Updates... 7/25 , 7/26
Good evening to all. I hope that you are having a great week. I am sorry that I did not get an update out yesterday - I am having computer problems. But, it is with great excitement that I am writing to you from Charlotte. You read it right! We got the word around 10am Tuesday morning that Josh was accepted to Charlotte and they had a bed ready for him. We left around 12:30pm via ambulance to come a little closer to home. We are very excited and Josh said he understood why we were moving. I think he is ready in his mind to get better, now we just have to get the rest of his body to comply.
God is so good in opening the doors for Charlotte. There were several times the answer looked like it would be "no", but everything worked out. At first we didn't think we could get North Carolina benefits and just as we were told that we couldn't - dad got Josh's NC card in the mail that same day. Then there was a possibility Charlotte wouldn't have a bed for a little while and Tuesday morning after everything was confirmed here we were, on our way to Charlotte. How perfect is that. The EMT's were really cool. They kept calling me and letting me know that Josh was doing fine. I really appreciated this because we went through alot of nasty weather and I wasn't sure how Josh would do. I don't think he remembers anything, but still I was a little weary given the circumstances. We are going to miss t he staff of UNC very much for all of the wonderful care they gave to Josh over the past 53 days, but it is time to move on and make new friends.
Once in Charlotte, we were treated very kindly. The facility is nice - it is located directly beside the big Charlotte hospital - Carolinas Medical Center. We were met by Josh's attending physician and he was very kind - I think he will take good care of Josh. The staff was also very nice to us all as well. I look forward to getting to know them over the weeks to come. Josh does have a roommate. He is a 22yr old guy that also had a head injury riding a skateboard. We like him and he said he would look after Josh when we are not there - he is able to get up and move around freely. We are not able to stay with Josh overnight which was very difficult the first time because he really can't fend for himself right now. I know they will take good care of him, but still it was hard just the same. Family can be there for therapy and pretty much all day, but visiting hours are from 4pm to 9pm. Josh is starting off with about 3 hours of therapy a day, (a short session on Saturday and on Sunday he justs rests) between physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy. He is also followed by a dietician, case worker, educator, aides, and nurses. They try to keep the same people working with Josh everyday (as much as possible) to keep with continuity of care. The first nurse we met was Katie and she seems like alot of fun. She works the evening shift and as mom and I tearfully left for the evening she asked if it would be okay if she could pray with Josh - of course we said YES. She said she and Josh made a deal that they would say a prayer every night together that she worked. I know God is watching out for Josh!
Josh made it just fine through the night. We anxiously got back to the rehab center at 7:30am when Josh was to begin his therapy. Lisa, his occupational therapist, met him first. She came in first thing, got Josh dressed in real clothes and got him sitting up in the chair. He really seemed to like this. He had a happy and peaceful look on his face while sitting up. I know it had to feel good to get out of that bed. He did okay, he is just sooooooo weak. He was able to hold his head up for a little while, but it wasn't long before he was looking straight down. He also needs assistance when sitting; he just can't do that on his own right now. He sat in the chair for a little over an hour. Ben with physical therapy came in next to evaluate Josh. His muscles are very tight, so it is going to take alot of work to get them to where they need to be. He is moving his right arm and his right leg a little, but the tremors to the right arm and left leg limit some of what he can do. I pray that in time the tremors will go away and he will begin moving that left side a little more. At the end of PT Josh was very tired so we got him back in the bed. He did really well for his first time being up. Next Melissa with speech therapy came in and saw Josh but he was pretty tired at this point so he wasn't talking as well as he has been. But he did answer all of her questions appropriately. She is going to see him first tomorrow so she gets to see him before he gets too tired. They are also going to spread out his therapy to give him breaks in between so they can get the optimal usage of their time with Josh. Every evening Josh gets a schedule for the next days therapy. It really helps plan your day. Eventually Josh will work up to 4-4 1/2 hours of therapy a day. Josh says he is going to work hard to get better. I think that as he gains some strength back we will really see a difference.
That is about it for his first day of rehab. He did well, but I know that it wore him out. Mom and dad are staying in an extended stay hotel about 8 miles away. Dad is going to sortof temporarily base his business out of Charlotte while Josh is in rehab. I am going to work a few days in Columbia then stay up there for the rest of the week. Hopefully this won't last too terribly long. But whatever it takes to get Josh back to functioning on his own. That is the goal and I know that with God's help, prayer, and people working daily with Josh it can be reached. Thank you all for your continued love and prayers.
Josh's new address:
Joshua Chandler
Charlotte Institute of Rehab
1100 Blythe Road
Room 104-2
Charlotte, NC 28203
God is so good in opening the doors for Charlotte. There were several times the answer looked like it would be "no", but everything worked out. At first we didn't think we could get North Carolina benefits and just as we were told that we couldn't - dad got Josh's NC card in the mail that same day. Then there was a possibility Charlotte wouldn't have a bed for a little while and Tuesday morning after everything was confirmed here we were, on our way to Charlotte. How perfect is that. The EMT's were really cool. They kept calling me and letting me know that Josh was doing fine. I really appreciated this because we went through alot of nasty weather and I wasn't sure how Josh would do. I don't think he remembers anything, but still I was a little weary given the circumstances. We are going to miss t he staff of UNC very much for all of the wonderful care they gave to Josh over the past 53 days, but it is time to move on and make new friends.
Once in Charlotte, we were treated very kindly. The facility is nice - it is located directly beside the big Charlotte hospital - Carolinas Medical Center. We were met by Josh's attending physician and he was very kind - I think he will take good care of Josh. The staff was also very nice to us all as well. I look forward to getting to know them over the weeks to come. Josh does have a roommate. He is a 22yr old guy that also had a head injury riding a skateboard. We like him and he said he would look after Josh when we are not there - he is able to get up and move around freely. We are not able to stay with Josh overnight which was very difficult the first time because he really can't fend for himself right now. I know they will take good care of him, but still it was hard just the same. Family can be there for therapy and pretty much all day, but visiting hours are from 4pm to 9pm. Josh is starting off with about 3 hours of therapy a day, (a short session on Saturday and on Sunday he justs rests) between physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy. He is also followed by a dietician, case worker, educator, aides, and nurses. They try to keep the same people working with Josh everyday (as much as possible) to keep with continuity of care. The first nurse we met was Katie and she seems like alot of fun. She works the evening shift and as mom and I tearfully left for the evening she asked if it would be okay if she could pray with Josh - of course we said YES. She said she and Josh made a deal that they would say a prayer every night together that she worked. I know God is watching out for Josh!
Josh made it just fine through the night. We anxiously got back to the rehab center at 7:30am when Josh was to begin his therapy. Lisa, his occupational therapist, met him first. She came in first thing, got Josh dressed in real clothes and got him sitting up in the chair. He really seemed to like this. He had a happy and peaceful look on his face while sitting up. I know it had to feel good to get out of that bed. He did okay, he is just sooooooo weak. He was able to hold his head up for a little while, but it wasn't long before he was looking straight down. He also needs assistance when sitting; he just can't do that on his own right now. He sat in the chair for a little over an hour. Ben with physical therapy came in next to evaluate Josh. His muscles are very tight, so it is going to take alot of work to get them to where they need to be. He is moving his right arm and his right leg a little, but the tremors to the right arm and left leg limit some of what he can do. I pray that in time the tremors will go away and he will begin moving that left side a little more. At the end of PT Josh was very tired so we got him back in the bed. He did really well for his first time being up. Next Melissa with speech therapy came in and saw Josh but he was pretty tired at this point so he wasn't talking as well as he has been. But he did answer all of her questions appropriately. She is going to see him first tomorrow so she gets to see him before he gets too tired. They are also going to spread out his therapy to give him breaks in between so they can get the optimal usage of their time with Josh. Every evening Josh gets a schedule for the next days therapy. It really helps plan your day. Eventually Josh will work up to 4-4 1/2 hours of therapy a day. Josh says he is going to work hard to get better. I think that as he gains some strength back we will really see a difference.
That is about it for his first day of rehab. He did well, but I know that it wore him out. Mom and dad are staying in an extended stay hotel about 8 miles away. Dad is going to sortof temporarily base his business out of Charlotte while Josh is in rehab. I am going to work a few days in Columbia then stay up there for the rest of the week. Hopefully this won't last too terribly long. But whatever it takes to get Josh back to functioning on his own. That is the goal and I know that with God's help, prayer, and people working daily with Josh it can be reached. Thank you all for your continued love and prayers.
Josh's new address:
Joshua Chandler
Charlotte Institute of Rehab
1100 Blythe Road
Room 104-2
Charlotte, NC 28203
posted by Brandon at
4:35 PM
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