Code Purple

On my visit to see Rick, Friday night, he called me by my name for the first time. I didn't ask him if he knew who I was, just said hi when I walked into his room. He was really restless and was trying to think of any reason he could to get out of his room and the hospital.  So Mary, his nurse Meta, and I took him for a ride around the Brain Injury floor.  We stopped to look out at Lake Michigan and the marina down below.  He looked over at me and asked, "Linda do you have a lighter?"  I was elated.  This showed me how far he has come (by knowing my name), but how far he has to go, by asking me for a light, and the fact that when I tried to turn the Brewer Game on TV, he changed the channel to the easy listening music with flowers on the screen!

Rick just wanted to get outside and was thinking of any reason he could to get out there. He wanted to walk badly.  But the staff kept insisting that he ride in the wheelchair, restrained with a fabric belt.  He finally got through the gauntlet of Mary, me, Meta, and several other staff.  He just wanted to take a walk, unemcumered by belts, walkers or people holding on to him.  He kept insisting that they not touch him.  In their defense, they were concerned that he may lose his balance and fall.  He is pretty good on his feet, but wobbly at times. 

Well they walked him right into a corner and like any living being who becomes trapped in a corner with no escape, he stubbornly wouldn't move or let them hold on to him.  Suddenly throughout the hospital we hear, "CODE PURPLE ROOM 8248". Well I soon found out that tells security that the nurses need assistance to subdue a patient. Suddenly there were at least eight people surrounding Rick, including a security officer.  The officer calmly asked Rick his name. Rick answered correctly and told him that he just wanted to walk and not be touched.  The officer asked Rick if he would return to his room.. After the sea of personnel parted, a defeated Rick, slowly and steadily walked to his room and sat down in his chair.  You can't blame a guy for trying :)

After speaking with his nurses, Mary offered suggestions to them that she thought Rick was more than ready to be allowed to walk more (unencumered) and Saturday was fantastic. He walked nearly all day with somone along side of him to steady him if need be. The staff also told Mary, not to hesitate to offer suggestions about Rick's therapy.  She is there by his side most of the time and knows him better than they do.

Funny Rick Comment for the day...
Tony (his son in law) was sitting with Rick, playing simple card games with him.  Tony gestured to the door in Rick's room where a number of pictures, posters,and well wishes are hanging. He pointed to a picture of Kelsey and Cal (Rick's grandchildren) and asked him,
"Hey Rick do you know who that is in the picture?"
Rick responded,
"Yeah, they're your kids"
True story