Laughter And Love Help Make Things Better

I'm struggling here. I just don't feel like writing.  I've slacked a few times this week, and now here I am again just staring at this blank page.

Greg is here and he is helping Kyle eat dinner.  Kyle is unhappy, in pain, frustrated and getting angry at Greg. I had something funny from yesterday I was going to pass on, but now it doesn't seem as funny.

I guess I have the blues right now.  I went out this afternoon to get my haircut and I didn't feel bluesy then. I walked to the Aveda Institute which is a cosmetology school.  $16 for a haircut by an up and coming.  Can't beat that.  A nice new refreshing haircut, a nice walk in the fresh air....

But now here I am.....  staring again.

Laughter is the Best Medicine

When Kyle yells, Kyle is heard.  Jasmine came out of her office once and into the gym to ask "Kyle. is that you??? I can hear you from my office!"  He is so vocal right now with Greg helping him with dinner, that our training nurse, Matt,  from a few weeks ago just popped his head into the room.

Matt:  "Hey Kyle, I can hear you from the nurse's station!"
Me:    "Oh no, I'm sorry"
Greg:  "I'm sorry, we'll close the door so he isn't disturbing anyone"
Matt:  "Oh, we love hearing that!  We were saying  'Hey, that's Kyle we hear down there'.  The ABI nurses are actually happy when a patient is vocal or even take a punch at them, it means it's progress".  

He lightened the mood for us, made some jokes, and made us all laugh,

So, keeping in a lightened mood, and hoping this is not TMI.... Kyle had his "condom catheter" removed today, in step with getting him to use a urinal.   So when he started yelling to us he had to pee, Greg and I stepped into action.  Of course, he was sitting in his wheelchair at the time, and Greg and I look at each other with that questioning look of  "now what?"

Me:  "I don't know how to do this in a chair"
Greg: "Well don't look at me"
Me:   "I think it would be easier if we get him in the bed , don't you think?"
Greg: "Maybe we should call someone"

We made the phone call, but in the meantime, Kyle is still yelling "I have to pee, I have to pee" and we didn't want an accident in his chair, so not waiting for help, we get him in the lift ourselves and back to bed.  We give him the urinal but he really still needs assistance from us (remember, he is one handed).  He is now just screaming, but not using any words (which is how it usually goes).   We have no idea why he won't pee and why he is getting so agitated. So after minutes of this back and forth at each other, he finally uses his voice and yells at Greg,

"Dad!  You have to open the lid!!!" 

Nough said.

Kyle's Calendar

Yesterday in Speech Therapy, Cheryl helped Kyle get organized with a calendar.  Her calendar had every component to it except the days were not numbered.  Here was an opportunity to get Kyle to write.
After successfully getting Kyle to count the days backwards all the way to the 1st, she then  had him write in today's date to the end of the month.  Task completed,  A+.

 Dog Therapy

And of course, gotta have that daily dose of love..