Friday Feb 18

I was able to help Randy put on his new tights today.  It was very painful for him.  The right leg was so painful that they are not all the way on yet.  The nurses came right as we were finishing up with this.  They checked his pulse and wondered what I had done to him.  They thought I had gotten him up!  But it was just the pain of putting his tights on.   His blood is finally at therapeutic levels today as well.
We saws the spine doctor today.  He said Randy's spine is looking like it is healing well.  He has one burst, and one compound compression, and several other compressions.  He didn't tell me how many, just kept saying several.  He also wanted to know all the details of the fall.  He used to climb, he says, and has a bad knee to prove it.

Any how Randy can take off the brace to sleep and shower and we go back in one month for a follow up.  Here are the pictures of his legs from this morning before I got his tights on.

I am asking any body out there for a favor.  I am borrowing Shelton's van and it needs a few tiny things done to it.  The bolts are still in the van from where the seat used to be.  The wheel chair gets snagged on them all the time.  If anyone has  a large enough tool to remove those, and is willing please contact me. (you can call or leave a comment).  Also the one door of her van no longer latches open.  It is on the opposite side of the control switch.  This makes it inconvenient to operate and hold the opposite door open while loading and unloading my patient and her son.  Is anyone out there able to help repair this?
*update*  Kara Kresser has saved the day!  The people where she works said they would work on the van for free!!  Ah, my favorite # and color is now free.  Thank you all so much!!  I will be taking it to Lehi, but that's so worth it.
Kara also mentioned that there is a device for putting on ted hose.  Who knew?  We may have to give this a try for the right foot.  Poor Randy.  What I didn't tell you is that while I was gently trying to put it on I was saying, " this is for not having accident insurance, and this is for not having your friends call me, and this is for not staying home with me."  I was totally joking, and I was really being gentle.  But it still made me smile.  Even funnier is that Cooper keeps saying, "just move dad's ankle with your hand." when Randy is trying to circle his ankle for therapy.  Even Randy let out a laughing No oh oh.. when he says it.  I now stand guard by Randy when his boots are off.  I know the kids wouldn't touch him, but Randy is feeling a little vulnerable about it.  We both explained how hurt Randy is and how we can't 'make' his body move.  They understand.  Even Cooper said he was just joking.