Monday, April 03, 2006

looking for help

Well now is the time to start having other people besides me and our immediate family to help jon, he is in a better situation where he is more comfortable with others willing and able to help...
this is what i need:

Women or Men: (Day Shift) monday-friday 9am-9pm
Men: (Night Shift) monday-friday 9pm-9am

We just need one person per day and one man per night. If you are able to help..let me know via email...
DAY SHIFT: typically you are just feeding him, helping him go get the nurse if he needs something, sitting there quietly or reading to him..he'll tell what he needs done..its nothing real major!
NIGHT SHIFT: typically you are making sure he's ready for bed (the nurses do pretty much everything), around 3am he just would like you to stretch out his arms because his shoulders are SO SORE! then he's back to sleep till around 6 or 7am, feed him his breakfast and then he's ready for the day ..i do have a cot there you can sleep on as well..

this week is all scheduled out..so im starting to work on next week's schedule..

thanks!

i talked to my mom ..and he is doing well..it seems he has most of his PT from 930am-4pm...then he's just WIPED OUT and ready to be back in his bed..he typically eats a big breakfast, hardly any lunch and somewhat of a dinner..we bought him ensure's to help keep him fed..he says he's just NEVER hungry and he's just force feeding himself, just eating is SO exhausting for him he says!!!
anyone interested in visiting him, the best time is probably after 6ish..after he's had time to rest and maybe eat a little something...or during the weekend when he only has one PT session...
if you do go PLEASE do not ask him..."are you able to move your legs?" or things of that nature..its so hard to tell people that "no he cant"..its just a reminder of how far we truly have to go... he's happy to show you what he CAN do vs telling you what he CANT do...
just try to be yourself, encourage him, tell him what he's meant to you in your life, what you love about him, that your encouraged by his strength and about the changes your making in your life..those kinds of things REALLY spur on his determination to get better...also tell him that your always praying for him and his family, and that you will be right there with him as miracles continue to take place in this trial...
i know often times people come in and arent even sure what to do with him...i thought maybe from observation i could help you out.. when you come in..be sure and take his right hand and shake it the best you can..that REALLY helps him to feel like hes normal and that your not afraid of him or his condition..
for me..im most comforted when people say.."i dont even know what to say" for some reason..that comforts me..because i dont even know what other people would have to say TO comfort me!! so not knowing - comforts me..if that made any sense!! it makes me sometimes appreciate that the truth is we dont all have the right answers to everything or know what to do...were ALL going thru this trial together and were ALL learning things from this trial..

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