Day 79 - Okay we really did move this time

We made it! We're off the burn floor and onto the rehab unit on the 8th floor. We were actually discharged from the burn floor and immediately readmitted to rehabilitation. The way it works here at UC Health is that the rehab unit is a hospital inside a hospital. They have their own schedule, do things a little differently and operate apart from the acute centers like burn, transplant, and cardiac.

Packed up

Mama and Dan getting a little snuggle time in

Goodbye burn room

In transit

One of the things that is different in rehabilitation is how meals are arranged. Each patient meal defaults to the chef's choice for all meals. The meals are delivered within a narrow timeframe. All the structure makes it so each patient can get all the therapy in with the specialists. Dan likes structure so this kind of routine should be okay with him. We can pre-order his meals the night before so we can control the food he gets if we wish or let it default to whatever they bring. We can order extra food during the day too if we wish. We will figure out the rest of what is happening as the day passes.

His first work was with OTs who wanted to see him walk. When they arrived they asked that his movie be turned off. He had just calmed down from the transition so he was upset to begin with. He refused to stand and walk around until we got him some candy, but he still did not want to walk around for them. He did stand and walked directly to the TV and attempted to turn on the TV to start his movie so we gave in and turned it on so he could relax some. It was also around this time that he got some scheduled pain meds to help with the session.

We shifted to working with his arms - stretching and measuring. We got him in his bed which he agreed to once the movie was running. He was doing better with this activity, but still making noises that told us he wasn't happy. The stretching and measuring continued, he protested, they did more. he protested. I suspect this is how all the days will go. I just hope the routine and structure will be something that helps him to cope.

Jamie will be Daniel's first visitor in his new rehab room tonight if all goes as planned.