Moving Slowly Upwards

This was going to be an upbeat blog, concentrating on the good things Pete is doing - but now I have something else to worry about with him.  This evening his right foot is nice and warm!! I can see you thinking 'and????' but, the thing is, it is usually icy, icy cold! So why is it suddenly warm tonight?  It looks a little red but nothing too bad so I don't know if there is an infection in there or not - there is no apparent break in the skin to get infected, so I'm left wondering what is going on.  I think I just have to see what develops, but could really do without it. 

So, onto the good things.  Pete is doing much more in the way of helping with meals etc. and, a couple of times, has washed, dried and put away the dishes after a meal.  He is doing much more walking around and moving about.  He has been outside today, up steps to see the greenhouse and round the garden and sitting in the garden for about 10 minutes and he did that voluntarily, it wasn't me forcing him to go out.  Martin took me to Tesco and Argos the other evening and Pete decided to come aswell which was nice, he stayed in the car but at least came out with us.  As he hasn't wanted to go out of the house for weeks, these are all good signs.  

Bev, speech therapist, came yesterday and, although she did no therapies as such, we told her everything we are doing re communication at the moment (singing, book with words, gestures).  Then we all had a good session just with general chat and Pete joining in with his opinion (yes or no and facial expressions, etc) which was excellent and, I'm sure, Pete really enjoyed that.  

Today it was a visit from Candy, Psychologist, and then Suzanne, Physiotherapist, this afternoon.  The session with Candy was a good one and I think these are important as she asks him about feelings, etc and she probably gets more honest answers than I do if I ask.  There were a few tears when she touched on subjects of things he misses doing but it is good to talk about these things as then he is not bottling it all up.  She knows the questions to ask and how to ask them.  She will visit again in two weeks' time.

Suzanne exercised Pete's arm and said she can definitely feel an improvement, so the Botox is working.  His arm and hand can now fit comfortably back into the splint.  We just have to keep the hand clean and moisturised and if he can keep on building up his walking, then we are heading in the right direction.  She is not going to come regularly but will keep in touch and if I want her to come out then she will.

I am sorry to say that the level of painkillers has been rising and Pete is now taking 6 a day most days - so much for the challenge to stop taking them altogether!!!  

And that is the situation at the moment - forward several steps but then back one!