not have a wheel chair at home) and only use a walker for 'transfer'. Transfer is like get out of bed into wheel chair, get out of wheel chair into a living room chair, get out of chair to the comode, which has to be right next to where I sleep/set. I have to hop on the unbroken leg to move at all using the walker. But I can not do it for very far, because the movement of hopping and coming down on the good leg puts a force on the broken part of the other leg. And that could cause the breaks to fall apart.

Thank you for the holiday wishes. I was in here for thanksgiving, Christmas, of course the new year stuff, and will be here on my 40th wedding anniversary. Bill was able to come in for thanksgiving and Christmas day. No holiday things were done here, as it is a jewish facility and Christmas is not really done much here. I was able to have a poinsettia (from a cousin) in my room and my best friend sent a wonderful evergreen arrangement.

I do have to say that I am very lucky to have been placed in this facility. The people here are beyond wonderful and caring. The nursing staff and aids are great (most. you get a sour one occasionally, but for the most part, they are great). The therapy people are amazing and so caring. I have physical therapy for 30-45 minutes every morning (to build strength in the non broken leg) and occupational therapy for another 30-45 minutes every morning (upper body work, also help taking a shower, and daily living things). I have the physical therapy before breakfast, I go down about 7:00 a.m., have breakfast at 8:00, and then back down to therapy gym soon after eating breakfast.

Eggcited2
so sorry to hear of your sad news! Where in Missouri are you located? why wont your family help?
I am in the center of the state but will try and help if I can.

I have posted this thread's link on the Missouri State thread. I am hoping that somehow we can come together as a group to help you at least pack up your belongings. It would help to know where in the state of Missouri the OP is. At this point unless some of us strangers don't help out, then there isn't a lot point to worry about what will happen next. This is all that needs to happen to anyone of us, to become homeless.

I must say that I do get put out with truly helpless men. Older men seem to be some of the most helpless people on the planet. Egg I can only pray that you learn to let control over the coming events go. Otherwise you will only make yourself crazy. I know that it isn't easy when we have been taking care of everything most of our lives. Now I am hoping that you will let us help if we can.

I don't know how I will feel if we can't help. I am so just far away.

Justbugged,
Thanks for posting this in the Missouri thread! Maybe we can get some help for this nice lady and her husband.